Matua Kahurangi: Are paywalls protecting criminals more than profits?

When journalism hides behind a paywall, who’s being protected - the public, or the perpetrators?

I've written before about the growing use of paywalls by mainstream media outlets. The common understanding is that they exist to generate revenue, and that's fair enough. Journalism isn’t free, and newsrooms need to stay afloat. But lately, I’ve started to wonder if paywalls are doing more than just making money. In some cases, they seem to be shielding criminals from public scrutiny.

Yesterday, I published a piece about Brodie James Hayes, a child sex offender from Dunedin who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a five-year-old. You’d expect a crime of that magnitude to be public knowledge. Yet, unless you're a paying subscriber to the Otago Daily Times (ODT), or savvy enough to use a paywall blocker like Pocket or uBlock Origin, you won’t see his name. It’s buried behind a paywall.

Let me be clear: this is a bloke who sexually assaulted a child and still had aspirations of becoming a police officer. That should send alarm bells ringing, not only for the public but for any future employer considering hiring him. Instead, ODT has effectively made it easier for him to fade into obscurity by limiting public access to this critical information.

This isn’t an isolated case either. The Otago Daily Times has a track record of putting crime stories, particularly those involving serious offences, behind a paywall. Here are just a few headlines currently locked away:

• “Victims stunned offender not in jail”

• “‘I’m surprised you could walk’: Drink-driver seven times limit”

• “Would-be cop avoids sex assault conviction”

• “‘Nothing to add’: Violent offender refuses rehab”

• “Son swindles elderly mum out of $50,000”

• “Balclutha granddad jailed for 9th drink-driving conviction”

These are stories that matter. Stories that the public has a right to know. When someone is a repeat drunk driver, a violent offender, or a sex offender, their actions impact the safety of the community. These aren’t gossip pieces or clickbait. They’re essential for public awareness.

So why are they hidden? Is it just about money? Or is it about control, deciding who gets to be held accountable in the public eye and who gets quietly tucked away?

If news media wants to retain public trust, it has to balance financial sustainability with its duty to inform. Shielding serious offenders by locking away their names behind a paywall sends the wrong message. It gives the impression that anonymity can be bought, or worse, granted by default.

Paywalls have their place, but when they obscure justice and public safety, we have a right to question their purpose.

Matua Kahurangi is just a bloke sharing thoughts on New Zealand and the world beyond. No fluff, just honest takes. He blogs on https://matuakahurangi.com/ where this article was sourced.