Finlay Macdonald (editor)

Finlay Macdonald (born 1961)[1] is a New Zealand journalist, editor, publisher and broadcaster. He is best known for editing the New Zealand Listener (1998–2003).[2][3][4][5] Macdonald was appointed New Zealand Editor: Politics, Business & Arts of the online media site The Conversation in April 2020.[6] He lives in Auckland with his partner, media executive Carol Hirschfeld. They have two children, Will and Rosa.[7][8] His father was the late journalist Iain Macdonald.[9]

Career

Macdonald began his career as a junior reporter for the NZ Listener, later becoming a senior writer, before leaving to pursue a freelance career, during which time he researched and wrote television documentaries and was for two years a regular scriptwriter for TVNZ’s long-running drama series Shortland Street.

From 1996–1997 Macdonald was a senior writer for Metro magazine,[10] before returning to the Listener as deputy editor under then-editor Paul Little. When Little left, Macdonald was appointed editor, and hired Steve Braunias from Metro as deputy editor.[4][11]

Macdonald has said that highlights of editing the Listener included driving its coverage of the 9/11 terror attacks and New Zealand’s response to the subsequent "War on Terror", and launching the magazine’s first website.[3] 

Notable writers he commissioned to contribute to the Listener included C.K Stead (an obituary of New Zealand writer Janet Frame),[12] Michael King, Alexander Cockburn and Christopher Hitchens (on the death of Princess Diana).[3]

Between 2004–2006 he was a commissioning editor for Penguin Books New Zealand.[13]  During this time, Macdonald encouraged former New Zealand Prime Minister David Lange to write his memoir, David Lange: My Life.[14] The book’s publication coincided with the death of Lange in 2006, and remains a best-seller.

From 2006–2010 Macdonald wrote a weekly column for the Sunday Star-Times (which he has compared to writing a Listener editorial);[3] and was also the paper's literary editor.[13]

More recently he has written for North & South magazine, The Spinoff, Radio New Zealand and Newsroom. In 2013 he authored The Life and Art of Lynley Dodd an illustrated retrospective of the New Zealand children’s author’s work. From 2015–2017 he was the New Zealand publisher for HarperCollins [15][16][17] where he specialised in non-fiction works, including New Zealand musician Dave McArtney’s memoir Gutter Black,[18] Flying Nun Records founder Roger Shepherd’s memoir In Love With These Times,[19] and the celebrated New Zealand writer James McNeish’s final book, Breaking Ranks.

Macdonald has worked as a documentary producer/reporter or presenter for television series The Good Word (TVNZ 7);[20] Talk Talk (TVNZ 7); NewsBites (Maori Television Service) and The Book Show (TVNZ).[21] As host and moderator he launched the first seasons of the Auckland Museum LATE series of debates and lectures,[22] has been a regular chair at the annual Auckland Writers Festival, and has hosted the University of Auckland’s Bright Lights event for distinguished alumni since 2013.[23]

Education

Awards
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gollark: The power of GTech™ chronotemporal manipulation is significant, yes.

References
  1. Macdonald, Finlay (August 2011). "Here's to the Class of '61". North & South.
  2. "Macdonald to quit the 'Listener'". 27 November 2003. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  3. "Masterpieces: Finlay MacDonald on The Listener". RNZ. 9 February 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  4. Braunias, Steve. (2001). Fool's paradise. Auckland, N.Z.: Random House New Zealand. ISBN 1-86941-483-7. OCLC 49920372.
  5. Friday; July 2008, 4; Littlewood, 2:17 pm Column: Matthew. "Who is the Listener listening to? | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 4 August 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. Minchin, Liz. "Finlay Macdonald joins The Conversation in New Zealand". The Conversation. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  7. "Romantic Recollections: Carol Hirschfield – New Zealand Weddings Magazine". New Zealand Weddings. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  8. Husb, Dale; Feb 13, |; Read, 2016 | 5 | 10 Min (13 February 2016). "Carol Hirschfeld: I love the mission in front of us". E-Tangata. Retrieved 5 August 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. Macdonald, Finlay (6 April 2008). "My Dad and Wahine Day". Sunday Star Times. Retrieved August 2019. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  10. Little, Paul (June 1996). "Editorial". Metro.
  11. "Books: "Kind of a Dimwit" – An Interview with Steve Braunias". The Spinoff. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  12. Noted. "CK Stead on Janet Frame's unmistakable quality of genius". Noted. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  13. "Finlay Macdonald". www.penguin.co.nz. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  14. O'Neil, Tom (27 June 2014). "Tom O'Neil: Life's purest rewards can take a little time". ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  15. "Is this the end for NZ publishing?". Stuff. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  16. "Writer: Finlay MacDonald - Writers • Auckland Writers Festival". www.writersfestival.co.nz. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  17. Blog, Beattie's Book (22 February 2016). "Beattie's Book Blog - unofficial homepage of the New Zealand book community: Finlay Macdonald leaving publishing". Beattie's Book Blog - unofficial homepage of the New Zealand book community. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  18. "Gutter Black Event, 24th May 2014". unitybooks.nz. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  19. Shepherd, Roger, 1960-. In love with these times : my life with Flying Nun Records. Auckland, New Zealand. ISBN 9781775540892. OCLC 946520752.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. Screen, NZ On. "NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  21. "Host Finlay Macdonald". TVNZ Ondemand. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  22. NZHeh (11 November 2017). "James Belich at Auckland Museum, 28 November". The New Zealand Historical Association. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  23. "Distinguished Alumni videos: Bright Lights 2019 - The University of Auckland". www.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  24. "Finlay Macdonald: The kindness of strangers – The University of Auckland". www.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  25. "50 of the Best" (PDF).
  26. "Wolfson Fellowship". Voyager Media Awards. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
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