GENEVA, Thursday: In an unprecedented move, the United Nations has issued – via open source creative platform Talenthouse – a global call to creatives to help communicate essential messaging around Covid-19.

AUCKLAND, Thursday: The NZ arm of global ad/media company Verizon Media has opened up its invitation-only talent development programme, Verizon Media Academy, to anyone within NZ media & creative agencies and brand-side marketers for a series of free virtual masterclasses designed to help people build for their future and adapt to the changing work environment.

AUCKLAND, Thursday: The announcement that Bauer Media is closing its NZ operations immediately “should be setting off alarm bells with regulators for the future of local media, if they weren’t ringing already”, says ANZA ceo Lindsay Mouat.

AUCKLAND, Today: Bauer Media Group this morning announced its intention to close its publishing business in New Zealand due to the economic impact of covid-19. The closure brings to an end many decades of publishing in New Zealand and affects all staff.

NEW YORK, Today: As Bauer Media cold-bloodedly gives up on NZ – The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s Group are countering the Covid-19 effect by giving potential clients an additional incentive to advertise in their print pages.

AUCKLAND, Wednesday: Phantom Billstickers’ latest, smart, e-letter gets straight to the point: “When the Government realised it had a serious battle on its hands, it didn’t muck about.

AUCKLAND, Today: The Comms Council has made changes to this year’s Beacon Awards schedule – and reports only positive responses to the online judging proposals.

AUCKLAND, Today: The Comms Council is inviting industry practitioners to register for the Google Ads Certification Programme – a free, self-learning programme.

AUCKLAND, Today: Downtown comms shop Anthem has this morning announced its co-founders will assume new roles – Jane Sweeney to executive chair and Carolyn Kerr to managing director.

NELSON, Tuesday: Ben Seleen from the Nelson NZ HQ of global mobile creative outfit Shuttlerock writes. “We take existing creative assets and transform them into mobile optimised videos. (I’ve followed M+AD for quite some time now and think you guys are awesome!)