Nui Te Koha serves as Head of Lifestyle at The Herald Sun, Australia's highest-circulation daily newspaper. With primary focus on entertainment and arts, his work bridges mainstream pop culture with niche creative movements.
"Compelling pitches demonstrate understanding of Victoria's cultural ecosystem beyond surface-level trends."
Recent recognition includes the 2021 Australian Music Journalism Award for his investigative work on live music venue sustainability. Te Koha's cross-platform approach (print, radio, digital) makes him particularly valuable for campaigns seeking integrated media coverage.
This weekly segment on Triple M's The Hot Breakfast became required listening for music industry professionals. Te Koha's analysis blended chart data with grassroots scene reporting, exemplified by his 2016 prediction of Tones and I's global breakthrough six months before "Dance Monkey" topped international charts. His ability to contextualize Australian artists within global trends made this segment a talent-spotting resource for record labels.
Te Koha's 2024 profile of emerging soul artist Amanda Lea LaVergne showcased his interview methodology. Conducted outdoors at Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens, the piece wove personal narrative with musical analysis, revealing how LaVergne's Māori heritage influenced her neo-jazz compositions. The article's success led to a 37% increase in streaming for LaVergne's EP Tūrangawaewae within two weeks of publication.
As regular contributor to Triple M's flagship program, Te Koha perfected the art of radio storytelling. His 2018 segment dissecting the business dynamics behind Splendour in the Grass festival attendance records demonstrated his ability to make industry economics accessible to general audiences. The analysis prompted parliamentary questions about music festival licensing reforms.
Te Koha prioritizes artists who engage with cultural heritage in innovative ways. His 2023 profile of Baker Boy explored how the Yolngu musician blended traditional dance with hip-hop, resulting in a 25-minute documentary-style feature. Pitches should highlight unique cultural intersections rather than generic "rise to fame" narratives.
While avoiding dry statistics, Te Koha frequently incorporates Spotify streaming data or Eventbrite analytics to ground cultural observations. His 2022 analysis of vinyl revival trends used sales figures from 17 independent record stores to predict the resurgence of concept albums.
Recent work demonstrates growing interest in arts infrastructure, particularly outside major cities. A 2024 piece on regional gallery funding models featured interviews with 23 curators and included interactive maps of Victoria's public art investments.
Won in the Best Radio Segment category for his Triple M investigation into COVID-19's impact on live music venues. The judging panel praised Te Koha's "multiplatform approach" combining audio interviews with data visualization.
Recognized for excellence in arts coverage, particularly his 2022 series profiling First Nations fashion designers collaborating with major Australian retailers.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Entertainment, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
