New Zealand’s Stuff is getting into the TV business “without getting into the TV business”.

The flexibility of a new agreement to furnish a news service for Warner Bros Discovery’s Three channel is emphasised by Stuff’s owner, Sinead Boucher in the announcement.

“We are not getting into the TV business,” she said. “We are a digital company primarily and we have long been a digital-first multimedia video-first news organisation so this is going to be something we can create off the strength of that foundation.

“By not having to get into the TV business is what makes us able to be really flexible and do this in a new way.”

The publisher has told media there will be a new name and a new feel when Stuff takes over the 6pm Three news in July.

“We have a proven track record of modernising, changing and being at the edge of what you can do with our own organisation, and we’re hungry to bring some of that innovation and freshness to Warner Bros,” she said.

The new service takes over on Saturday July 6, the day after the final Newshub bulletin airs. It will broadcast for an hour Monday to Friday, with a 30-minute programme at the weekend.

Under the content partnership, Stuff will retain the Newshub website although it is yet to decide what the media company will do with it, despite a decision to leave the Newshub branding behind.

Some Newshub journalists will be hired, but Stuff will also tap into its own talent to tell the stories.

Warner Bros Discovery NZ executive Glen Kyne said he believed it was “easier than ever” to modernise traditional TV news with new technology and smartphones and believed that Stuff had what it took to do so.