delivered her words in a tone so slow and exaggerated it made a pre-school teacher sound positively highbrow and obscure.

This has been going on for a few years now. I've assumed its part of the general reduction in content of docos and news items - spin whatever content you have out as long as possible, and fill in with moody scenes. Oh yes, and repeat everything from the previous segment at the start of the next one. I reckon 1 hour of documentary delivers 5 mins of content. And 10 mins of news delivers 5 mins of the All Blacks.