[2] After spending a year at Victoria University College, McLauchlan started his journalism career as a reporter on the Manawatu Evening Standard.
[1] He was a columnist for The New Zealand Herald newspaper between 1971 and 1975, and from 1990, and was foundation director and station manager of Radio Pacific.
[1] McLauchlan's writing led to a second career as a media commentator, presenting television and radio programmes.
[2] He made regular appearances on RNZ National's The Panel segment on weekday afternoons.
[1] In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to historical research.