Written By: - Date published: 12:47 pm, January 26th, 2009 - 58 comments
Categories: blogs, interweb, labour, Media -
Tags: vanity posts
I’ve meaning to write a wee post thanking Young Labour for inviting me along to speak at their Summer School the other weekend. I’m told it’s a bit of a tradition at these summer schools to have some speakers from outside the party to give a different perspective, which is a bloody good idea. Falling into my natural role of nitpicker, I gave a critique of Labour’s web-presence, which they seemed to take pretty well. Scoop’s Alastair Thompson and I also spoke on the role of the Internet in politics, particularly in relation to traditional and emerging media, including our respective sites. Alastair’s insights were fascinating and, well, I hope I didn’t ramble too much.
I think we’re in interesting times for the media. The creation of the Fairfax/APN foreign-owned duopoly in our print media began an asset-stripping process where maximum profits were extracted by slashing costs (ie the number of journos and their pay), which has led to declining quality of output. The rise and rise of the Internet has dramatically accelerated this process in three ways:
Both APN and Fairfax are in severe distress because of this – the Herald is effectively for sale but there is no buyer. And there is nothing to be done about it - the tide of Internet-driven change is washing over the traditional print business model and no King Canute will be able to turn it back.
Now, the prolonged recession is set to make things much worse very quickly. I have heard industry estimates that some major newspapers will see their revenue drop 25% this year, mainly due to falling ad revenue. The inevitable reaction of the owners will be to further slash journo numbers and their pay even (heaven forbid the owners should cut their dividends). That, of course, will only promote the decline in standards and drive readers to other sources of news.
Something new is going to emerge from the long collapse of the traditional print media and the rise, from what are still small beginnings, of the Internet-based media. My worry is whether or not that new something will be able to fulfill the vital, if largely abandoned at present, role of the media in a democracy as the fourth estate.
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Again, Baiter, you’ll need to pass that info on to your RWNJ mates of the KBR – they’re the “left wing propagandists” that have been professing that Obama is relatively well over to the right, from an NZ perspective. Try and read comments before replying, you can’t bait someone when you’ve failed to comprehend what they’ve said to you.
You’re slipping, the fiesty fella of a few years back wouldn’t have failed so miserably to comprehend my comment. Like the ‘sod, I’m disappointed.
you’re becoming dull and uninspired
Actually, everyone seems to have become so on this thread. The highlight for me was when Lew displayed his boorish narcissism by assuming that a comment about a narcissistic bore must be directed at him.
Everyone has become a caricature of himself (with RB starting well ahead of the pack).
To spice things up, I suggest that ‘sod argue RB’s position and vice versa. Lew should try to be MP (thereby displaying a sense of humour and humility that he does not possess). MP should try arguing like a narcissitic bore.
I will be like Drew Carey and award points at the end of the round.
Billy: Hey, but then we wouldn’t be able to have a serious discussion!
oh, wait…
L
Very promising start, Lew. Didn’t sound like you at all. I’m awarding you 800 points.
Billy – I don’t have a position. I have many positions. And I started as a caricature of myself. But I do agree that something, some spark, some sense of spirit or soul is missing from the ‘sphere nowadays…
I yearn for the simpler times of 2007/08 when I was still allowed on Kiwiblog, I had not a care in the world, all that fun with Cameron was still to be looked forward to and you could make truly filthy comments on the standard without fear of being banned …
Those were the days, eh billy me old mate? Those were the days…
I agree entirely. I was only really ever in it for “the crack” and that seems to have been moderated out of here.
Yawn…… zzzzzzzzzzzz
What Robinsod yearns for. What Robinsod’s position is. Robinsod had not a care. Who the fuck is interested (besides you) you narcissistic bore?????
No points for that, I am afraid Redbaiter. You didn’t sound like ‘sod at all. Please try harder.
lprent- pretty poor you know. I knew the Standard was plagued with knuckle dragging losers, but really, this is how you want it?? Pathetic.
[lprent: On the odd occasion these things flare up (especially when the 'sod or yourself or a few others gets involved). I tend to let them run as long as they stay moderately civil. Haven't gone all of the way back on this burst, but so far it looks no more than mildly objectionable. ]
Oh dear, you’re not very good at this game, are you?
Lew has taken a substantial lead and I really don’t like your chances of catching him on your present form.
What kind of lickspittle commie scumbag troglodyte to you take me for billy??? Unlike you and your petty vain and self-important socialist KKKomrades I’m not here to entertain! My sole purpose for writing here is to put the truth in front of people so they can have their eyes open to the freedoms they have lost and the cover-up from the complicit left-wing media and hopefully rise up against the tyranny of government.
Oh and I’m too scared to leave the house and so have no other avenue for social contact.
You guys are making the ‘sphere sound like a microcosm of how the media and right want us to believe the left have made reality…
…and suddenly a new contender emerges.
What Robinsod yearns for. What Robinsod’s position is. Robinsod had not a care. Who the fuck is interested (besides you) you narcissistic bore?????
Are you in love with me?
Hey – aren’t you gonna give me some points???
Cap: “Adios agreement”. Yes. Yes indeed.
And after the first round the scores are:
Lew: 800 points
Matthew Pilott:1,500 points
‘Sod: 2,000 points
Redbaiter: no points.
So RB concedes a substantial advantage with all to play for in the all important quick-fire buzzer round.
hi folks
spent some of my holidays reading “Who Says Elephants Cant Dance” by Lou Gerstner about how he turned round IBM when they were up against it so any predictions about the death of the media I would take with a grain of salt.
and SP
did you tell the young labourites that the main reason for the death of the old STANDARD was a result of the bluenoses in the party not allwing the paper to print race results?
anyway the way to go is always counterintuitive
e.g.
necessity is the mother of invention
not so
invention during the formative years of the industrial revolution came about when attempts were made to reduce labour costs
okay
over and out
Randal, are you PhilU?
Billy, such a knuckle dragger he sees nothing incongruous in appointing himself umpire when he’s-
1) Competing
2) Partisan
3) Retarded.
You’ll die happy now anyway Billy, seeing as you finally got the attention from Redbaiter you’ve been so desperately begging for.
Use of “retarded” alone isn’t going to get you there, RB. Try making an inappropriate joke about my Mum, or porcine bestiality.
Porcine bestiality is no joke when you’re baiter.
‘Sod, redbaiter refers to redbaiter as redbaiter – I think you lose 501 points for that infraction.
No way dude – I was pretending to be you pretending to be redbaiter (and doing a bad job of it). That means those lost points come off your score-card… Or do they just pretend to…? Shit… now I’m as confused as a Redbaiter in a world without Hitler…