Not in the public interest
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- Date published:
8:47 am, November 3rd, 2012 - 89 comments
Categories: democratic participation, greens, labour, news, nz first, spin -
Tags: duncan garner, jane clifton, journalism, nicky hager
Some prominent “journalists” are working to undermine a possible Labour-Green government: one that could turn against the neoliberal scam that such “journalists” feed off and promote. They particularly have their knives out for David Cunliffe in case of a Labour leadership change. The left should take heart – the time has come to support the “public interest”, as outlined by Nicky Hager in his significant Jesson lecture this week. In his terms, the likes of Duncan Garner and Jane Clifton are more PR people than “journalists”; more spin doctors than relentless seekers after half-hidden, and many-sided truths.
Duncan Garner has been one of the most prominent MSM “journalists” to characterise David Cunliffe as not being a team-player. Garner’s position has shifted slightly since Shearer stood for the Labour Party leadership. Initially, Garner leaned slightly towards Shearer. He subtly reinforced the “white anting” against Cunliffe by arguing this appeared to be the majority position in the Labour caucus. He left open the possibility of putting pressure on leadership challenges in the future.
Then last August, he came out gunning for Cunliffe, because Garner was now claiming hearsay evidence that Cunliffe was hated within caucus for being lazy and untrustworthy. This week Garner’s line is that Shearer has failed, … but while he puts forward Grant Robertson and Cunliffe as being the only viable leaders, he gives reasons why they aren’t really. Garner doesn’t seem interested in doing in-depth research on Labour leadership issues, or on the public interest in their policies, only in reporting on Labour’s apparent disarray.
Hager said that a good journalist would be on the side of the public. The consequences of a couple of decades of intensive, neoliberal manipulations are that civil society has become broken and demoralised. Critical voices amongst journalists, economists, and public servants have been marginalised, while those promoting the interests of the powerful elites have been rewarded. Hager convincingly argues that in a democracy, good journalism should take the side of the “public interest” and speak truth to power.
Columnists like Garner and Jane Clifton are too aligned with the interests of the ruling groups, and are not reporting on or in the “public interest”. For instance, they have so far failed to get the bottom of the white anting against Cunliffe. And their main focus, apart from an occasional cursory nod to views of the public, is on the power games of the political classes.
A succinct and critical tweet doing the rounds on Thursday night, linked Hager’s speech with the “white anting” within Labour:
If Cunliffe and the Labour Party are at odds, does that mean he has more in common with the voting public than they do?
Meanwhile, Jane Clifton unwittingly exposes underlying fears, in her latest column in The NZ Listener. Like Garner, she acknowledges that Key is on a downer. But she responds by superficially examining a potential Labour-Green-NZ First coalition. In the first instance, her evidence is based on seating arrangements and smiles of party leaders at a press conference: the one called to announce the joint parliamentary enquiry on the manufacturing crisis. This leads her to discount Peters, – well kind of, but not quite. And then she focuses on a potential Labour-Green coalition highlighting some recent policy differences, and concludes that it will be a fraught business. Clifton makes a dire prediction:
Despite the personal equanimity of the respective leaderships, this is a relationship that can only get uglier as the election approaches.
And yet, all coalitions have inter-party tensions, and previous MMP governments have shown they can be successfully negotiated. With reference to his book The Hollow Men, Hager indicates how such strategies aim to undermine opposition parties, by endlessly repeating the mis-information of selected spin lines.
The grass roots left should take heart. The neoliberal columnists are looking a little rattled. For left-wing activists and others on the side of the public, there’s no problem in acknowledging the challenges. It’s important to subject potential leaders to intense, and honest scrutiny. However, there should also be as much focus on policies that have most significance for the general public, especially those with least power. It is public support of those policies that the neoliberal elite fear most, and they aim to mask their real agenda with endless reports of power games and faction fighting.
Cue ‘grass roots’, and concerned members of the public to seek to be better informed, and to make their views heard loud and clear.
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- Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...1 week ago
- Luxon targets are lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...1 week ago
- Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt prioritiesMinister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...2 weeks ago
- Methane target review is dangerous duplicationThe Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled studentsThe Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National must take mental health seriouslyMental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...2 weeks ago
- Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwardsThe Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cutsNew Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...2 weeks ago
- Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing planMāori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do listThe Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this AprilChanges to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...3 weeks ago
- Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...6 hours ago - Government commits $20m to Westport flood protectionThe Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...12 hours ago
- Taupō takes pole positionThe Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...13 hours ago
- Cost of living support for low-income homeownersLocal Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...15 hours ago
- Government backing mussel spat projectThe Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...16 hours ago
- Government focused on getting people into workBenefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...19 hours ago
- Clean energy key driver to reducing emissionsThe Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...20 hours ago
- Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forwardThe Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...24 hours ago
- Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic PartnershipPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...1 day ago
- Government consults on extending coastal permits for portsRMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...2 days ago
- Inflation coming down, but more work to doToday’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...2 days ago
- School attendance restored as a priority in health adviceRefreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...2 days ago
- Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sectorOceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...2 days ago
- Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International CongressAssociate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...3 days ago
- Removing red tape to help early learners thriveThe Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...3 days ago
- RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tapeChanges to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...3 days ago
- McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationshipTrade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...3 days ago
- Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister LeePrime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...3 days ago
- PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ tiesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...4 days ago
- Antarctica New Zealand Board appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...4 days ago
- Finance Minister travels to Washington DCFinance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...4 days ago
- Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlordsThe coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...4 days ago
- Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being consideredState Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...4 days ago
- New Zealand condemns Iranian strikesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...4 days ago
- Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plansHundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...7 days ago
- Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand ChairHealth Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...7 days ago
- Roads of National Significance planning underwayThe NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...7 days ago
- Navigating an unstable global environmentNew Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...7 days ago
- NZ welcomes Australian Governor-GeneralPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...7 days ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for WinterAssociate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...7 days ago
- NZ and the US: an ever closer partnershipNew Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...7 days ago
- Joint US and NZ declarationApril 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...7 days ago
- NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperationForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...7 days ago
- Government redress for Te Korowai o WainuiāruaThe Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...1 week ago
- Focus on outstanding minerals permit applicationsNew Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “While there are no set timeframes for ...1 week ago
- Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research CallThe New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...1 week ago
- Tenancy rules changes to improve rental marketThe coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...1 week ago
- Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with ChinaTrade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...1 week ago
- Freshwater farm plan systems to be improvedThe coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...1 week ago
- New Fast Track Projects advisory group namedThe coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...1 week ago
- Grattan on Friday: Ethnic tensions will complicate the Albanese government’s multicultural policy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed ...6 hours ago - Group plans work to improve safety of female MPs
New research shows harassment of elected officials - especially women - is on the rise. ...7 hours ago - Ukraine warns of WW3 ahead of long-stalled Congress aid voteUkraine's Prime Minister says his country desperately needs the US to approve long-stalled security assistance. ...8 hours ago
- Crown lawyers attempt to block Waitangi Tribunal summons to Minister for ChildrenThe Tribunal had called on Minister for Children Karen Chhour to provide evidence at an urgent inquiry into the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...10 hours ago
- Luxon refuses to guarantee public consultation on AUKUS Pillar 2Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it's "far too premature" to be confirming whether the public would be consulted on joining AUKUS Pillar 2. ...11 hours ago
- Visualising the 1800s or designing wedding invitations: 6 ways you can use AI beyond generating textSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Midjourney image by T.J. Thomson As more than half of Australian office workers report using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for work, we’re starting to see this technology affect every ...12 hours ago
- Falls, fractures and self-harm: 4 charts on how kids’ injury risk changes over time and differs fo...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Nicole Sharwood, Injury epidemiologist | Expert Witness, UNSW Sydney Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock Injuries are the leading cause of disability and death among Australian children and adolescents. At least a quarter of all emergency department presentations during childhood are injury-related. Injuries can ...12 hours ago
- Choice and control: will NDIS reforms mean people with disability don’t get to decide who they liv...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Di Winkler, Adjunct Associate Professor, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University Shutterstock/Ground Picture Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late ...12 hours ago
- Asbestos in playground mulch: how to avoid a repeat of this circular economy scandalSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Salman Shooshtarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Salman Shooshtarian Asbestos has been found in mulch used for playgrounds, schools, parks and gardens across Sydney and Melbourne. Local communities naturally fear for the health of their ...12 hours ago
- Could Albanese’s bet on homegrown green industries be the boost our regions deserve?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Taylor, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University Cloudy Designs/Shutterstock Right now, there’s a global race underway. The goal: bring back manufacturing and energy jobs as the energy transition speeds up. In 2022, America launched its mammoth Inflation Reduction Act and the ...12 hours ago
- Watch: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon won't say if government will consult public on joining ...Asked multiple times if the public will be consulted on joining the defence pact, Luxon repeatedly said that was yet to be worked through. ...12 hours ago
- Watch live: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks in PhilippinesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters on the third leg of his Southeast Asia trip, from Manila in the Philippines. ...13 hours ago
- Māori lawyers call Shane Jones' Waitangi Tribunal comments 'inappropriate'The Māori Law Society says his comments breach the principle of the separation of powers and the Cabinet Manual. ...13 hours ago
- Abortions Increase 25% Since Law Change
Family First says that the latest abortion statistics make grim and upsetting reading, with a 25% increase in abortions since the decriminalisation of abortion in March 2020. According to an Official Information Act request received by Right to Life ...14 hours ago - Over Half Of New Zealanders Feel That The Country Is In Decline And That Our Society Is BrokenIpsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study on populism reveals a pervasive sense of societal and economic decline among New Zealanders. MORE DETAILS AND FULL REPORT HERE Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study ...14 hours ago
- Australia’s new defence strategy is big on ideas, but lacks one key ingredient: well-trained soldi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University There have been a lot of defence announcements recently about buying new equipment, building up Australia’s manufacturing capabilities, creating local jobs, new legislation to support AUKUS and even a new defence chief. In ...15 hours ago
- What does Steve Smith’s Stateside signing mean for cricket in the US – and Australia?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney Steve Smith, one of this generation’s finest batters, has conquered much of the cricketing world during his career, and he now has set his sights on a new frontier: the United ...15 hours ago
- A love letter to Wellington: when i open the shop by romesh dissanayake, reviewed
Madeleine Ballard reviews the debut novel from romesh dissanayake. when I open the shop, the debut novel by Naarm-based Aotearoa writer romesh dissanayake (Sri Lankan, Koryo Saram), is a narrative of grief. Devendra loses his mother, opens a noodle shop on The Terrace, grieves, and emerges changed. But just as ...15 hours ago - Minister Concedes Contractors Will Be Hired To Do Work Of Axed Ministry Of Education StaffThe PSA can’t believe that the Minister of Education is happy for her ministry to hire contractors at the same time it is dismissing 565 workers. ...15 hours ago
- Attempt to bar diplomat from Myanmar military junta failsMyanmar community members applied to the courts to bar the diplomat from attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ...15 hours ago
- LGNZ Welcomes Govt Earthquake-prone Buildings DecisionLGNZ has advocated for this decision as part of a remit led by Manawatū District Council. ...15 hours ago
- AUKUS Pillar 2 a 'fragrant, methane-wrapped bull***' – Bob CarrThe former Australian Foreign Minister has continued to warn New Zealand against joining the defence pact. ...16 hours ago
- Enforceable undertaking issued to abc accounting services limited after continued non-compliance.The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has accepted an enforceable undertaking agreement from ABC Accounting Services Limited (ABC) under section 81 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT Act). ...16 hours ago
- REVEALED: RNZ’s Hypocrisy Over Fair Digital News Bargaining BillThe Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Radio New Zealand (RNZ) spent $71,842.53 on Facebook advertising over the past 12 months, despite earlier this year coming out in support of the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill , which would force the likes ...17 hours ago
- Police rejected 'very good offer' – Mark MitchellPolice Minister Mark Mitchell says the pay offer rejected by police was the best the government could put forward under difficult financial circumstances. ...17 hours ago
- How can we have truth-telling without the Voice? Our research shows a way forwardSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The Uluru Statement from the Heart set out the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for “Voice, Treaty, Truth”, in ...17 hours ago
- NZ education scores must improve – but another polarising ideological pivot isn’t the answerSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn E Wood, Associate Professor in Education, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images You don’t need to look hard right now to see concerns about Aotearoa New Zealand’s education system. Declining performance in international testing has been ...17 hours ago
- An updated tally of the public sector job cutsThe coalition government has made it well known it expects departments to cut roles. We break down the numbers as they currently stand. Updated: 12pm, April 18 Before last year’s election, both National and Act made it clear that the public service was squarely in their crosshairs. Both parties, now ...17 hours ago
- Confessions of an unlikely petrolheadCheckered Flag director Natalie Wilson on her lifelong love of motorsport, and the allure of Pukekohe Park Raceway. One childhood summer when my world revolved around winning stuff off the radio, I bagged tickets to Western Springs Speedway and then to Waikaraka Park in what was a dream season for ...17 hours ago
- 'Ambitious' trade pledge headlines Luxon's Thailand stopThe Prime has announced a commitment to triple two-way trade with Thailand by 2045, but it only requires maintaining current growth. ...17 hours ago
- ‘The right person’: What did Solomon Islanders vote for?By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara After a relatively well organised and peaceful day of voting in Solomon Islands yesterday, the electoral commission is working with donor partners to safely transport ballot boxes from polling stations all over the country to centrally located counting venues. It is a ...18 hours ago
- What it’s like to be made redundant by the Ministry of EducationI was one of hundreds of people who lost my government job this week. Here’s exactly how it played out. It is a Friday. I’m in the middle of an online Teams hui working out the finer details of a series of workshops we’ll be presenting next week. It’s a ...18 hours ago
- What are ‘Ozempic babies’? Can the drug really increase your chance of pregnancy?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karin Hammarberg, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women’s Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University Joshua Rodriguez/Unsplash Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight. But what do we actually know about ...19 hours ago
- Why the kookaburra’s iconic laugh is at risk of being silencedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Diana Kuchinke, Lecturer in Ecology, Federation University Australia Linda Robertus/Shutterstock Once, while teaching a class of environmental science students in China’s Hebei University of Science and Technology, I asked who knew what a laughing kookaburra was. There were many blank faces. ...19 hours ago
- Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Breen, Professor of Law, University of Waikato smolaw11/Getty Images School truancy has been a concern across the political spectrum for years. But proposed solutions have largely failed to address the core reasons for unexplained school absences. Despite the apparent ...19 hours ago
- ‘Listening is the most important part’: 10 things students with disability and their families wa...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melissa Cain, Senior Lecturer in Inclusive Education and Arts Education, Australian Catholic University Agence Olloweb/Unsplash, CC BY About 90% of Australian students with disability attend mainstream schools. Equitable access and participation in education is a fundamental human right. But as last ...19 hours ago
- Will global oil supply be at risk if Iran and Israel pull the Middle East into war?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flavio Macau, Associate Dean – School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University Tensions in the Middle East have escalated following Iran’s weekend missile and drone attacks on Israel, heightening concerns of a wider conflict. As with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, ...19 hours ago
- No, getting your boyfriend to peel an orange won’t prove his loyalty. Why TikTok relationship ‘t...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edith Jennifer Hill, Associate Lecturer, Learning & Teaching Innovation, Flinders University Shutterstock Have you ever wondered if your partner really loves you? Well apparently so have thousands of TikTok users, who are testing their theories for the world to see. In ...19 hours ago
- New Zealand’s Annual Emissions Fell In 2022, For Third Successive YearThis is the third successive decrease year-on-year. New Zealand’s gross emissions for 2022 were 78.4 Mt CO2-e. ...19 hours ago
- Oranga Tamariki job cuts: 'We can't establish what their endgame is'Oranga Tamariki has failed to explain how hundreds of job cuts will achieve a better outcome for children, a children's advocate says. ...20 hours ago
- Help Me Hera: My parents won’t help out with my kidsThey pressured me to have children, and I had two. Now they won’t lift a finger. Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Hi Hera, I suspect it’s a familiar pattern. Back in the day, as a single gal, I was plagued with questions from my parents about when I would find ...20 hours ago
- Care Workers Call For Fairness On Pay Equity Anniversary“The Government has an opportunity here to really correct the course for the care and support workforce, and the people they look after. This cannot be just another area left in the cold, we need real leadership to ensure the proper quality of care ...20 hours ago
- First evidence of ancient human occupation found in giant lava tube cave in Saudi ArabiaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathew Stewart, Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University The western passage of the Umm Jirsan lava tube. Green Arabia Project If you look from above, you can see thousands of stone structures dotting the landscape of the Arabian ...20 hours ago
- Teachers worry about curriculum, NCEA changes amid staff cutsMore than 500 jobs are likely to be cut at the Education Ministry with concerns about how the curriculum and NCEA changes will now be managed. ...21 hours ago
- Government IT systems need a $800m overhaulThe government is facing a bill of more than $800 million to overhaul back-office IT systems, and attempts to lessen its impact have hit delays. ...21 hours ago
- Over 3,000 public service jobs now proposed to goThe Ministry of Education confirmed a proposal to reduce headcount by 565, while Oranga Tamariki’s proposal would result in a loss of 447 jobs, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Ministry of ...21 hours ago
- Kāinga Ora delays building projects ahead of reviewKāinga Ora is unable to say how many new KiwiBuild developments have been delayed as it waits for the outcome of the government's independent review of the state housing agency. ...22 hours ago
- Owners of earthquake prone buildings given four extra years to complete strengtheningA review into the regulations was also being brought forward. ...22 hours ago
- Corrections Accepts Recommendations Following Auckland Prison InspectionThe Inspectorate made three overarching recommendations following the inspection, all of which have been accepted in full by Corrections. ...22 hours ago
- Auckland’s dumped Commonwealth Games bid has lessons for Christchurch
The crippling cost and complexity of Christchurch’s Commonwealth Games ambitions have become clearer The post Auckland’s dumped Commonwealth Games bid has lessons for Christchurch appeared first on Newsroom. ...23 hours ago - Oranga Tamariki services for at-risk children will get better after job cuts, minister says"We need to make sure that every dollar we're spending is actually for the benefit of our young people," says Children's Minister Karen Chhour. ...23 hours ago
- How the coalition plans to replace the quickly scrapped Māori Health AuthorityThe coalition government got rid of the Māori Health Authority in a hurry. What is it doing now instead? ...24 hours ago
- How to tell if your child is well enough to go to school or is in fact sickDavid Seymour announced new guidelines this week for sending your kids to school with symptoms. Emily Writes sums them up. Parents knee deep in snotty tissues and buckets of vomit were granted a much-welcome reprieve by associate education minister David Seymour on Wednesday with the announcement that he will advise ...24 hours ago
- We’re asking the wrong questions about treaty settlementsWhen the Crown is the self-appointed ultimate authority over a process to deal with Crown misconduct, we run into big issues, writes Tina Ngata. “What’s it going to take for Ngā Puhi to settle” was the headliner statement on Q&A last weekend, as Ngā Puhi chair Mana Tahere was interviewed ...24 hours ago
- New Zealand broken and in decline, Kiwis sayA global wave of disillusionment and disenfranchisement has not spared New Zealand, with a majority of respondents to a survey here agreeing that New Zealand society is broken and the country is in decline. Ipsos New Zealand asked 1001 Kiwis about their hopes for the future and their views of ...24 hours ago
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Great article Karol, sums up the current circus very well indeed.
As for leadership …. here’s one I used too tell them ugly Gang Bangers ….
“We are all Presidents M8!” 😉
Worked perfectly on a bunch of anarchists ….
karol – You were there – do you know if Jane Clifton was? It doesn’t seem like the type of thing that she’d fly up from Wellington to attend.
Why do I have the strange sensation that we’re developing a group of investigative “journalists” who make grand pronoucements based largely on photo’s
From Google Maps, To Google Journalism?
Well, it’s exactly how you would assess the state of Katie Holme’s desperate love life in New Idea
That gives new meaning to “photo journalism”, Lynn.
I actually wouldn’t know Clifton if I saw her. I only know her through her writings, which are more infotainment than analysis. And she had the front to tweet:
“Dare I say it, Bomber has resigned from The Truth = Slater has improved the MSM already”
Love birds on Lambton
Walking hand-in-hand down Wellington’s Lambton Quay on Thursday were political journalist Jane Clifton and Labour bovver boy Trevor Mallard.
Clifton, a celebrated Listener columnist, was formerly in a relationship with National’s Murray McCully. Her link to Mallard has been the subject of much tittle-tattle on the political grapevine and around the Beehive corridors. However, the pair are avoiding gossip-mongers. Clifton did not return calls and Mallard hung up on The Diary.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10836450
Clifton dates mccully then mallard, I wonder what does that say about her personality if she’s drawn to these types of men.
Insecure bullies both of them but probably capable of supplying good material for her right leaning rants.
We have such a shallow pool of biased PR driven shock jocks and camera jockeys. Loook across the Tasman to see what a real 4th estate looks like. We need a kiwi crikey badly.
The members of the labour party need to have the biggest say as to who the next leader is not the labour caucus and certainly not the likes of garner Clifton and espiner.
“Garner doesn’t seem interested in doing in-depth research on Labour leadership issues, or on the public interest in their policies, only in reporting on Labour’s apparent disarray.”
Yes, Garner only give half information when he has it. The other day when he was reporting about how Cunliffe was blocked from an interview, Garner didn’t say who it was…the result of that is it came across as the whole Labour Party hates Cunliffe.
Sloppy reporting. Garner either needs to report the facts (he is supposedly a reporter)…or he should STFU and get another job. He needs to look in the mirror and ask himself if he’s a journalist.
Aren’t Garner and Clifton saying exactly what many say on this blog? What they wrote was probably a straight copy and paste of someones post or comment.
Yeah, I think they’re probably copying some of their material off us.
I’m struggling to see why you expect Garner and Clifton to provide balanced coverage but not the likes of Brown, Campbell or Trotter from the Left. I guess if you read them all then you’d get an overall balanced view.
We’re not interested in bullshit ideas of “balance” (after all you can balance a pair of scales by shovelling stinking manure on to both sides).
We’re interested in informative analysis, probing interviews and insightful critique.
So ‘balance’ is not desirable? I don’t think many reasonable people would agree with you.
Sounds like you just want to hear your own views reflected back at you…
By ‘balanced’ do you mean they should critique the red team as much as the blue team?
Do you hold a ‘balanced’ view of Hitler? – ie, give as much credit to his good policies as his bad…we shouldn’t give equal weight to Hitler’s good polices…no analysis should be balanced, or can be balanced
Nemo’s being deliberately dense. Shovelling stinking shit on to both sides of the scales might be “balanced” but it adds nothing to the insight or critique of a situation.
‘Stinking shit’ were your words not mine Viper – I consider journalists of all persuasions people who I often disagree with, not excrement
No-one said anyone was a pile of stinking shit.
Your comprehension is though.
And he still managed to avoid the core idea – that “balance” is over-rated and that what we need more of in NZ is in-depth journalistic critique of issues and of politicians.
Well if you feel so strongly that ‘insightful critique’ is needed why don’t you do exactly that, as opposed to being an ‘inciteful critic’?
heh
Are you really comparing either the Red team or the Blue team as you term them to Hitler? I hate think how you’d react if a Hitler like ruler really did get power in NZ
Haven’t you worked it out yet? Balance on this blog means promoting the left and attacking the right.
CBatman
Where do you get your ideas from? Some form of simple comic? You have been commenting for a while but perhaps you don’t understand the broad nature of thinking that is attempted here.
Basically the impression one gets is groups of lefties drinking coffee, sitting around tables saying how bad John Key is.
Also one person softly weeping saying how he/she really hates him.
This is a left-wing blog, by its very nature its not balanced (unbalanced?) so its amusing to read of complaints about right-wing bias
there’s way more critique of Labour on here, than there is of National on kiwiblog and whaleoil. Even of Helen Clarke and the 5th Labour govt. But yeah, it is unbalanced to the left, cause its a left blog
CB that analysis suggests that Peter Dunne is always right because he always straddles the middle …
@ Chalupa Batman
I love the way you have ignored CV’s comment above
“what we need more of in NZ is in-depth journalistic critique of issues and of politicians.”
Journalistic critique of issues being what this thread’s topic emphasized.
But hey! If you frame it about “balance” I guess you can avoid talking about the real issue for long enough; and I guess that is all you are here to provide: a dull unsubstantial distraction.
Captain Nemo & Chalupa Batman,
If someone is lying to the public; how fair do you think this is?
Do you think the lie should be reported clearly and an analysis provided to inform readers why it is untrue?
Or do you think it is more fair and balanced for the media to go along with distractions provided by the liar?
Do you think that a fair and balanced media should simply quote verbatim what the liar says?
I guess your answer is likely to be determined as to whether you benefit from the lie or not.
Blue Leopard
Not very
Yes
No
No
@ Captain Nemo,
Thats what I would like the media to provide,
Thats what I consider our media are not providing
This is why I would not consider the NZ media very fair or balanced over all.
Blue Leopard
Geat – Except the media have never, and will never, provide that – there is no motivation for people working in media to behave in that manner
Captain Nemo
“the media have never and will never provide that?”~Captain Nemo
No thats simply not true
OF course they did, perhaps not perfectly, yet certainly a hell of a lot better than they are doing so now,
If you can’t see a degeneration in the manner and substance of information sources over the years then I have to assume you to be a very young person, about 10 years of age, or something.
If someone is lying to the public; how fair do you think this is?
– Its not fair
Do you think the lie should be reported clearly and an analysis provided to inform readers why it is untrue?
-Yes as long as this happens for all parties, to be fair (the Greens in particular get an easy rife from the media is this respect)
Or do you think it is more fair and balanced for the media to go along with distractions provided by the liar?
-Not fair but the medias job is not to be distracted
Do you think that a fair and balanced media should simply quote verbatim what the liar says?
-No
Thanks Chalupa,
See above my comment to Nemo.
Please note; an example: that over the lies that the P.M was clearly telling over his knowledge of Kim Dotcom, how much more was made of Mr Shearer not having “the tapes”; more so than how due to Mr Shearer mentioning that there were “tapes” pushed Mr Key to change his story and “remember” that he knew about the dude earlier.
I consider it of more concern when someone lies and changes his story for an unknown reason and he is the PM of our country than when someone says there is a recording and it doesn’t show up, yet he manages to get more clarity from having done so.
Whose agenda does it best serve that focus was placed on Mr Shearer framing him as “mistaken” and having “made a political blunder” over this matter rather than, say, focussing on the truth that his actions managed to bring out and the behaviour of our PM, who was not being straight with us?
n.b
~One TV station news coverage was fairer over this than another over this matter.
~”Tape” is unlikely to be accurate in this day and age where cameras store footage on hard drives and memory sticks etc.
Was just thinking that same thing yesterday.There was a mad rush to pillorise Shearer leaving key to get away with all the facts that he had lied about and enabled him to be man of the moment with that stupid widely reported”show me the tape” rubbish.Same with this Beckham business. Online it is all about Beckham and his intelligence,how dumb he is yadayada, not much about key’s absolute inappropriateness(?) to speak like that on a school visit to a young girls school. The man is a menace completely enabled by MSM, Herald in particular (O’sullivan,Armstrong,Young)speaker of the House and some TV reporters. It is time someone of integrity sat down with key and did a real interview,not allowing him to obfuscate,lie and blame others for his own failings ,then we would see the stuttering stammering inarticulate fool that he is, when he is wrong footed.
@Chris
I agree with your comments and it is a relief to read them, simply describing the things that are going on helps to take the power away from them. (which is why I like reading comments on The Standard)
This reporting style is really rotten, namely, because it works-manipulating opinions-especially those of people too busy to look deeper into what is being said and done to them.
Matthew Hooten made comments on The Standard prior to this media fiasco* pillorising Shearer, and predicted this is the way it would go. I didn’t think NZ would be daft enough to get distracted on this one, however it appears the right-wing PR guy knows more about the slant of the media and the level of control right-wing PR has over the media in this country, so his “prediction” was correct.
This stinks and I’ve noticed a major deterioration in reporting recently, yet am unsure whether I have only just noticed it and its been bad for a while or not, I believe it wasn’t great prior to National getting in, yet consider the bias “for” the Government has really ramped up under this Government.
There are very serious issues arising, and all we get are distractions that, in effect, protects this Government from criticism.
* Both Standard Threads Watch Campbell Live at 7pm Thread
Also completing the ‘spin’ the next day on The Incredibly Incurious and Forgetful Mr Key Thread
“-Yes as long as this happens for all parties, to be fair (the Greens in particular get an easy rife from the media is this respect)”
In what way?
If National or Labour said or did some of the things the Greens did the MSM would be all over them.
The Greens get a ride not even John Key gets (and which Labour can only dream of)
OK…no examples then
Don’t pretend to be so thick, Nemo. If you can figure out how to connect to the internet then you’ll have no trouble at all understanding the level of the comparison fatty made.
You know perfectly well it has nothing to do with equating anyone to h1tler and you’re a transparent bore to pretend you don’t.
Spot on, fatty. It’s a misunderstanding of the principles of journalistic balance that perpetuates the myth the global warming is “controversial” and therefore requires regular appearences by ‘Lord’ Monckton to maintain impartiality. Still, it’s good that the need for balance didn’t require spokesperves from the beastiality community to be given airtime on those recent occasions when animal lover Stuart Murray Wilson was mentioned on the news. Rather grateful for that.
edit: Nemo, NZ in 1951 was quite literally ruled in a way not at all dissimilar to Germany in the mid thirties.
Wow, global warming, bestiality and hitler all in one comment…. Not seeing much evidence of the fabled reasoned analysis there sorry
I’m writing for intelligent readers, Cap’n. They understand what I wrote. You’ll just have to get by as best you can, given your limitations.
But surely TRP your superior logic and communication skills should be able to cross the yawning chasm you believe exists between our intellects, otherwise what is the point of being so talented?
Oh look, now you’re all eloquent and shit.
So you were just pretending to be thick all along, eh?
Such a clever trick you played on us, Nemo, and apart from everyone, you fooled everyone. Fuckwit.
I think I get how it works now Chalupa Batman.
Viper calls journalists ‘stinking shit’ and so Felix calls me a ‘fuckwit’.
Makes sense, I guess
Except he didn’t.
Learn to read, fuckwit.
It’s a weird sort of neurotic sort of displacement to stop them having to think too hard about the way that Judith Collins has felt emboldened to bag her boss. Or to ask why she is positioning herself as good on governance.
As a believer in the cock-up theory of history, what I don’t understand is this. If there was a cabal blocking Cunliffe from the leadership, why have they done nothing to support Shearer’s leadership? A cock-up rather than a collusion I suspect.
I suspect that certain people within the party saw Shearer as an interim leader to get past the next election with the bonus that if he does become leader he can be easily manipulated
I doubt that,
I’d say they wanted a leader that was an individual.
What we see is him not some PR machine, he is very much on his own so far.
Well said Karol. The white anting is driving me and many other activists spare. I just wish that come within the parliamentary party would concentrate on doing their job.
“I just wish that some within the parliamentary party would concentrate on doing their job.”
+1 It would be nice if some within the Government would concentrate on doing their job too.
All I’m hearing increasingly from ministers in Government is “Its not my responsibility”, “Its not my job”, “I’m not in a position to say”…
What’s with this? A general strike in the NZ parliamentary circles perhaps??
Yes, that must be what it is, I don’t suppose that the NZ parliament going on general strike is “newsworthy” enough (read banal/bloodthirsty) for our media to report.
Knock knock (on the doors of the Beehive) Hello?? Hello?? Is there anybody in there?
Sound of a dripping tap from somewhere within
Hahahaha says the man who seems to spend most of his time making approving comments about the latest Shearer-bitchfest, or conspiratorial mutterings about Robertson.
Thanks Karol,
Glad you have laid emphasis to Nicky Hagar’s speech, it is a goodie and well worth a read. As I said in another thread and repeat here, its just so nice to read something from an informed thinker and which encourages us (and our media) toward using the faculty of discernment.
Agree on the Hager lecture, bl. I’m sure I will use it as a touchstone in more posts in the future. I’ve had in mind to do a post on this topic for a while and have been collecting sources and noting some ideas. But Hager provides so much of the background for what I had in mind.
@ Karol
Sounds good; it is just so refreshing to read something that arm us with the type of knowledge that allows us to see through the dreadful barrage of games being played on us.
On the notion of “balance” that has been debated above: I prefer if a writer, journalist or otherwise, states the position they are coming from. Then I can take it into account when I read or view their stuff.
A good example is David Beaton. He’s an old style conservative, from pre-neoliberal times. I always liked watching his Beatson interviews on Stratos, and found them informative. He was always well-informed on the issues he was interviewing about, and showed an awareness of diverse views on the topic. It was an sincere attempt to draw ideas and information from the interviewee.
But these days there’s too much of the commercial imperative. Too many reporters do a once-over-lightly with an eye on the ratings. Someone like Garner presents himself as though he’s being objective, while taking a pretty slanted persepctive to the right. And being on the TV3 evening news makes him quite influential.
There’s the same trend elsewhere in the world, but in the UK, at least people get a choice between explicitly right and left wing news organisations. Here, they tend to pass themselves off as non-partisan, often while perpetuating neoliberal values – which have become the dominant values in the MSM.
+1
The presenting of the biassed as non-biassed is the worst aspect of our media and the most prone to persuade people, influence their opinions. We are more vulnerable when we are led to believe that it is “non-biassed”, “commentary”/”analysis” that is being presented to us when, in reality, it really is entirely opinion, biassed or even worse; political party PR managed information
Yes but what can you do about it?
You can’t expect that commercial oganisations are going to act in a non-commercial manner, and you can’t expect that if the media was funded via some kind of central govt manner that people would be any more impartial.
Not only are people intrinsically not impartial, it would be fanciful to expect that media would bite which ever hand feeds them.
None of what you write makes any sense.
Of course people can develop and write news stories which are impartial. It’s been done for hundreds of years.
Of course you can. You do this by making at least part of their mandate non-commercial. Eg. making the lead into 6pm and the news hour that follows 100% commercial free.
Not at all. Just pass laws making it illegal to publish misleading or untrue news.
What, so you would solve the probblem by making the commercial organisation no longer fully commercial? Which commercial media organisation do you think would accept that? Spectaculat failure for TVNZ wasn’t it?
And then you’d ask pollies to pass laws that insisted the media to tell the truth, whereby less power to the pollies who like to manipulate the media
Try again sorry, it’s you who is not making any sense.
Nope, Prodigal Son,
You fail to address CV’s first sentence.
Of course people can develop and write news stories which are impartial. It’s been done for hundreds of years.
In other words there is historical precedence to prove that your comments at 13.1.1 are completely fallacious.
What advantage do you get from writing such measly views that support vested money interests?
Prodigal Son:
“What, so you would solve the probblem by making the commercial organisation no longer fully commercial? Which commercial media organisation do you think would accept that? Spectaculat failure for TVNZ wasn’t it?”
Come on, you must be of a “young” and “fresh” age to comment like this. TVNZ was initially intended to be a state broadcaster and did just that for many, many years. Also did TVNZ over the years, partly in co-operation with private producers, make some top rate nature and other documentaries.
What went wrong with TVNZ was, when governments started to pull the plug and told them to operate more like “commercial” competitors, earn revenue through more advertising and so forth. That led to the total demise of TVNZ, as it has become a state owned SOE broadcaster, supposed to run at the same level of TV3, Sky and so forth. Naturally standards dropped, as others broadcast heaps of trash and repeats, lots of movies and low level entertainment, which though got enough interested to digest it, so TVNZ was forced to down scale on quality, same as the “private” competitors. This is not a NZ phenomenon by the way, it has happend world wide.
well, if they don’t accept the laws of the land they can always shut down or their directors can face prosecution.
Uh what
Prodigal Son:
“And then you’d ask pollies to pass laws that insisted the media to tell the truth, whereby less power to the pollies who like to manipulate the media”
Seems to me, as if you are almost happy with the lying lot of pollies we have!? Stand up for that, yeah right!
So, Garner and Clifton are doing precisely what’ been going on here – undermining Shearer and speculating about the next leader.
Don’t you get it that if Shearer is rolled by Cunliffe, then Robertson’s faction will immediately start undermining him? And so on, and so forth?
Tonight (hopefully for one night only) I think the Labour Party is actually doomed. It’s been colonised by professional politicians who are only interested in squabbling and scheming their way into the top job. The current lot make Phil Goff look like a man of profound socialist principle. Can. Not. Believe. I. Just. Typed. That.
But it’s still true, isn’t it?
And of course Shearer does offer himself plenty of opportunities for people to undermine, erm, point out, how good, erm, poor he is.
Don’t worry,
Qot said I’m the leader now …. it’s a 90 day trial or your other arm contract ….
I’m a “Winner” now! 😀
How many arms u got M8, you should sign up if u r qualified!.
(i.e not armless)
Become a citizen tooday, join the corps and kill some bugs today M8!
Oh shit sorry M8, didn’t realise … here stick that between ya teeth it’s the “I’ve got legs and can walk” union pamphlet.
Ya gotta love them pollies M8, gotta pamphlet for everyone!.
There is a difference, lurgee.
Garner has accepted the content of Team Shearer’s white anting and repeated it uncritically. He makes no attempt to call them on their hypocrisy of “sneakily” going to the press to smear Cunliffe as “sneaky and lazy”. Garner made no attempt to get to the bottom of it by doing his own in-depth investigation.
This is similar to what too many reporters do these days: just repeat press releases uncritically, and without doing any further investigation. They will off course, add in selected comments from opposition press releases, but too often it is done with a slant to the neoliberal right. Partly this is because they have absorbed neoliberal values and are not self-critical enough to be aware of what they are doing.
Meanwhile Team Cunliffe are not giving their version or sneaking to the press to smear Shearer. And Clifton is just smearing a potential Labour-Green alliance based on very flimsy analysis and evidence.
And quite a few people here are looking more deeply into the issue, wanting to know exactly what is going on with Labour and why. And they are analysing for themselves the content of what Shearer and Cunliffe etc say. And anlaysing the statements related to policy, or general direction the policy will take. They are also criticially weighing up a likely Labour-Green alliance.
This Just Isn’t True — you only need to look at Presland’s blog, for instance, to see a Cunliffe supporter merrily smearing away at Shearer, Robertson, the majority of caucus, etc etc.
(Or this blog — how many rants about the ABC faction? I mean, look at QoT’s (quite funny) post below, right? If this blog goes a week without a hysterically pro-Cunliffe attack on Shearer, I get worried there’s been a plague in West Auckland.)
It almost sounds like you’d prefer silence to any kind of debate or critique Pete.
You must read this and other blogs for a reason ?
Probably the same reason everyone does.
I don’t mind debate, and I don’t mind critique; I just don’t like sanctimony and entitlement on display here.
I inderstand, but words let most people here down, they’re just expressing their own lives.
A lot of readers seem to think the comments here are “Political” and forget politics is about people.
An old saying use to be “Religion is for the Heart and Politics is for the mind”
Unfortunately in NZ politics caters to both, hence the rhetoric.
I dare to say, that I can count the “good” quality journalists in NZ, that are actually still in their jobs, on ONE HAND!
It would not be more than that. The rest are wannabes, swift journo course grad career hunters, slimers, shallow operators, swift to gain a story by whatever means, twisting the facts a bit by selective choice, and never able or willing to spend much time at all on one single news item.
That is why you get a lot of snippets and small bites, nothing much of substance.
Gosh, what was it just a couple of decades ago? Journalism was still a profession, they had their press club, you could meet some really interesting people there, they also went to certain watering holes in the city, it was a different world.
Now it is all gloss, shine, slime and nothing behind! I HATE it. Mass media is like endless, all night or 24/7 mental and emotional diarrhea.
And too much shallow ideologically opinionated drivel masquerading as journalism. Don’t really mind opinion per se but for fucksake back it up with some research and a solid arguement..
Fran O Sullivan, John Armstrong, et al, they are just some drivel feeding pseudo journalists, and they are not even the worst. Duncan Garner, Pat Gower, the silly lot at TVNZ, they all more or less fall into this category of obsolete idiots. So you must be one of the brigade of sell-out journos, am I not right? As long as the layer of butter is fat on your bread, you will write and talk as is expected, no matter what the truth is. Go to hell if you are a journo trying to defend this crap!
the silly lot at TVNZ,
And lookee here: big pay rises for top TVNZ people….. shame on the once-were-public-service-broadcasters! From the Scoop Team:
Though the CEO is not earning as much as Ellis was getting by the time he left.
Whoa, I’m right with you. I read the Standard because there are some knowledgable and thought provoking people on here. Dead right about sycophants Garner, Gower.
The thing about Garner is that he could easily do far better work. But basically he’s sold out to what is easy and helps him get along with his mates.
Add: Claire Trevett, Audrey Young, Diane Clement, Paul Thomas, John Roughan, Tracey Barnett, even Kate Shuttle(un)worth, that is just a few from the Herald, mostly writing drivel and shallow nonsense, nothing much with substance and of any relevance for NZers and what this country should be concerned about. Add also: Andrea Vance, Tracey Chatterton (what a name), Nicole Pryor, and a few others from SST. There are many on TV that are under performing, rather glamouring their own profiles for future commercial interests like ever so polished Jack Tame now in USA. God, I hate that face.
That is NZ media 2012, just a snapshot, as there are a number of others well fitting the self serving careerist mould of sell your soul to pay off you mansion on the hill kinds of types. Add the manicured, pampered, overpaid newsreaders on the prime time news channels by the way. Send them off to a farm to learn milking and cutting gorse, just to get a taste of real life for a change, perhaps. That is my rant on this topic for tonight. Do not make me more angry, and more will come!
There are many on TV that are under performing,
Meanwhile, the TV awards for best TV news etc, were given out last night – and the competition was largely between TVNZ and TV3….. the exception is a well-deserved award for Maori TV.
Note all the awards for hard-hitting and critical treatment of political stories!
You have to put the awards into some fair and real perspective, Karol.
When compared with One News, or worse even Prime News, there is only really 3 News left for NZ television media, apart from what else there may be on commercial pay tv Sky.
So 3 News won easily, but that does not mean automatically it is all that great either. Sometimes, I admit, they have good news programs with interesting, vaild topics.
We know how one-sided Duncan Garner can present news, so I am not impressed with him. The “Tea Tapes” seem to have given him and Gower some credit, but what else is there?
’60 minutes’ did certainly present the best documentary and expose under Melanie Reid, and she did a great job on the ACC privacy and hatchet doctor exposures. But apart from that and a few other, rare good stories on that show, I see heaps of trivial crap too, which I would not even consider current affairs in some cases. ‘Sunday’ on TVNZ’s One is about to be shut down, and so only TV3 will have something on at Sunday nights.
As terrible and tragic the Carterton Balloon accident was, I thought there may have been other stories more deserving for ‘Best Breaking News Coverage’.
I am thoroughly UNIMPRESSED with the television media in NZ, and the rare good stories mentioned (3 News and 60 minutes taking up most awards) do not change my views.
Totally agree with Jack Tame comment. Imagine what he’ll be like when he grows up!
In one sense Jane Clifton is right to allude to the likelihood that “the Relationship can only get uglier as the election approaches”. There are some fault lines between Labour and the Green Party not least of which are the approach to monetary policy (Chris Trotter has covered this) and what seems to be Labour’s reckless attitude to the so called free trade agreement in the form of the TPP. My sense on both of these is that it is Labour that needs to move away urgently from it’s remaining 1980s neo-liberal heritage. I’m also disappointed that Labour is not under-cutting NZ First by being “for New Zealand and New Zealanders and against wholesale foreign ownership and further opportunities to take profits off-shore ” in a progressive and anti-racist way. Done properly NZ First could become of historical interest by 2014.
Jeez, paranoid. Much?
You superhuman geniuses do realise that Clifton is in a public relationship with Mallard.
When fairfax group editors get together they stop just short of burning effigies of John Key.
It may not have occurred to you lot that when the left and right moan about media bias then they might actually be sitting somewhere in the middle.
Which of course they aren’t because they barely scratch the surface on matters that make Labour look bad. Other than white anting Shearer of course. That has taken over from drink driving as the national past time du jour.
Forget “media bias” just trying to get journalists to ask decent interrogative questions without plastering their own BS spin on everything would be a start.
No Bill, that’s retarded. As CV put it, a steaming pile of shit on each side of the scale gives “balance” too, but it doesn’t give anything else.
Of course if you’d read the post, any of the links, or any of the comments you would’ve realised that the discussion is well beyond your silly “balance” games.