Open mike 10/02/2020

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, February 10th, 2020 - 92 comments
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92 comments on “Open mike 10/02/2020 ”

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  1. Sacha 1
    10 February 2020 at 7:22 am

    Former news boss at TV3 Mark Jennings writes about the proposed merger of TVNZ and RNZ: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/02/07/1024615/tvnz-and-rnz-now-in-a-waiting-game

    The question Faafoi has failed to answer, or at least answer convincingly, is this: what are the benefits of creating a single organisation from scratch and scrapping TVNZ and RNZ?

    • Sacha 1.1
      10 February 2020 at 7:24 am

      RNZ's Mediawatch tackles the topic: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018733220/minister-lifts-the-lid-on-public-media-plan-a-little

      They’re already struggling in a market now occupied by Facebook, Google and Netflix as well as other local media competitors.

      The minister also said we would have to wait and see what the impact might be on commercial media companies which will co-exist with what's been described as a "super-sized" single new public media company from 2023.

        • Muttonbird 1.1.1.1
          10 February 2020 at 11:37 am

          Last vestiges of the right wing at RNZ undermining the government for their own ends?

          Clearly the management there would rather be the ‘commercial broadcaster’ like TVNZ, rather than the ‘public broadcaster’ they have historically been.

          • Anne 1.1.1.1.1
            10 February 2020 at 12:09 pm

            Yes.

            Brought up on market place commercialism and 'brandism' with no knowledge or understanding of complimentary public broadcasting ideals.

          • OnceWasTim 1.1.1.1.2
            10 February 2020 at 1:33 pm

            Except that I'm not so sure they're the "last vestiges" (part of the resaon I keep harping on about the state of many in the senior ranks of our public service).

            Not sure its that they're necessarily 'left or right wing' either, but in most cases probably. More to do with Master of the Universe and Impressive C.V. Syndrome

            The problem with 'nice people' as politicians at times is that they don't usually have very sophisticated bullshit detectors.

            I'm tempted to have another rave on a number examples but I'll give you just one:

            Imagine if Kris Faafoi (after his discussion with Mr Thompson) had disclosed publicly the concerns prior to Thompson and his side-kick's announcement – i.e. the bit where JA and others' view was that it didn't have to be an either/or situation).

            But there are other examples across the PS (in areas such as immigration, exploitation et al, and generally to do with social services).

          • SPC 1.1.1.1.3
            10 February 2020 at 3:08 pm

            Yes, the same faction wanting the merger wants the commercialised model – the future are the youth etc. And a big merged commercial model adds value to their CV.

    • OnceWasTim 1.2
      10 February 2020 at 8:08 am

      The whole sorry saga is becoming a bit of a bugger's muddle @Sacha.

      JA revealed what I had already suspected as far as ConcertFM proposals (i.e. that Faafoi had discussions with Thompson and Macalister), and they went a head anyway.

      Problem is, Faafoi has probably got too much on his plate – as have a couple of other Ministers for that matter.

      But I guess it's what you get when you corporatise government and public institutions and stack them with people that worship at the altar of the market the market.

      Thankfully (as far as Concert FM and a 'yoof' network – which should really be about an alternative network not necessarily based on 'age'), JA made it clear she didn't think it needed to be an either/or situation.

      As for the rest – Jennings makes some good points

    • Muttonbird 1.3
      10 February 2020 at 8:25 am

      Cross-platform brand identity and increased efficiency through shared services, I would have thought.

      • OnceWasTim 1.3.1
        10 February 2020 at 1:50 pm

        Fuck 'brand identity'! As a public service broadcaster, I couldn't care if you called it Red, Pink, Mauve, Brown or Green Radio, or whether its RNZ or RadioNZ. The stuff it produces is what's important, and given its resources it was doing a mighty fine job until someone rode in on a Vespa wanting to make his mark. (So far, a bit of a skid mark)

      • SPC 1.3.2
        10 February 2020 at 3:16 pm

        Just no. It's not worth the risk.

        First bump up funding for RNZ – it was budget pressured by National. Protect the public service model by keeping it separate.

        Second, appreciate that TVNZ is of a dying free to air broadcast model and help it manage its decline (its gone on-line, it has on-line content from which it extracts commercially valued data about users) by ensuring it has the funding to continue with public service roles.

        At some point, when it has lost the ability to extract significant advertising, then merge it with RNZ as a public service broadcaster.

        Otherwise the need is to expand NZ On Air with financial support for local, regional and national news and community service (whether print/on-line or broadcast).

    • veutoviper 1.4
      10 February 2020 at 1:11 pm

      The PM was very blunt on Morning Report this morning making it clear that, as Minister for Arts and Culture, she was:

      • not prepared to consider the proposed dropping of Concert FM and its replacement by a channel for younger generation music as merely an internal operational programming issue;
      • frustrated with RNZ management in that Faafoi had specifically asked them for time for discussions to try to find a solution that would provide access to all NZers and not deny access/programming to one sector in favour of another – but they had gone ahead and announced their proposals re dropping Concert FM anyway.

      She was very clear that that conversation would held; ad that she was not prepared to see one generation/sector of the community being pitted against another.

      Well worth a five minute listen – https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/news-extras/story/2018733433/jacinda-ardern-on-rnz-concert-changes

      Horror of horrors, I actually agree with Matthew Hooton who said on RNZ Nine to Noon later this morning that this interview was one of the clearest, most blunt ones he had heard from Ardern – and fully supported her position as do I!

      In fact Hooton and Neale Jones agreed that Ardern's stance this morning pretty much ensures that Concert FM will not be dropped as proposed. I hope they are right.

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018733432/political-commentators-hooton-and-jones

  2. Cinny 2
    10 February 2020 at 7:53 am

    Just after the poll announcement last night, simon took to twitter to defend his result.

    Note the Newshub poll was before I ruled out NZ First and I’ve no doubt that will have an effect, providing certainty and choice to NZers upfront.

    Who does that? Too funny, especially considering there was only one point between Labour and national.

    Meanwhile…. it's be beginning to look a lot like Christmas 🙂 Red and Green all the way 🙂

  3. Herodotus 3
    10 February 2020 at 8:09 am

    And once the votes are casted Winston doesn’t follow any of the public swells. throws a few bites to his voters to keep them complainant eg $50 winter power subsidy. Then in 3 years time, complain about our immigration policy and does …….. nothing.

  4. pat 4
    10 February 2020 at 8:10 am

    "New Zealand will emit a million more tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2020 than previously forecast, new figures from the Ministry for the Environment show."

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/02/10/1024337/greenhouse-emissions-projections-jump-in-latest-report

    wrong direction

    • Poission 4.1
      10 February 2020 at 1:54 pm

      The reports forecasts will be wrong,due to the fallout and aftermath of Cov.The immediate cessation of logging would need to be factored in,the reduction in tourism and flights and shipping from China etc.

      Globally the significant decrease in emissions from China demand around 3 million barrels a day,plus cessation of LNG imports have forced significant reduction in the cost of carbon emissions around 15% since December 23 (with most of the fall in the last 2 weeks)

      https://www.investing.com/commodities/carbon-emissions

      • pat 4.1.1
        10 February 2020 at 2:13 pm

        the forecasts will indeed be wrong (as they usually are), however the trend is key and while the even the trend may be impacted if the economic fall out from nCV is large and sustained enough, that trend is in the wrong direction and demonstrates the disconnect between the act and the rhetoric

  5. Blazer 5
    10 February 2020 at 8:24 am

    the core…

    'Banking was conceived in iniquity and was born in sin. The bankers own the earth. Take it away from them, but leave them the power to create money, and with the flick of the pen they will create enough deposits to buy it back again. However, take away from them the power to create money and all the great fortunes like mine will disappear and they ought to disappear, for this would be a happier and better world to live in. But, if you wish to remain the slaves of bankers and pay the cost of your own slavery, let them continue to create money."

    J.Stamp.

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 5.1
      10 February 2020 at 6:46 pm

      Completely correct, and not on the radar of the two main parties in NZ – at all.

      • Blazer 5.1.1
        10 February 2020 at 7:56 pm

        not on the radar of anyone who want's to..'survive'..unfortunately…all the big issues in the world incl climate change can be addressed by real..banking reform.

  6. Sanctuary 6
    10 February 2020 at 8:34 am

    Irrespective of the merits or otherwise of RNZ's proposals the whole concert FM business is an unedifying spectacle of entitled elite fury in action.

    People who can barely be bothered to do anything beyond offer feeble blandishments on social media about issues ranging from child poverty to mental health to the housing crisis are issuing outraged squeals, immoderate threats and frankly and proudly exercising class privilege by pulling every string they can think of in any elite circle they can think of to protect a station listened to largely by privileged, aging white people.

    • JanM 6.1
      10 February 2020 at 10:35 am

      Remembering, of course, that elderly pakeha who enjoy classical music are a valid tribe of this country like any other and have every right to fight for something they value – for some, living lonely and isolated lives, this may be their contact with the outside world.

      • Anne 6.1.1
        10 February 2020 at 11:00 am

        +1 JanM

        Classical music is universal. It is not confined to "privileged aging white people." I was lucky enough to have parents who introduced us to classical music from an early age and have enjoyed countless hours listening since.

        • Sanctuary 6.1.1.1
          10 February 2020 at 12:49 pm

          I am not commenting on the merits of the change. IMHO, robbing Peter to pay Paul is not a good idea – I read Concert FM employees the princely total of 17 people and probably cost less than 1.5 million dollars to run per year, so sending it's encrusted cultural value and baked on entitled boomer fan base to the knackers yard hardly seems worth it to me.

          I actually support a government youth radio network. Gordon Campbell makes a mistake today by saying the 18-35 age group is already well served by private radio – width and quality are not the same thing. I just don't understand why they don't fund both. Just make the Skypath a few metres shorter and use that money or something.

          The whole RNZ saga has some pretty weird bubble politics going on around it. Presumably Labour are terrified private news networks will go completely troppo on them if they do to much to tip the playing field their way and are treading so lightly they keep tripping over their own shadow.

          • SPC 6.1.1.1.1
            10 February 2020 at 3:24 pm

            Concert FM and youth radio on-line was and is the obvious way to go. There is a place for informed comment and publicising of new music that commercial radio is just not interested in doing. It's not as if youth are not able to find ways to get quality music listening from an online service.

    • Adrian 6.2
      10 February 2020 at 11:31 am

      Maybe they are just picking fights they think they can win.

    • OnceWasTim 6.3
      10 February 2020 at 1:09 pm

      I think you might find that many of the people that ARE actually trying to do something about child poverty, high rates of suicide, housing shortages. indigenous representation, improving education and various other things (rather than just bleating about it) are also in support of Concert FM as it stands. But if that's your definition of class privilege and elitism then I'm all for it.

  7. Sacha 7
    10 February 2020 at 8:50 am

    Greens pushing within coalition government for strong labour laws: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/119360655/greens-push-for-most-powerful-labour-law-as-government-negotiates-on-fair-pay-agreements

    Green Party workplace relations spokeswoman Jan Logie said the party wanted the strongest measures, including a threshold requiring negotiations when 10 per cent or 1000 employees in a sector call for an FPA.

    Also being backed by the Greens: union representatives in contract negotiations, the inclusion of training and career pathways for workers within agreements, and an independent arbiter for when negotiations break down.

    "If we're to really to get to the heart of the problem that's seeing people stuck on minimum wage for 30 years, working 16 hours days … We've got to take a strong legislative response," she said.

    Let's see where it ends up after Winston's bunch and the right of Labour are done with it..

    • weka 7.1
      10 February 2020 at 9:37 am

      is it just me or have the Greens recently stepped things up in terms of being publicly stronger on their own policies that differ from the rest of the government?

      • Sacha 7.1.1
        10 February 2020 at 10:22 am

        Certainly getting more oxygen.

      • McFlock 7.1.2
        10 February 2020 at 1:21 pm

        They always campaign well. Even when they had the fracture, it wasn't because of lack of campaigning ability.

        • weka 7.1.2.1
          10 February 2020 at 5:56 pm

          what I'm seeing in the past week or so has me actually hopeful. That they're going to go strong on values and the policies rather than playing it safe (although presumably they learnt a few things from what happened in 2017). I guess this isn't a surprise, it's just been a while since I've seen them stepping up like this.

          • pat 7.1.2.1.1
            10 February 2020 at 5:58 pm

            I fear you will be disappointed…the Greens may well improve their election result but I doubt that will lead to improved action on CC

            • weka 7.1.2.1.1.1
              10 February 2020 at 6:04 pm

              I wasn't meaning election results so much (that's dependent on so many things, many unpredictable), but more that the Greens stepping up on values and policy changes the debate (which is why Turei was right to do what she did even though it cost the Greens dearly).

              • weka …
                10 February 2020 at 6:05 pm

                eg the Greens going strong on climate will match the leadership outside of parliament and lead to a stronger climate action movement.

                The Greens have always been good at shift the debate and bringing the cutting edge into the mainstream. Time is right for them to push this further now.

              • McFlock …
                10 February 2020 at 6:14 pm

                Yeah. I reckon it'll be a hopeful year this year – noises are being made about free dental care for the needy, and the bushires really brought climate change to the fore.

                That's the starting ground that even the nats aren't dismissing out of hand. And the Greens are well placed to leverage even more policy changes than this time, especially if Lab need them and NZ1 would be insufficient assistance (not wishing them out, but lab/nats in high thirties with NZ1 @5-6% and greens 10% would be the ideal zone. Sure, some tory will whinge that current polls make it unlikely, but we'll see how the campaign goes).

            • Sacha 7.1.2.1.1.2
              10 February 2020 at 6:04 pm

              Reducing Winston's relative influence is the key.

              • weka …
                10 February 2020 at 6:06 pm

                That's Labour's job?

                • Sacha …
                  10 February 2020 at 8:52 pm

                  If the Greens are a larger force than Winston First, Labour should be under pressure to adjust accordingly (including their internal factions).

              • pat …
                10 February 2020 at 7:40 pm

                as said I fear you will be disappointed…Winston is a convenient excuse.

                • weka …
                  10 February 2020 at 8:53 pm

                  disappointed over what exactly?

                  • pat …
                    10 February 2020 at 9:02 pm

                    . "That they're going to go strong on values and the policies"

                    as they did previous to the last election.

                  • pat …
                    11 February 2020 at 11:48 am

                    on the contrary…the Greens will again go strong on values and their policies during campaigning…the disappointment will be in whats achieved post election.

                    • weka …
                      11 February 2020 at 12:08 pm

                      You don't know what my expectations are for post-election, which is why your comments here irk somewhat. I'd rather have people respond to what I'm actually saying, rather than projecting their own views onto that.

                • Sacha …
                  10 February 2020 at 8:53 pm

                  I believe it will improve climate action but not nearly enough. That will take some unavoidable catastrophes, sadly.

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 7.2
      10 February 2020 at 6:53 pm

      I was at one of NZ's larger companies the other week. They actively sabotage all union negotiations, ensuring that any union members get lower pay than non-union members in any part of the business where unions participate – while paying miserably everywhere else where there are no unions. A deliberate (and apparently legal) strategy to drive down and eliminate union involvement.

  8. mauī 8
    10 February 2020 at 10:25 am

    The implosion of the Dems.



  10. Sabine 10
    10 February 2020 at 12:26 pm

    oh well, at least they are not Antifa, right.

    Maybe we can call them brown pants, or blue shirts, or white face masks – after all 'brown shirts' is already taken.

    Good to know that voting for the shitstain is so much better then voting for the women with the emails.

    https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/2/9/1917916/-Led-by-a-22-year-old-image-obsessed-white-nationalists-in-masks-march-on-Washington

    • McFlock 11.1
      10 February 2020 at 12:55 pm

      lols

      Apparently the photographer's only sin in the original pic was to tweak the colour balance a bit. Now I know where to look, that damned makeup line (either that, or he tans in a hijab lol) is obvious in so many different images of the jerk

  12. adam 12
    10 February 2020 at 1:20 pm

    Odd I'd have thought there be support for a popular left here victory on the standard – but more and more I get the feeling that will never be the case and to many hard core supporters of liberalism voices are dominate here. And if nothing else, a economic left victory is somthing they really don't want.

    On the good news front – Sinn Fein have cracked the Irish elections way open. More counting to do, but a left wing party has had a good whack at the liberal establishment.

    https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/general-election-results-ireland-2020-21460799

    • SPC 12.1
      10 February 2020 at 3:03 pm

      The left have 1/3rd support…the liberal capitalist 1/3rd and the conservatives 1/3rd – meh. And the other 2 would rather work together than with them … A long way to go.

    • ScottGN 12.2
      10 February 2020 at 5:37 pm

      Sinn Fein will be kicking themselves for only standing 42 candidates.

  13. Chris T 13
    10 February 2020 at 1:20 pm

    Looks like Winston might be slightly in the poo

    "Electoral Commission refers NZ First Foundation donations to police, says donations should have been declared"

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/119393435/electoral-commission-refers-nz-first-foundation-donations-to-police-says-donations-should-have-been-declared

  14. joe90 14
    10 February 2020 at 1:32 pm

    Monday, and this is probably the most fucked up thing I'll read all week.

    Donald Trump wants to be president forever. He made that clear again with his tweet on Wednesday that featured campaign signs of Trump for President extending from 2020 to 2048. But that scenario is not going to happen, barring Trump being able to somehow suspend the 22nd Amendment of our Constitution.

    It’s clear though that regardless of how long Trump remains in the White House, he and many in his base want Trumpism—a celebration of cruelty, bigotry, and sexism—to continue long after he’s gone. That helps explain Trump’s support for anti-Muslim bigot Laura Loomer, who is running for Congress in Florida’s 21st District—and, incredibly, is increasingly the likely GOP nominee. After all, anti-Muslim bigotry is one of the cornerstones of Trumpism.

    https://www.thedailybeast.com/laura-loomer-trumpy-bigot-embraced-by-the-florida-gop-could-actually-get-to-congress

    • pat 14.1
      10 February 2020 at 3:53 pm

      The biggest threat Trump (and to an extent Boris) poses is his undermining of 'faith' in the system….for everything relies upon that faith.

      When it is lost there will be no warning.

  15. Ad 15
    10 February 2020 at 2:58 pm

    Big ups to Taika Waititi for the Academy Award.

  16. A 16
    10 February 2020 at 3:58 pm

    Bob Jones (if they won't revoke the Knighthood I don't have to participate)

    …says the column for which he says he was branded a racist was "a harmless joke" and not to be taken seriously.

    Jones was the first witness in his defamation claim against theatre and film writer and director Renae Maihi.

    Let's remember exactly what the remarks were that precipitated Renae Maihi calling for that knighthood to be removed

    In February 2018 he wrote a column for National Business Review which included a suggestion of changing Waitangi Day to Māori Gratitude Day.

    "I have in mind a public holiday where Māoris bring us breakfast in bed or weed our gardens, wash and polish our cars and so on out of gratitude for existing," he wrote.

    Alan Duff is apparently going to convince the Judge how this is humorous. Because he obviously Maori, and therefore a good example of how inoffensive this actually is. God.

    • McFlock 16.1
      10 February 2020 at 4:41 pm

      All good humour is about people. You can't make jokes about trees or fish. The very best are about human differences thus the familiar, 'a Scot, an Englishman and an Irishman went into a pub'. Alternatively religion, 'a priest, a rabbi, and a vicar'.

      Of course you can make jokes about trees, but the delivery has to be wooden.

      I had an awesome one about fish on the line, too, but it got away before I could show anyone.

      On a more esoteric note, one of the most durable explanations about humour I read about ISTR comes from Darwin, who wrote that "laughter is the collision of two emotions". It might not cover every joke I ever heard, but the template of setting up an expectation and then overturning it and going in an unexpected direction is very common. It has even been paired down to one-liners (Henny Youngman) and tends to explain (through implicit expectations of conventional comedy at the time) why Monty Python's more surreal things like the fish-slapping dance maybe haven't aged quite so well as some of their other material.

    • Muttonbird 16.2
      10 February 2020 at 5:53 pm

      Unbelievably, his lawyer (who I know personally!!!) claimed the sub-headline in the article, "time for a troll", as a defence.

      I can only assume trolling, in the opinion of Mr Pilditch and Mr Jones, is nothing more than harmless banter.

      I do hope the editors/owner of the NBR will be called to explain why they did not stand by the article if it was 'just a joke'.

      Alan Duff will be Uncle Tomming his way into Bob Jones’ Men’s Club at this rate.

    • weka 16.3
      10 February 2020 at 5:59 pm

      Likes to give shit, can't take it. Wimp.

  18. Observer Tokoroa 18
    10 February 2020 at 6:12 pm

    To: Sanctuary

    You are clearly a big asset to Aotearoa. The rest of us I regret to say, are lazy and useless in comparison to you Sanctuary.

    Could you endeavour to teach us your profound success ?

    Mind you, some of us are young and some are old. They listen to Music. But you don't need to count those.

  19. Sabine 19
    10 February 2020 at 8:50 pm

    i guess they have found their hand …..

    https://youtu.be/WRd-IHyCV7I

    • weka 19.1
      10 February 2020 at 8:55 pm

      Sabine you’re in premod until I figure out if there’s one Sabine or two commenting atm. Please see these three comments and reply there or here, thanks.