O’Sullivan on Campbell, Weldon and Key

Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, April 11th, 2015 - 140 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, john key, journalism, Media, national, tv - Tags: , , ,

So it’s not just loonie leftie bloggers noting the political element to the attack on Campbell Live. Here’s Fran O’Sullivan:

Valiant Campbell may have provoked political antagonists too often

Newsman has not shied away from challenging prime ministers on air

But [Todd Barclay’s] precipitant victory roll just adds fuel to an already stoked fire over whether the review of the Campbell Live programme has been commercially inspired or whether there is a deeper political agenda at play.

Campbell has done some powerful journalism. His focus on the Canterbury Rebuild after a series of strong earthquakes devastated communities has been advocacy journalism of the first order. At times this has embarrassed the Government. But if it has resulted in Cabinet ministers getting out from behind their powerful government-funded PR machines and tending to the necessary flashpoints, TV3 should be applauded.

Campbell himself has been a frequent thorn in John Key’s side. He has not been afraid to challenge the Prime Minister directly where some of his rivals have adopted a more supine stance.

Supine is a polite word for it I guess.

But with new management at MediaWorks, the driving considerations have changed. Within the senior commercial world, it is said that when Mark Weldon applied for the top job at MediaWorks he drew on his relationship with Key and the public-spirited work he did outside of his prior role as chief executive of the stock exchange such as chairing an economic summit after the GFC to help build credibility for a role in a sector in which he had no prior experience.

He was also passionate about the role media could play in ensuring success of the broader New Zealand Inc. The issue is whether his strong — and very loyal — relationship with Key has clouded his view as to the extent to which a strong media protagonist like Campbell should challenge a personal friend.

So there we have it – Key’s loyal and personal friend is out to shut down the last investigative journalism left on TV. Just a bit too inconvenient for an arrogant and incompetent government in its third-term death spiral I guess.

140 comments on “O’Sullivan on Campbell, Weldon and Key ”

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  1. Saarbo 1
    11 April 2015 at 8:45 am

    Fran O Sullivan showing why she is one of NZ’s most respected journo’s, great stuff.

  2. jenny kirk 2
    11 April 2015 at 8:47 am

    Sickening, RoB – I can’t think of another description which covers the Campbell Live situation so succinctly.

    • Redbaiter 2.1
      12 April 2015 at 1:41 pm

      TV3 management have every right to sack John Campbell. He can’t compete with TV One in the time slot so TV3 have to run a program that will b e competitive.

      Furthermore, as I say in my latest post, John Campbell is an advocacy journalist. If he proselytizes for a political force that undermines private enterprise then management that believes in free enterprise can sack him if they want.

      They in fact can sack him even if they just don’t like him. Its their station.

      • Grace Miller 2.1.1
        15 April 2015 at 8:33 am

        And when you’ve taken a $35 million bailout loan from the government, you do as you’re told…..

  3. stever 3
    11 April 2015 at 8:48 am

    And this from the same article:

    “Farrar is simply playing from the Dirty Politics playbook”

    ….so DP exists and Nicky Hager was right and now even Fran O’Sullivan agrees!!

    • Tracey 3.1
      11 April 2015 at 9:15 am

      Yup, the only people in denial are those who believe anything Key says simply because he said it, and Hosing, and Henry, and the PR machine.

      Key is making some of his supporters look more and more stupid. Those like Fisiani who parrot and extol the misleading statements and lies as though they are fact. People like him know better cos they are exposed to far more of the dissecting of the Key lies and misleading than the average person voting Key.

      Fran manages to be ideologically tot he Right but able to see the wood for the trees. others seem to be nothing more than empty headed cheerleaders and shills.

  4. weka 4
    11 April 2015 at 8:49 am

    It all just sounds so familiar. Come on NZ, how long are we going to let this go on?

  5. Kiwiri - Raided of the Last Shark 5
    11 April 2015 at 8:50 am

    Key’s loyal and personal friend is out to shut down the last investigative journalism left on TV

    John Key and crony capitalism now move to smother any signs of investigative spirit and real journalistic life in the country.

  6. Colonial Rawshark 6
    11 April 2015 at 9:00 am

    Until National are consistently polling under 45% (and even then, LAB + GR will struggle to match that number) I think we should restrain ourselves from doing our own “precipitant victory rolls.”

    • Tracey 6.1
      11 April 2015 at 9:18 am

      I don’t read anyone doing victory rolls, just frustrated folks embracing Key’s outting by one of his ideolgical followers and hoping it will begin to seep.

      Certainly some people are going to have to start questioning their support of Key when Fran questions him, cos as I said above repeating Key’s mantras is making his supporters look foolish. Question is, where will they go with their vote? Back to ACT? That seems counter productive if they get sick of Key and want him gone, voting ACT wouldn’t achieve it. Many right voters don’t like Winston. My brother, who voted Labour and Greens til he hit 30 and has voted ACT and National ever since, was going to vote Greens in 2014 and lost his nerve…

      • Colonial Rawshark 6.1.1
        11 April 2015 at 9:24 am

        I don’t read anyone doing victory rolls, just frustrated folks embracing Key’s outting by one of his ideolgical followers and hoping it will begin to seep.

        I was referring to the post remarking that National was in a “death spiral”. IMO its a premature remark until they have a few months of polling under 45%.

    • RedLogix 6.2
      11 April 2015 at 9:23 am

      Exactly CV. A few days ago our resident John Key sycophant fisiani was crowing about Key getting six or more terms if he wanted. And that is actually a hard real possibility the left needs to face up to.

      This pattern of screwing the media scrum has been going on for a very long time now – and axing Campbell is only the latest move. And as long as it takes big money to have a big media voice – the little end of town will be forever shouted down.

      In this way the left’s commitment to democracy is being used against us.

      • Colonial Rawshark 6.2.1
        11 April 2015 at 9:27 am

        Yep. Taking CL down is part of the strategy to give National another percentage point or so of advantage at the next election. No more untimely election time exposes on child poverty or on families living in garages in Christchurch and Auckland.

        • Tracey 6.2.1.1
          11 April 2015 at 9:31 am

          Do it now and in 2 years the people wont make the connection…

          IF TV3 wants comedy, give Jeremy Wells a political satire show…

          • Lanthanide 6.2.1.1.1
            11 April 2015 at 10:34 am

            We really need political satire in this country.

            • Tracey 6.2.1.1.1.1
              11 April 2015 at 11:52 am

              We used to have “A week of it” back in the mudloon days, was VERY good. I wish Hosking and Henry were parody.

              • alwyn …
                11 April 2015 at 5:28 pm

                We used to have a very good political satire series on both the major TV channels last year Tracey.
                It appeared quite regularly on the News programs.
                “The world according to Cunliffe” I think it was called. The views of a totally deluded man.
                It was quite hilarious most of the time, as it managed to give opinions and stories that were at right angles to what the New Zealand public were thinking.
                Sigh. I wonder what happened to that young fellow? He seemed to have a future as a stand-up comedian didn’t he?

              • Rodel …
                11 April 2015 at 7:24 pm

                Tracey
                parody |ˈparədē|
                • an imitation or a version of something that falls far short of the real thing; a travesty: Hen and Hosk are parodies of journalists.

            • fisiani 6.2.1.1.1.2
              11 April 2015 at 7:19 pm

              Surely the self lampooning of Cunliffe the Messiah complete with saintly picturewas a form of satire.

          • Bearded Git 6.2.1.1.2
            11 April 2015 at 10:52 am

            Agreed Tracey-Wells is comedy gold.

            But the obvious thing for TV3 to do with Campbell is to give him a 10 PM current affairs slot-“Campbell Late”.

            • Tracey 6.2.1.1.2.1
              11 April 2015 at 11:52 am

              Yes, especially as many of those upset have said they can’t watch live at 7pm. And so watch on demand later or on their recorded system

            • Raf 6.2.1.1.2.2
              11 April 2015 at 11:59 am

              ‘Campbell Late’! Perfect! No need for fluff – full of hard-hitting political digging! Johnkey will wish he’d left well alone!
              Do it, Mediaworks! Or Maori TV, or someone online …! Negotiate for it, Linda Clark!

              • Tracey …
                11 April 2015 at 12:38 pm

                Aren’t Maori TV also being clamped down on?

                • Anne …
                  11 April 2015 at 3:34 pm

                  Yes. For the same reasons.

                  • Tracey …
                    11 April 2015 at 3:39 pm

                    Did you see Farrar doing some roundwork pre Campbell Live dumping… on media opinion of Nats and Labour being negative or positive/. Focused on editorials (not opinion pieces elsewhere in papers). Not alot of info on how positive and negative were measured or by whom. But in case anyone wanted to suggest Campbell Live is going cos of political bias , Farrar had some scientific” info for debunking it.

                    • logie97 …
                      11 April 2015 at 5:06 pm

                      Again, it is good to see a mainstream media journalist authenticating “Dirty Politics”. The book and its revelations are becoming embedded in political discourse – no longer regarded as scuttlebutt.

      • The Murphey 6.2.2
        11 April 2015 at 12:07 pm

        powerful government-funded PR machines

        The NZ Taxpayer gets to fund the campaign of lies which are stealing their existence and that of their offspring

        • Tracey 6.2.2.1
          11 April 2015 at 12:39 pm

          Spend your own money manipulating and fooling enough people, then you can spend their money stealing their lives… with their approval.

          • The Murphey 6.2.2.1.1
            11 April 2015 at 12:43 pm

            Twisted is an understatement

            • tracey 6.2.2.1.1.1
              11 April 2015 at 12:53 pm

              Muldoon wa sin power when I really became political “aware”. I recall how he polarised the country. Love him or hate him it seemed. BUT even in his most dictatorial he still seemed to have something in mind that might be of bigger benefit. Even Think Big seemed about securing jobs and energy for the future… BUT I was young-ish so may have got that perspective all wrong. My dad loved Muldoon… so there was no anti talk til we spent time with his Dad (my grandfather) who championed Labour.

              This government is smoke and mirrors and truly seem to have done bugger all economically or socially (both of which are important in a government in a democracy)… but I accept I am biased.

          • North 6.2.2.1.2
            11 April 2015 at 4:55 pm

            One thing after another and even collectively the critical point is not reached. Each successive time…….a jarring picture of connectedness between the latest thing and everything. Which picture radiates a sense of authoritarian social engineering. On behalf of the few. And the flag.

  7. travellerev 7
    11 April 2015 at 9:16 am

    But conspiracies? Never! Our government loves us and wants to do the best it can for all of us and we have a real democracy where a free and smart press is not just allowed but encouraged to do its job! yeah right!

    Step 8 of 10 steps to fascism achieved. Nicky Hager raided and John Campbell shut up. Boom!

  8. MrSmith 8
    11 April 2015 at 9:25 am

    The only thing I find surprising about all this, is the amount of people still watching the idiot box.

    • Paul 8.1
      11 April 2015 at 9:48 am

      Yes, over 400,000 watching that popinjay Hoskins says something about a large a sector of NZ.
      Idiot is a bit polite as the word.

      • Raf 8.1.1
        11 April 2015 at 12:02 pm

        Yes but – is ‘watching’ the word, either? There is watching and watching. When Campbell does his hard-hitting stuff, I Watch! When fluff is on … it’s wallpaper. I imagine Hoskings, Henry and so will pretty quickly just be nattering in the background.

  9. Trainman 9
    11 April 2015 at 9:52 am

    Can we ask the GCSB to review all communications between politicians and Media works and publish it for all the public given the events of the problem gambling organisation and spying on challengers to Mr Grossers job bid

  10. Sanctuary 10
    11 April 2015 at 10:41 am

    it is actually quite scary that the last bastion of prime time current affairs can be shut down by frankly pro-government cronies with barely a murmur. In the end, if democrracy proves to “to risky” for John Key, will it go the same way as Campbell live, accompanied by a cackle of soothing and supportive noises from Hoskings, Henry, Larry Williams and David Farrar?

  11. Clemgeopin 11
    11 April 2015 at 10:53 am

    An excellent perceptive article. Well done, Fran.

    Campbell thanks all his supporters and gets a lawyer to take on the Media work government mafia.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/67685302/John-Campbell-thanks-his-fans

  12. Reddelusion 12
    11 April 2015 at 11:32 am

    People you can whine conspiracy all you want, the hard truth is that no one watches it. media works is not a charity even if it was publically funded still no one would watch it, hence why all current affairs is pushed to Sunday morning as also remarked in Fran Osullivan article All of above is typical “we no better just why won’t the masses by our crap” be it an election or what they should watch on tv, the reason it’s crap and the market ( the people) dictate

    • Tracey 12.1
      11 April 2015 at 11:54 am

      You may be right, but crap it’s not, crap is what is rating higher. Don’t muddy your argument by suggesting ratings and quality are equated.

    • Paul 12.2
      11 April 2015 at 12:04 pm

      “the hard truth is that no one watches it”

      TV RATINGS: 10 APRIL 2015

      Most watched on TV3

      7 Days: 307,980 (9:35pm – 10:05pm)
      Campbell Live: 293,050 (7:00pm – 7:30pm)
      The Graham Norton Show: 245,190 (8:30pm – 9:35pm)
      3 News: 243,130 (6:00pm – 7:00pm)
      Fail Army: 220,870 (10:05pm – 10:35pm)

      No one = 293,050

      • Clemgeopin 12.2.1
        11 April 2015 at 2:35 pm

        Paul Henry, DESPITE all the huge amount of time, effort and money spent on publicity, is doing very poorly in the ratings of his show.

        Ratings for Paul Henry :

        Thur, 9 April : 65,150 (7:00am – 9:00am)
        Friday,10 April: 48,110 (7:00am – 9:00am)

        9 April, Campbell Live: 241,870 (7:00pm – 7:30pm)
        10 April, Campbell Live: 293,050 (7:00pm – 7:30pm)

        So, if anyone should go, it would be Paul Henry, not John Campbell !
        ———————-

        Most watched on TV3 : 9 April, 2015:

        3 News: 256,100 (6:00pm – 7:00pm)
        Top Gear: 248,120 (7:30pm – 8:50pm)
        Campbell Live: 241,870 (7:00pm – 7:30pm)
        Flight of the Phoenix: 133,720 (8:50pm – 11:15pm)
        Paul Henry: 65,150 (7:00am – 9:00am)

        For 10 April:
        7 Days: 307,980 (9:35pm – 10:05pm)
        Campbell Live: 293,050 (7:00pm – 7:30pm)
        The Graham Norton Show: 245,190 (8:30pm – 9:35pm)
        3 News: 243,130 (6:00pm – 7:00pm)
        Fail Army: 220,870 (10:05pm – 10:35pm)

        Paul Henry (7:00am – 9:00am): 48,110

        • Naturesong 12.2.1.1
          11 April 2015 at 2:54 pm

          A morning show will have a much smaller pool of people (those who watch TV in the morning) to draw from, than an evening show, so your comparison serves no useful purpose.

          You’d need to compare Paul Henry’s show with another morning show that covers local issues in depth. Problem is, there aren’t any.
          So, an alternative would be to compare Paul Henry’s numbers to the viewership of the rest of the dross that’s broadcast in the morning.

          • Tracey 12.2.1.1.1
            11 April 2015 at 3:02 pm

            Interestingly, I have heard a few people say and write that 7pm is not doable, get home from work, prepare dinner, spend time with kids… they are not watching at that time. Not cos they don’t want to, so they record it and watch later or the on demand option… which doesnt count in ratings.

            • Naturesong 12.2.1.1.1.1
              11 April 2015 at 3:17 pm

              Yup.

              Incognito’s comment below cuts through some of the mist.

            • lonelyavenger 12.2.1.1.1.2
              11 April 2015 at 3:27 pm

              Except timeshifted viewing has counted in the ratings since 2012.

              • Tracey …
                11 April 2015 at 3:29 pm

                not according to whoever was speaking about it on radio yesterday BUT I bow to our greater knowledge on this.

              • Tracey …
                11 April 2015 at 3:47 pm

                Isnt that odd, given ratings are usually intended for advertisers and time delayed viewing tends to “fast forward” the ads?

          • Clemgeopin 12.2.1.1.2
            11 April 2015 at 3:45 pm

            Fair enough:

            9 April:
            Breakfast TV1 (7:00am – 8:00am): 145,060
            Paul Henry TV3 (7:00am – 9:00am): 65,150

            10 April:
            Breakfast (7:00am – 8:00am): 151,000
            Paul Henry (7:00am – 9:00am): 48,110

            • Tracey 12.2.1.1.2.1
              11 April 2015 at 3:49 pm

              what were they before Henry went on?

              • Clemgeopin …
                11 April 2015 at 4:11 pm

                This website should have all the stats:
                http://www.throng.co.nz/

                • Tracey …
                  11 April 2015 at 4:23 pm

                  hmmm 4 March shows

                  3 News Firstline (6:00am – 7:00am): 14,820
                  3 News Firstline (7:00am – 8:30am): 11,180

                  if that is indicative he has trebled their audience.

                  BUT the week before they had

                  3 News Firstline: TV3 11180 – down from 30890 (7:00am – 8:30am)
                  3 News Firstline: TV3 14820 – down from 28060 (6:00am – 7:00am)

                  17 Feb 2015

                  3 News Firstline (6:00am – 7:00am): 35,860
                  3 News Firstline (7:00am – 8:30am): 28,780

                  Of course Henry has the curiosity factor for now… time will tell…

                  • Clemgeopin …
                    11 April 2015 at 5:07 pm

                    I think it is misleading to take individual daily ratings as it depends on several factors.

                    It would be more accurate to see the average rating for a week or a month.

                    In the case of PH, people may be watching it now for the novelty factor he being new and controversial.

                    I think to compare PH with First line, it may be more reasonable to compare the ratings of First Line for last year, average for month of May 2014, with the average rating of PH for the month of May, 2015 because by then the viewer habits would be better set.

                    • Tracey …
                      11 April 2015 at 5:15 pm

                      I went to the site but could work out how to get the ratings in the way you describe. I am not trying to be unfair to PH but trying to work out what his baseline was from the beginning (which must be Firstline).

                    • Clemgeopin …
                      11 April 2015 at 5:43 pm

                      The search button on top will give the ratings per date searched. I don’t think they give monthly or weekly average(?). So it will be quite a labour/time intensive job to calculate the averages.
                      it would be more reasonable to do it for a month sometime after this month and compare it to the corresponding month last year for First Line, I think.

            • Clemgeopin 12.2.1.1.2.2
              11 April 2015 at 4:07 pm

              Paul Henry’s rating is about 38% of Breakfast for the two days while Campbell Live is much higher at about 64% of Seven Sharp.

              • Naturesong …
                11 April 2015 at 4:19 pm

                The other one that may be useful for context, is what percentage of news viewers is Campbell Live retaining vs. his competition – I suspect this one is not as flattering.

                Like a few others have admitted, I also do not watch John Campbell. But then I don’t have or watch TV (apart from inviting myself around to various friends’ places, or heading to pub, when there are sporting events on).
                I am concerned, not because I like him or his work (I do, but that’s not a good enough reason for me), but because he appears to be the only actual current events program left on free to air since TVNZ gutted their news division a few years back.

                • Clemgeopin …
                  11 April 2015 at 5:34 pm

                  “The other one that may be useful for context, is what percentage of news viewers is Campbell Live retaining vs. his competition – I suspect this one is not as flattering”
                  ————–
                  TV1 : 9 April:
                  One News: 652,280 (TV ONE, 6:00pm – 7:00pm)
                  Seven Sharp: 437,090 (TV ONE, 7:00pm – 7:30pm)

                  % retained =67%
                  ————
                  TV1 : 10 April:
                  One News: 601,360 (TV ONE, 6:00pm – 7:00pm)
                  Seven Sharp: 400,910 (TV ONE, 7:00pm – 7:30pm)

                  % retained=67%

                  ———————————————————————
                  TV3 : 9 April:
                  3 News: 256,100 (6:00pm – 7:00pm)
                  Campbell Live: 241,870 (7:00pm – 7:30pm)

                  % retained=94%

                  ————
                  TV3 : 10 April:
                  3 News: 243,130 (6:00pm – 7:00pm)
                  Campbell Live: 293,050 (7:00pm – 7:30pm)

                  % retained=121%
                  ———————————————————————

                  Interesting, isn’t it!

            • Naturesong 12.2.1.1.2.3
              11 April 2015 at 4:07 pm

              ROFL.

              Yep, that’ll do it 😀

    • Colonial Rawshark 12.3
      11 April 2015 at 12:07 pm

      I don’t see you calling for mediocre-rated Hoskings to be dumped.

    • SMILIN 12.4
      11 April 2015 at 12:09 pm

      your just a prick how do you like that reddelusion

    • Karen 12.5
      11 April 2015 at 12:24 pm

      No, the ratings are crap. Everybody knows it, but it suits advertisers and TV channels to pretend they are accurate.

      • Matthew Hooton 12.5.1
        11 April 2015 at 12:41 pm

        Why would it suit advertisers to pretend this?

        • tracey 12.5.1.1
          11 April 2015 at 12:57 pm

          I am guessing the suggestion is they and their products gain by having a National Government stay in place?

          Why do you think a programme that has rating similar to its counterparts is being axed Matthew? Someone posted some figures from recent ratings this morning?

          • tracey 12.5.1.1.1
            11 April 2015 at 1:09 pm

            Sorry, these were the ratings I was referring to (other TV3 shows not being axed.

            TV RATINGS: 10 APRIL 2015

            Most watched on TV3

            7 Days: 307,980 (9:35pm – 10:05pm)
            Campbell Live: 293,050 (7:00pm – 7:30pm)
            The Graham Norton Show: 245,190 (8:30pm – 9:35pm)
            3 News: 243,130 (6:00pm – 7:00pm)
            Fail Army: 220,870 (10:05pm – 10:35pm)

            No one = 293,050

            • weka 12.5.1.1.1.1
              11 April 2015 at 1:25 pm

              I would guess it’s not just about numbers for CL advertisers, but also the people they are reaching by advertising on that particular show.

              • tracey …
                11 April 2015 at 1:28 pm

                Hmmmm, then TV3 has done a bad job of matching advertisers to its 300,000 demographic and is changing to suit current advertisers rather than get the right advertisers in place… sounds a bit lazy to me… a soap? they want to replace it with a soap????

                • weka …
                  11 April 2015 at 1:36 pm

                  It makes complete sense if the motivation is political. The advertisers will still be able to advertise. Or maybe tv3 doesn’t care if the lose the likes of Mazda, it’ll be worth it to get rid of JC.

        • Lanthanide 12.5.1.2
          11 April 2015 at 1:16 pm

          “Why would it suit advertisers to pretend this?”

          Quite simply, because they have no choice but to trust them. If the only data available is known to be crap, but it is the only data, then you have to make do.

        • Karen 12.5.1.3
          11 April 2015 at 2:13 pm

          Advertising agencies need to tell their clients the audience numbers they will get. It doesn’t matter to advertising agencies if the figures are wrong as long as they are accepted.

          The thing is it is very difficult to get accurate ratings for TV programme watching. The peoplemeter system is flawed, but broadcasters need to have ratings of some kind to be able to sell advertising space, and advertising agencies are happy to go along with whatever they are given as long as everybody is working on the same figures.

          What would be interesting is to find out how many people actually watch TV advertisements.

  13. Raf 13
    11 April 2015 at 12:04 pm

    “no one watches it”? Who are these people then?
    http://www.actionstation.org.nz/savecampbelllive

  14. SMILIN 14
    11 April 2015 at 12:05 pm

    Its all go now National is doing everything to win its race against time and Democracy
    We fuck you Key make yarself name that we will be proud
    First NZ leader [chill it – MS]
    Anything but democracy hes destroyed that BUT we can rebuild it after hes gone BACK TO HIS MASTERS at the FED abit like CHCH we’ll make more progress without his fascists running the show

    • Tracey 14.1
      11 April 2015 at 12:42 pm

      steady on there Smilin.. assassination? Do you need some cooling off time?

      Impeachment is NOT a legal mechanism in NZ.

  16. Incognito 16
    11 April 2015 at 1:10 pm

    IMHO the likes of Mark Weldon, Julie Christie, Steven Joyce, John Key, etc., are not really the issue; they are symptomatic for what’s going on in (our) society. As much as these people are trying to mould the world into their ‘reality’ the ‘world’ influences them in a reciprocal way.

    A lot of people are unimpressed, to say the least, with the pending axing of Campbell Live. On the other hand, a number of people couldn’t care less about the show’s demise; Mediaworks shareholders would probably be supportive of replacing it with something that increases the profit margin and the large army of brain-dead viewers may get more ‘opium’ – ignoring, for the moment, that opiates work on and via receptors in the brain.

    Rather than searching and aiming for unity, mutual respect, trust, professional integrity & quality, etc., as exemplified by John Campbell himself, a large number of people revert back to the primitive instinctive behavioural response of fight or flight.

    Inevitably, the ‘debate’ ends up being heavily polarised between two camps. There is no middle road, no compromise, no consensus, and no synthesis of opposing views and/or interests is possible. I believe this is also reflected in present-day partisan politics and erosion of active participatory democracy; people are either for or against or take the lazy apathetic “don’t know” option – the tyranny of the polls. (NB some people don’t vote at all, which they defend as a “protest vote” without realising the enormous irony of this).

    I thought this Blog was excellent http://firstwetakemanhattan.org/2015/04/09/executing-john-campbell-the-dying-art-of-being-pakeha-savecampbelllive/ but a few times it still fell in the trap of the false dichotomy of separation-contrast into for & against, the Government versus the people of this country, capitalism versus whatever the opposite of this is nowadays – environmentalism perhaps? Anyway, I have added this Blogsite to my favourites; a real gem and manna for my mind.

    Campbell Live is an example of an honest quality current affairs program that exists by virtue of the business that is Mediaworks. There is no reason, in principle, why it has to be an all or nothing decision by the company; Campbell Live could be given a later slot of 8.30 pm, for example. The +1 feature and TV-on-demand would help to widen its reach and enable loyal viewers to watch it; it would still bring advertising revenue and preserve the TV3 brand or what’s left of it. The alternative is that the show completely disappears in which case nobody really wins – but is not about winning or losing.

    Apologies for the long post.

    • tracey 16.1
      11 April 2015 at 1:44 pm

      No problem. have you read Ben Elton’s parody of Big Brother? I can’t help but have Julie Christie in my mind when I read it. It’s called Dead Famous.

      • Frank Macskasy 16.1.1
        11 April 2015 at 1:48 pm

        Tracey – I keep remembering the 2006 sf-satire, “Idiocracy”.

        The film called it perfectly.

        Oh well. Next movie metaphor;

        I, for one, welcome the rise of the Planet of the Apes, and our new, more intelligent, simian overlords…

        • tracey 16.1.1.1
          11 April 2015 at 1:55 pm

          I enjoy Mike Judge…

          We are almost there, the rising began a while ago… it all depends on your definitions… 😉

      • Rodel 16.1.2
        11 April 2015 at 7:37 pm

        Yes! Ben Elton’s parody of ‘Big Brother’ is soo good.A must read.

    • Frank Macskasy 16.2
      11 April 2015 at 1:45 pm

      Interesting assessment, Incognito.

      Another good insight is done by Brian Edwards here – http://brianedwardsmedia.co.nz/2015/04/the-campbell-live-debate-a-considered-view/ – where he makes an interesting observation about having public broadcasting-style programming (Campbell Live) on a purely commercial TV station.

      It’s a good assessment (better than my own on TDB, dammit) and well worth a read.

      As for Fran O’Sullivan – I must admit that my assessment of her went up remarkably when she was the only one from the NZ Herald bucking the attacks on then-Labour Leader, David Cunliffe, and in the process took a hefty swipe at the columnist/National Apologist, John Armstrong: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11278532

      I may not always agree with Ms O’Sullivan, but she has proven she can be fair.

      • tracey 16.2.1
        11 April 2015 at 1:59 pm

        I agree about Ms O’Sullivan. Her ideology is pretty clear and I don’t share many of her views for how to make NZ a better place, but she is one of the fairest out there. I think she understands the power she holds within the media and uses it accordingly. Others either don’t realise their power or know it and use it regardless of the consequences.

        The thing is that TV3 knew who and what Campbell was when they hired him. When they moved him to this slot. TVNZ is becoming cheaper (in all kinds of ways, not just financial) in its focus and Maori TV is not immune from political pressures.

        So, even our “public”broadcasters don’t seem to be quite what they used to be.

      • Incognito 16.2.2
        12 April 2015 at 12:42 am

        The piece by Brian Edwards was a good read; thank you.

        However, I may be overreaching but I like to see the bigger picture, the larger context and connectivity, rather than to apply a reductionist approach.

        This is a slowly evolving process for me that I occasionally try to put into words and inevitably words fail me badly, which often is frustrating. But then again, it is all part of the learning process I guess.

        The one word that really stood out for me, almost instinctively, among the loads of written & spoken stuff on the Campbell Live story is unity (see here)

        Another story that struck me recently was a piece by Jill Goldson in the NZ Herald The one thing every relationship needs :

        “Our deepest human longing is for connectedness. It is about validation. It is connectedness, which supplies the meaning to life – which is why it all matters very much that we can communicate in a healthy way.”

        That’s enough personal stuff to share here on TS for now 😉

  17. infused 17
    11 April 2015 at 3:17 pm

    It’s pretty simple really. 350k viewers down to 100k.

    Simple as that. No politics needed.

    If he’s so good, I’m sure another network will pick him up.

    • Tracey 17.1
      11 April 2015 at 3:19 pm

      TV RATINGS: 10 APRIL 2015

      Most watched on TV3
      Campbell Live: 293,050 (7:00pm – 7:30pm)

    • North 17.2
      11 April 2015 at 5:43 pm

      You’re Bang-On Stephanie. So weird ! I sense distress at the temple of TheGodKey…..there is stench. Which is all grist for the mill of course.

      Encouragingly the Campbell debate expands to embrace as integral the question of corporate right to interfere with taonga. It needs to. The social weed of selfishness has taken considerable root over 30 years.

      A little mischievously I’m delighted to see the lawyers pulled in. Linda Clark might be seen as ideally placed given previous. More importantly really she’d have top-of-their-game heavyweight legal back-up too. “Campbell ain’t a poor man !” I rejoice. Satisfied still that the eye of the needle will allow him passage in all important matters. Because he is pono. Not a caricarture.

  18. repateet 18
    11 April 2015 at 6:37 pm

    Now all the right whingers are going to start spouting that any criticism of John Key for scummy behaviour or any implication of something suspect doesn’t count because the Herald is a leftist rag!

  19. reason 19
    11 April 2015 at 8:57 pm

    Picking the lowest possible viewing night for Campbell Live ……… with the cricket world cup black-caps semi final against South Africa being played on the day they were taken ……. and to then have these bullshit ‘stats’ quoted by people like Fisiani is naked National Dirty Politics ………….. rolled in dog shit and rubbed in our faces.

    Those stats are about as truthful as the police burglary stats Judith Collins used to show how great she was in her electorate……. both are dishonest and misrepresent things.

    I’d imagine National supporters would want reporters and shows like Campbell Live off the air when the truth comes out about things like the Northland buy-election….

    or sky city ……

    or TPPA ……

    or the state of our rivers/environment…. how the govt treats the poor versus rich tax cheats etc etc etc

    Farrar and Co would definitely like to see Campbell gone ……………..

    • Weepus beard 19.1
      11 April 2015 at 9:07 pm

      If it were able to be proven that these viewing stats were cynically and deliberately taken on a night when viewing figures for Campbell Live were likely to be low then this is truly straight out of the dirty politics hand book.

      It would be good if someone cleverer than me could prove this.

  20. millsy 20
    11 April 2015 at 11:01 pm

    Personally I dont really blame mediaworks for this, its more the corporate structure of the broadcasting industry that I blame, going back to the scrapping of the BCNZ in 1989, and the move from broadcast frequencies being a public resource, to a private commodity.

    Some interesting historical tidbits:

    The NZ Maori Council expressed its interest in bidding for the TV3 warrant (effectively a licence to broacast on that frequency) when a third channel was ‘green lighted’. For various reasons, it came to nothing, but imagine a Maori TV3? It would have been a brilliant springboard for the promotion of Maori culture…

    When TV3 went ahead, it was going to be a reigonally based channel, with studios in 4 centres, unfortunaley, the sharemarket crash and Prebbles reforms destroyed that and we ended up what TV3 is today.

    I am of the opinion that the years from 1974-1989 were a golden age of TV, where a variety of voices, opinions and content was broadcast, even in the limited hours avalible.

    I cannot really say the same about TV now. There may be a lot more channels avalible, but its mostly crap, crap and more crap.

    • Tracey 20.1
      12 April 2015 at 8:38 am

      can you explain them keeping a show with far less viewers than CL, like, say, the paul henry breakfast show?

  21. Karen 21
    12 April 2015 at 8:23 am

    Looking for Labour Party statements on the TV3 situation and found this from Andrew Little.

    https://twitter.com/AndrewLittleMP/status/586710004872253440

    • Tracey 21.1
      12 April 2015 at 8:39 am

      bookmark it, so we can remind him during the next eelction, or after, if he wins? 😉

      • Karen 21.1.1
        12 April 2015 at 8:48 am

        Good idea. I will be pushing Labour for a public broadcasting channel anyway, but am hoping the spokesperson isn’t Clare Curran. She was useless last time and wasn’t willing to engage with people who actually know how the system works. Also needs to be a high profile MP.

        Personally, I’d like to see Jacinda Adern in this role as she does know a lot of people in the industry. I think she is out of her depth with Justice.

        • Tracey 21.1.1.1
          12 April 2015 at 8:50 am

          She could have been Auckland Issues spokesperson… but I think you have to not have decided if you are running for mayor yet to get that 😉

          • felix 21.1.1.1.1
            12 April 2015 at 9:10 am

            * Have to have not considered whether to run or not, but in spite of this have already announced that you will announce your decision toward the end of the year. 😀

  22. Paul 22
    12 April 2015 at 8:41 am

    ‘In his first major interview since taking the job, Weldon said he was attracted to the MediaWorks position because he found journalists “very real, gritty, honest and dynamic”.

    The Campbell Live review, however, was necessary “to improve commercial performance of the 7pm time-slot, after a consistent 10-year trend of ratings decline, with no reversal in the trend.”‘

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/67699811/tv3-to-reduce-sunday-6pm-news-bulletin-to-30-minutes

    Is there a way it can be proven that Weldon’s statement about ratings is wrong?

  23. Paul 23
    12 April 2015 at 8:48 am

    Mark Weldon is really making friends amongst TV 3 staff.

    ‘MediaWorks chief executive Mark Weldon is at odds with many among his 200-strong news staff after announcing “bubbles and bagels” to celebrate the launch of Paul Henry – at the same time as Campbell Live staff were being told their programme faced the axe.

    “It was just insensitive and inappropriate,” a TV3 news staffer said.’

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/67699811/tv3-to-reduce-sunday-6pm-news-bulletin-to-30-minutes

    • RedBaronCV 23.1
      12 April 2015 at 9:24 am

      Yet another manager who has absolutely no idea how to deal with the people needed to actually run the place. I hope the staff boycotted it to get the message through.

  24. Karen 24
    12 April 2015 at 9:17 am

    For those not around in the 1980s, or have forgotten them, watch clip 5 in “50 Years of NZ Television.” It explains how we got to where we are today. In short, blame Richard Prebble and Roger Douglas.

    http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/50-years-of-new-zealand-television-episode-one-2010

    • Karen 24.1
      12 April 2015 at 9:58 am

      That clip also has the start of TV3 in 1989 and their local news mandate (which they never delivered on).

      They went into receivership within 6 months of opening.

    • Ergo Robertina 24.2
      12 April 2015 at 10:00 am

      Yes we’re a great example for others of what not to do.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11211861

      ”But former TVNZ chief executive Julian Mounter – an Englishman brought here in the 1980s to shift state television to a business model – has warned his countrymen in a letter to the Times that the New Zealand method leads to a decline in public broadcasting.”

  25. Karen 25
    12 April 2015 at 10:07 am

    Thanks for that, Ergo. I hadn’t seen that piece in the Herald.

  26. freedom 26
    12 April 2015 at 2:05 pm

    “Just a point of factual clarification in the face of some understandable ignorance of the facts- Campbell Live does run at a profit.”

    Campbell Live FB post
    https://www.facebook.com/CampbellLiveNZ/posts/10155509700335226?fref=nf

    Srong place to be standing when facing a review that TV3 says is operating from a commercially motivated premise

  27. Sacha 27
    12 April 2015 at 3:01 pm

    Detailed interview with CEO Mark Weldon about his plans for Mediaworks.

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