RIP Campbell Live

Written By: - Date published: 9:36 am, May 29th, 2015 - 255 comments
Categories: broadcasting, journalism, Media - Tags: , ,

John-Campbell-1200

This is a very dark day for progressive media in Aotearoa.  Campbell Live will play for the last time tonight.  Next week the show will be replaced as an interim measure by repeat episodes of the reality show Road Cops.  How appropriate.

Miles Thomas sums up the situation in rather stark terms.

The tragedy is that while John Campbell is a great loss to TV3, he is an even greater loss to New Zealand.

Thanks to bad decisions at TVNZ and TV3 we have lost the ability to watch our politicians squirm on prime time for longer than 15 seconds. Our leaders will be sleeping easier now – business leaders, local body leaders, religious leaders and so on. Not a good thing.

Our loss is the Government’s gain – the prevalence of government-friendly hosts and entertainment shows means it’s unlikely any government minister will face a series of awkward questions on prime-time television. Most people would agree that’s not a good thing either.

And in the Budget the Government has tightened the screws further. Just as NZ on Air was making noises about possibly funding more current affairs, the 2015 Budget introduces new targets that require 70 per cent of its prime-time programmes on TVOne, TV2 and TV3 to reach more than 200,000 viewers.

That rules out any risky new current affairs venture on TV3 – their brand-new show 3D just scraped in over 200,000 viewers last Sunday. You can be sure NZ on Air won’t risk failing to meet targets for the sake of 3D or any other vulnerable shows it would otherwise fund.

This government directive seems tantamount to requiring NZ on Air to get out of current affairs programming altogether. Something already done to TVNZ when it stripped away the Charter and required it to focus solely on profits.

And with Fairfax attacking quality in the pursuit of profits the future of media and its ability to properly report on important events is under question.  Fairfax is proposing to shed more than 180 editorial positions out of a total editorial staff of 700 although other presumably lower paid jobs would be created.

Is it time for alternative media to step up and fill an increasingly large void?

The last words belong to Ali Ikram:

One of the things everyone knows about JC is that he is unfailingly polite; polite sometimes to the point of parody. It might seem like something small, but it is actually the outward expression of something greater, and the message I will be taking from my short time working on the show: kindness has power. It’s not money, it’s not a clenched fist, it’s not an earthquake or a force of nature. But it has its own quiet influence, that if applied consistently day-upon-day can do great things. If we allow ourselves to see our fate as being connected to that of the person next to us we do not just make our community better, we make ourselves better. I acknowledge these are strange words to be writing about a TV star and a show made by a commercial broadcaster in a dog-eat-dog world. But to put it another way, compassion, intelligence and thoughtfulness is where the gap in the market is.

Update: Sacha has pointed out to me that NZ on Air dispute the allegation made against it.

255 comments on “RIP Campbell Live ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Sabine 1
    29 May 2015 at 9:53 am

    welcome to the new newzilind.

  2. Anne 2
    29 May 2015 at 10:00 am

    I suspect it will be buckets of tears both on the set and in the homes. I wonder if anger is the way to get this country’s voters out of the political stupor (torpor) they have been living in over the past 10 years at the least?

    • Puckish Rogue 2.1
      29 May 2015 at 10:40 am

      Yes John Campbell leaving is what will cause the masses to (presumably) vote out National 🙂

      You can’t make this stuff up

    • Tom Gould 2.2
      29 May 2015 at 12:43 pm

      Sadly, even the Campbell Live website carries no mention it’s the last show tonight, confirming the arrogance and ignorance of the barbarians who have taken over. Champagne corks will be popping at the Key mansion tonight.

    • Clean_power 2.3
      29 May 2015 at 12:48 pm

      Who could ever cry because of the demise of a TV program? Other than the people working on the show itself, I find UNBELIEVABLE that a viewer could cry over this. Life is much bigger than television.

      • Clemgeopin 2.3.1
        29 May 2015 at 2:10 pm

        You RW rogues are clueless arse holes about why Campbell Live received such widely felt and deeply expressed accolades.

      • You_Fool 2.3.2
        29 May 2015 at 3:53 pm

        You are right, I couldn’t ever imagine becoming emotionally connected to another human being and thus actually caring about their fate and how they are treated… nope can’t imagine that at all…

        • Weepus beard 2.3.2.1
          29 May 2015 at 11:10 pm

          Yeah, it’s an amazingly sharp snapshot of what differentiates the open and socially conscious from the self-absorbed right wing.

          Clean power, like Cam Slater, is one of the self absorbed.

  3. Puddleglum 3
    29 May 2015 at 10:03 am

    “If we allow ourselves to see our fate as being connected to that of the person next to us we do not just make our community better, we make ourselves better. … But to put it another way, compassion, intelligence and thoughtfulness is where the gap in the market is.”

    This.

    Any ‘alternative’ media must adopt that as its creed. For the good of itself and for the good of all of us.

    Its ‘bias’ and ‘partisanship’ should be solely towards these basic virtues that are essential for any sustainable human society.

    That I have to call such a potential media an ‘alternative’ media – and that Ali Ikram calls it a “gap in the market” – speaks volumes.

    That a posture of superiority, arrogance, dismissiveness, cruel sarcasm and disdain towards those with little power or who are at the margins of our society is characteristic of our supposed ‘popular’ current affairs hosts (such as Mike Hoskings, Paul Henry, Sean Plunkett, Leighton Smith, etc.) is an indictment of our moral social climate.

    • Anne 3.1
      29 May 2015 at 10:39 am

      That “posture of arrogance and superiority” has been there for decades Puddleglum. It was there in the late 60s/70s when I worked at the old AKTV2. But it has become even more defined under this govt. largely because they (and Key in particular) set the example and now they all see themselves as ‘a race apart’ from the rest of us.

      It was not uncommon back in the 70s for them to refer to the general public as the peasants and I have no doubt the practice continues.

      • Puddleglum 3.1.1
        29 May 2015 at 12:59 pm

        Hi Anne,

        I agree that superiority and arrogance, etc. have been around for aeons.

        But most of the TV presenters in the 60s and 70s didn’t openly act like that on the box.

        I certainly wouldn’t want to defend the moral climate of the past but that doesn’t mean that I’m happy with the fact that those explicit and stridently expressed postures are now seen as the route to TV/celebrity success – especially in the current affairs area.

        • RedLogix 3.1.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 1:05 pm

          Well maybe a couple of decades of morally vacuous ‘reality shows’ promoting greed, treachery and selfishness as prime virtues have had their desired effect after all.

          And what is Hunger Games if not a tarted up version of the Colosseum?

          This is indeed what the ‘market’ delivers. I don’t see decency and dignity as having any sort of ‘gap’ in it.

    • Tracey 3.2
      29 May 2015 at 10:47 am

      ““If we allow ourselves to see our fate as being connected to that of the person next to us we do not just make our community better, we make ourselves better. … But to put it another way, compassion, intelligence and thoughtfulness is where the gap in the market is.”

      THAT is where the LP can sit too. But they currently lack the conviction to stay the course when criticised for it… I believe this is what The Green Party speaks to. And why I vote for them.

  4. Sable 4
    29 May 2015 at 10:05 am

    Weasel words from the NZ Herald. The MSM are are in my opinion little more than Keys cheerleaders.

    Indeed, this will be a sad day for NZ. Our MSM are already a joke and now more so than ever. I believe there is little hope for this country unless there is drastic reform of our government and our media.

    • Gangnam Style 4.1
      29 May 2015 at 1:34 pm

      pippa wozername on 7 sharp had a spiel last night (i just saw the headline on the tvone site, i don’t watch 7 sharp) that the greens need to be more right, they are ‘languishing’ on the left. oh fuck off! but like someone said in the comments its probably something shes reading anyway, teleprompter written by someone else.

      • dukeofurl 4.1.1
        29 May 2015 at 3:36 pm

        yes , apparently there are some green leaning very highly paid women around the 30s age bracket who want a bit less focus on poverty and taking from the rich.

        I wonder who they could be ?

  5. Chooky 5
    29 May 2015 at 10:07 am

    this will come back to bite jonkey nactional

    • Sable 5.1
      29 May 2015 at 10:15 am

      No it won’t. Just look at the MSM in the USA. Total right wing control and the outcome is all too obvious, two parties that are more or less the same and have the same right wing policies. This is just another step towards the kind of political Banana Republic you find in the US and elsewhere.

      • Kevin 5.1.1
        29 May 2015 at 10:37 am

        Agreed.

        We no longer have a political landscape that is heading towards a mirrored version of America. It is now the same, just on a smaller scale.

        The team with the biggest war chest will win the elections every time now.

        ‘Presidential style’ elections where the leader is more important than the political direction. In fact policies are almost immaterial now.

        Paid lobbyists getting corporate friendly legislation passed.

        Almost total ownership of media by right wing friendly corporates.

        • Chooky 5.1.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 11:49 am

          already the USA corporate bought compromised media is being eclipsed by other online international television eg RT

          http://rt.com/

          ….this may be the future in New Zealand….and John Campbell may pop up again in a different form of televised media

          • Sable 5.1.1.1.1
            29 May 2015 at 4:52 pm

            I LOVE RT Chooky. The US/UK corporate governments are afraid of them.

        • Puddleglum 5.1.1.2
          29 May 2015 at 1:02 pm

          “In fact policies are almost immaterial now.”

          Except in one respect – the moneyed backers of parties often have quite clear preferences when it comes to promised policies (whether or not those policies are widely publicised).

  6. Clean_power 6
    29 May 2015 at 10:41 am

    If Campbell Live was as marvelous as people here claim, why wasn’t more popular? Why wasn’t watched by a larger audience, which would make it a favourite and firm stayer on TV?

    The truth is Campbell was not drawing the viewers, and TV3 decided was time to replace it. A commercial decision which may prove to be right or wrong, with direct consequences to the broadcaster. Fair enough. Time to move on.

    • Puckish Rogue 6.1
      29 May 2015 at 10:46 am

      Take your pick as to why it wasn’t more popular:

      John Key
      Cameron Slater
      Nationals paymasters
      Cameron Slaters paymasters
      The people of NZ are sheeple

    • Tracey 6.2
      29 May 2015 at 10:49 am

      hmmmmm…. it was making money when it had 120-150,000 viewers… so once it climbed over 200,000 it must have been doing ok on that score too.

      • Clean_power 6.2.1
        29 May 2015 at 10:59 am

        Yes, Tracey. You must know more than TV3’s commercial people.

        • maui 6.2.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 11:28 am

          As a commercial person why would you cull off one of your most popular shows. One that was getting 300-400,000 viewers in recent months, and a massive surge in viewership. If it was down to making money this would be the last thing you would be thinking of doing.

          • Puckish Rogue 6.2.1.1.1
            29 May 2015 at 11:37 am

            Because it was dropping viewers for the last couple of years and the only reason there was a spike was because it was announced it would get the axe

            If it was announced that CL would be renewed then the figures would have dropped off again

            However its a moot point as its their show, their network and its their decision on what they want to play

            • maui 6.2.1.1.1.1
              29 May 2015 at 12:00 pm

              Ok, granted I have no idea how to run a business, but if one of your most popular shows was recently pulling in record ratings and you decided to axe it anyway that would define commerical stupidity wouldn’t it? Especially when your solution is to ditch the identity of the old show and still have it running similar content.

              • Colonial Rawshark …
                29 May 2015 at 1:24 pm

                Axing Campbell Live was a pre-judged political move. It wouldn’t have mattered if Campbell Live was pulling in 500K viewers a night in the last month, from the TV3 board’s position, it was still fucked.

                • Anne …
                  29 May 2015 at 2:58 pm

                  If Campbell Live was pulling in 500K viewers a night in the past 2 years it would have been fucked a long time ago!

              • Puckish Rogue …
                29 May 2015 at 1:28 pm

                Recently, being a couple of weeks versus years of dropping ratings and knowing theres a good chance of the ratings dropping like a stone once again

                • maui …
                  29 May 2015 at 1:47 pm

                  “years of dropping ratings” – The ratings don’t show that at all. Infact with dropping numbers of people watching 3 News, Campbell Live has done well to remain so strong: http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/67945132/The-numbers-behind-Campbell-Live

                  “ratings dropping like a stone once again” – hmm, would need some historical context to make a prediction like that.

                • HumPrac …
                  29 May 2015 at 8:22 pm

                  Puckish, lets not dare to consider that ALL TV shows are getting a drop in ratings due to the internet.
                  So what is actually relevant, is the ratio of rating-decline versus other shows, and in particular the News shows. That’s REAL statistics within the context of this discussion.

            • Tracey 6.2.1.1.1.2
              29 May 2015 at 8:10 pm

              but it was making money even at the lower figures PR

          • Chooky 6.2.1.1.2
            29 May 2015 at 11:44 am

            it was quite clearly a political decision….and I hold on to my view that this will come back to bite jonkey and his friend Walden

            • Puckish Rogue 6.2.1.1.2.1
              29 May 2015 at 11:52 am

              John Keys got another scalp then

              Helen Clark, Michael Cullen, Phil Goff, David Shearer, David Cunliffe, Andrew Little

              Krim Dot Con, John Campbell, Eminem

              theres so many I’m sure I’ve missed some out but its still quite an impressive list

              • RedLogix …
                29 May 2015 at 12:54 pm

                Not called the 🙂 Assassin for nothing eh?

                • Puckish Rogue …
                  29 May 2015 at 1:31 pm

                  The left have constantly underestimated John Key for years and have paid the price

                  Sort of like John Milton (Al Pacino) in Devils Own

                  Something about intellectual snobbery springs to mind

              • Paul …
                29 May 2015 at 8:31 pm

                What do you actually stand for, you mean-spirited person?

          • Sable 6.2.1.1.3
            29 May 2015 at 4:55 pm

            Yes all a bit dubious….Why would you dump a promising show….

        • dukeofurl 6.2.1.2
          29 May 2015 at 12:04 pm

          Know more than TV3s commercial people ?

          Hows their Paul Henry show going ? Their commercial people picked a runaway winner there ?

          What could go wrong, he was successful in a similar time slot for TVNZ some time back, so cant lose !

          • infused 6.2.1.2.1
            29 May 2015 at 12:36 pm

            Paul Henry is doing just fine. 7pm is a prime time slot. The show needed to be doing far better than it was.

            • McFlock 6.2.1.2.1.1
              29 May 2015 at 12:52 pm

              Paul henry also did just fine in his previous short-lived slot. And the previous mediaworks job before that.

              If PH is so great, why can’t he hold down an actual job with what’s alleged to be a competent, commercially-run organisation? And why do they keep giving him more short-lived projects to fail?

            • dukeofurl 6.2.1.2.1.3
              29 May 2015 at 3:44 pm

              It has become their highest rating show, better than the dross that follows after 7:30.

              He made a silk purse out of a sows ear and once hes gone of course that non expert running the business will have no reasons to explain why ‘3 Sharp’ will be able to match it.

              Paul Henry doing fine ?. Not by measures such as getting an audience.

              I dont think his numbers are much different to Marcus Lush. When they come out it will be the biggest laugh.

            • Paul 6.2.1.2.1.4
              29 May 2015 at 7:02 pm

              Right wing tr***

          • McFlock 6.2.1.2.2
            29 May 2015 at 12:49 pm

            snap.

    • tc 6.3
      29 May 2015 at 10:55 am

      viewing numbers reflect popularity which quality current affairs shows rarely capture unless a crisis or major event pumps the numbers up as people hand in after the news show.

      the nact reworking of NZOnAir funding criteria diverts funds into celebrity/reality/tittilation/short attention span shows……job done

      • Karen 6.3.1
        29 May 2015 at 2:02 pm

        John Key appointed his Helensville electorate chair Stephen McElrea to the board of NZOA and reappointed him in 2013. The more commercial funding decisions being made by NZOA are the result.

        Similar thing has happened to Maori Television with the appointment of Georgina Te Heuheu to the board. She is responsible for appointing Paora Maxwell as CEO against the wishes of the staff of MTS, and refused to investigate the circumstances of Maxwell’s departure from TVNZ. Carol Hirschfelt and Julian Wilcox are just two of the talented people that MTS have lost since then.

        • tc 6.3.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 4:28 pm

          MTV board also refused an explanation from the TVNZ CEO about Maxwell’s less than clean departure.

          Can’t have anything getting in the way of another job for mates, Ian taylor resigned from the board on the grounds they weren’t fully informed.

    • Karen 6.4
      29 May 2015 at 11:07 am

      Campbell Live was often the top rating programme on TV3 and almost always out rated TV3 News.

      This decision has nothing to do with ratings, but a lot to do with politics (plus a touch of personal vendetta from the odious Julie Christie).

    • dukeofurl 6.5
      29 May 2015 at 12:00 pm

      Its been the highest rating program recently !

      First they said it was the ratings, and when they rose to become effectively their hishest rating show they changed to say they were the wrong type of viewers – you cant make this up.

    • halfcrown 6.6
      29 May 2015 at 12:20 pm

      “The truth is Campbell was not drawing the viewers, and TV3 decided was time to replace it. A commercial decision which may prove to be right or wrong, with direct consequences to the broadcaster. Fair enough. Time to move on.”

      That is bullshit. It was political, nothing more, nothing less. I suspect that if we had a socialist government in power you and the other right wingers claiming that is only because of falling ratings, would be screaming COMMUNISM censorship, like the eastern block, opinions and criticism of the government or ministers are now being stifled etc etc.

      • Clean_power 6.6.1
        29 May 2015 at 12:32 pm

        You are entitled to your opinion, halfcrown.
        You must know something since you claim it was a political decision. Care to elaborate and enlighten the rest of us or is only a hunch of yours?

        • maui 6.6.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 12:57 pm

          Na.. clearly a commercial decision, that’s why you cut shows just after posting record ratings.

          • weka 6.6.1.1.1
            29 May 2015 at 1:53 pm

            could be commercial AND political. Hey TV3, if you want any more backscratching, get rid of Campbell.

          • James 6.6.1.1.2
            29 May 2015 at 2:30 pm

            You know that the ratings are against 7 sharp right? Not against other programs on tv3.

            It was trailing 7 sharp by miles, and something needed to be done. Simple as that.

            Thats why it was cut.

            • maui 6.6.1.1.2.1
              29 May 2015 at 2:49 pm

              So you ignore that 3 news, your lead in programme is dropping in ratings and has half the audience numbers compared to TV1? Could that be a reason your show doesn’t match 7 sharp’s numbers?

              If you throw out your main host and run a similar entertainment program that will be the answer to matching ratings?

              • You_Fool …
                29 May 2015 at 4:06 pm

                Next show to be cut is 3news, then PH, then all other shows which don’t match a TVNZ show… what will we end up? countless re-runs of road cops!

                Or maybe take the simpsons prediction for fox news and just run hardcore porn… that will bring in the viewers!

                • Tracey …
                  29 May 2015 at 8:17 pm

                  tv3 news doesnt exist. based on james logic it must have been pulled years ago…

            • Tracey 6.6.1.1.2.2
              29 May 2015 at 8:16 pm

              when did they cut tv3 6pm news?? based on your assertion it should have been gone a long time ago. and yet…

            • Clemgeopin 6.6.1.1.2.3
              29 May 2015 at 11:19 pm

              Do you think Road Cops or Paul Henry will do it?

        • halfcrown 6.6.1.2
          29 May 2015 at 7:42 pm

          You are entitled to your opinion, halfcrown.”

          At the moment I am, but cannot be guaranteed in the future under this shower shit we have as a government.

          Did I hit the nail on the head there sunshine with my comment about your reaction if we had a socialist government?

          It is only a hunch, just like yours, but it was based on a lot of opinions written about this.
          Try this one on for size then go and find your own, there are plenty out there to read.

          http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/nz-politics-daily-politics-axing-campbell-live

          Incidentally as your “hunch” that Campbell Live was axed over bad ratings, when can we expect Paul Henry show to be axed as the ratings are dismal.

          http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11456346

        • Tracey 6.6.1.3
          29 May 2015 at 8:14 pm

          tv3 itself said the show made money at the lower numbers.

          lets see how “real cops” rates.

    • weka 6.7
      29 May 2015 at 2:03 pm

      “If Campbell Live was as marvelous as people here claim, why wasn’t more popular?”

      This is actually an interesting question. There is no doubt from the last few months that Campbell is regarded well beyond his viewership. Which begs the question why? I’m going to guess 3 things.

      1. many of the people who value JC or CL no longer use broadcast TV as their default for current affairs. They’re on twitter, FB etc and watch CL on demand as they want to i.e. they watch specific topics, rather than sitting down to the whole 30 mins of a show each night. The spend the evening in front of the TV thing is declining. AFAIK TV3 viewer stats are still based on old school tech and don’t count online viewing or the other ways in which CL reach people. I haven’t seen anything in the past 3 months about online stats. I did tweet to the CL team that the live stream show was very hard to find on my phone. TV3 certainly weren’t making it easy to find.

      2. some of us believe that CL has value whether we are personally watching or not. I used to watch it, but don’t bother now unless there is something of particular interest (eg election time), but still support it being on air.

      3. there’s probably an element of viewer fatigue that happens with any programme on for that length of time.

      TV3 could of course have worked with the first two reasons and got out of the broadcast tv ghetto. Not surprised they didn’t, because of the politics.

      • Sable 6.7.1
        29 May 2015 at 5:00 pm

        Answer me this. Why replace Campbell who has 300,000+ viewers with Paul Henry? Can you see any gain in that? As far as I know he’s well down on that figure for viewer ship which, in a small country like this one, is actually quite respectable.

        • weka 6.7.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 6:25 pm

          That’s not CL’s average though, is it? And I’m sure they can give Paul Henry the flick if they need to.

        • AB 6.7.1.2
          29 May 2015 at 9:18 pm

          “Why replace Campbell who has 300,000+ viewers with Paul Henry”

          Because you want all your primetime slots hosted by toxic, right-wing ar**holes?

    • You_Fool 7.1
      29 May 2015 at 4:10 pm

      It does sum it up, and last I checked JC wasn’t kicking up a fuss about it all so I sort of fail to see the point.

  8. Detrie 8
    29 May 2015 at 10:49 am

    I recall John Campbell years back doing a superb job on national radio on Saturday mornings interviewing people here and overseas. His background in journalism was obvious. Always the insightful questions with a human touch. Before him Brian Edwards did similar good works, keeping our leaders honest.

    But sadly all this is a trend by the TV networks worldwide to dumb down our viewing. The demise of newspapers with their band of reporters and editors will only hasten this. TV is now deemed for entertainment only. No questioning of the establishment, politicians, business leaders. Reality TV in an artificial world the media barons in control. As noted, an emerging banana republic of the rich and powerful.

    • weka 8.1
      29 May 2015 at 2:05 pm

      Going back to RNZ might not be a bad move for him. Although I’d love to see him do something independent. The time is ripe in NZ for real investigative journalism.

      • Colonial Rawshark 8.1.1
        29 May 2015 at 6:31 pm

        need funding of at least $250K pa to pull it off (not much on the scale of things)

        • weka 8.1.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 6:45 pm

          Is that a show that would have to be picked up by one of the networks?

          • Colonial Rawshark 8.1.1.1.1
            29 May 2015 at 6:51 pm

            If dumping CL was indeed a politically motivated move initiated by the NATs, Campbell will never get a gig at RNZ or TVNZ.

            • weka 8.1.1.1.1.1
              29 May 2015 at 8:32 pm

              Doesn’t that depend on the relationship between Key/his cronies and the people in charge at RNZ/TVNZ?

              There’s always MāoriTV.

              • Clemgeopin …
                29 May 2015 at 10:17 pm

                I hear that the MāoriTV too of late has pro National party management in charge now. May be someone can confirm or debunk this rumour here if in the know.

                • weka …
                  29 May 2015 at 10:24 pm

                  They’ve had people moving on too. Just read something about the Listener music critics walking out. Looks like all the good journos should be having a hui.

  9. Morrissey 9
    29 May 2015 at 11:29 am

    Brian Edwards did similar good works, keeping our leaders honest.

    Actually, Brian Edwards did nothing of the sort. He usually sat there silently, or simply agreed, as right wing politicians and right wing ideologues said the most outrageous and provocative things—pretty much as he does now when he carries the bags for his “friend” Michele Boag during her rampages on Jim Mora’s show.

    Perhaps the nadir of Edwards’s radio career came after an “interview” with the witless right wing shill P.J. O’Rourke, when he announced, in tones of utmost gravitas, that O’Rourke was, in spite of all the tripe he had just been spouting, “deep down, a very serious person”.

    Edwards later tried to deny it, but was eventually forced to admit it. To his credit, he did have the grace to not only admit it but to apologize….

    http://brianedwardsmedia.co.nz/2012/12/paul-holmes-starry-starry-knight/#comment-23897

  10. Stuart Munro 10
    29 May 2015 at 12:07 pm

    Campbell is quality – he will be remembered. If he chose he might do well in Oz where scrotes like Paul Henry can not survive. It worked for John Clarke. Ideally he’d be brought in to rebuild Radio NZ and TV1 – but under this despotic regime many are losing everything – our country is being ruined. All for the vanity of John Key – NZ’s worst leader ever. Ability without vision is a terrible thing.

  11. yabby 11
    29 May 2015 at 12:14 pm

    Campbell Live was dropped because a privately owned company was not getting bang for it’s advertising buck in the 7.00pm time slot. JC was approached to be part of a changed platform and for reasons known only to himself (possibly his personal branding/salary drop/security of tenure) he opted not to take that up. Despite the conspiracies there is no imaginary merry band of 1% schemers plotting the demise of Progressive minded NZer – it’s been a commercial decision plain and simple.

    As we now get our news in real time 24/7, and we use social media, blogs and worldwide news sources – the old format of a nightly current affairs program following the news is anachronistic. Our opinions are well formed by the time the nightly current affairs arrives on our screen. Saturated as we are with news what is needed in that slot is to entertain and relax us(Seven Sharp) or for a team that brings fresh insight to societal issues and one that offer critical thinking and objective reporting. (Probably not a 5 night a week job though). The zealotry and passion shown by Campbell and team though loved by many, was very tiresome to me and was getting a distinct sell-by yesterday feel to it.

    As a nation surely we would be better served striving for changes to the SOE model introduced so long ago by Lange and pushing for a model similar to the ABC and SBS. It’s how our taxes are allocated where we can have a say, and making a noise to that end would serve us better than any amount of boycotting and yelling at TV3 would do. I am a long time National Radio listener and would love to see a TV extension of the current informative and broad church radio format. Personally I have no desire for the proselytising and political manipulation of activist journalists but any state funded, well considered, informative and intelligent program content would be a step up.

    • Tracey 11.1
      29 May 2015 at 8:20 pm

      does your analysis change when you add in the fact that mediaworks stated CL was making money even at the lower rating level?

      • Liam 11.1.1
        29 May 2015 at 9:28 pm

        What you don’t seem to be cognisant of is the concept of opportunity cost.

        Broadcast time slots are a limited resource. Giving a slot to one show excludes another show from using it. Maybe Campbell Live does run a small surplus, but have you ever considered that running it probably precludes the airing of a more profitable program – one that either costs less to make or which is more attractive to advertisers?

        Remember Lenin’s prophecy about capitalists selling the Soviets the very rope with which they would be hung. It’s absolutely true, and there is no reason to doubt that Campbell Live would have been retained if it was a money maker for TV3. Your beef should be with the free market of ideas, not Mediaworks per se.

        • Tracey 11.1.1.1
          30 May 2015 at 12:20 pm

          The tv3 news should be gone, and Paul Henry Show close to its demise, right?

    • Craig H 11.2
      29 May 2015 at 9:28 pm

      I agree that it was (mostly) a commercial decision, but I also remember what TV3 ratings at 7pm used to be, before Campbell Live when they played reruns of sitcoms. This could work well, but it could also totally backfire with the replacement show’s ratings collapsing.

  12. Naturesong 12
    29 May 2015 at 12:23 pm

    “And in the Budget the Government has tightened the screws further. Just as NZ on Air was making noises about possibly funding more current affairs, the 2015 Budget introduces new targets that require 70 per cent of its prime-time programmes on TVOne, TV2 and TV3 to reach more than 200,000 viewers.”

    If a show is getting 200,000 viewers, surely it needs no additional funding?
    My understanding of NZ on Air is that it was set up to fund media that is either important or culturally significant but may not be able to stand on its own two feet commercially.

    Extremely cynical move, and NZ will be poorer for it.

  13. Monty 13
    29 May 2015 at 12:24 pm

    Firstly nothing is forever. Campbell has had ten years of pontificating to NZ, and the reality is that NZ preferred to switch off. Quite simply other than the left who cried a river of tears at the loss of an advocate, no one else really cares. I prefer the Simpsons

    [lprent: And that shows in the stupidity of your traditional trolling. More juvenile pratfalls than thoughtful or thought provoking. ]

    • maui 13.1
      29 May 2015 at 12:48 pm

      Yep, they would prefer watching the hate speak of a certain host on Seven Sharp which shows the current state of NZ society.

  14. sirpat 14
    29 May 2015 at 12:37 pm

    it is the dumbing down of information for the sheeple of n.z……….part of the Americanisation of nz……..the putting of views that they want put a particular way…..the brainwashing by the neo libs…. all part of the slow death of n.z as we knew and loved……while the peasants do outrageous things like vent their fury on blogs and all that is heard in the end is……………….baaaaaaa baaaaaaaaa

    • Puckish Rogue 14.1
      29 May 2015 at 1:11 pm

      and its that sort of attitude that comes through from the left and why people turn away

    • The lost sheep 14.2
      29 May 2015 at 1:54 pm

      Don’t give me that ‘Sheep’, er, shit.

      You have no problem with mass conformity to a particular Shepard’s vision.

      Your issue is that the masses are not part of your flock.

  15. infused 15
    29 May 2015 at 12:40 pm

    At the end of the day, it’s their station and their show.

    Starts and ends there.

    • lprent 15.1
      29 May 2015 at 12:54 pm

      Yep. And their shareholders can obviously take the consequences…

      I suspect that Mediaworks has just set itself up for some long term value losses.

      Basically the arseholes deserve everything that ‘their’ audience now drops on them.

    • adam 15.2
      29 May 2015 at 8:02 pm

      Spoken like a true liberal, infused.

      Great to see such allegiance to your ideology.

  16. SHG 16
    29 May 2015 at 12:48 pm

    Boo fucking hoo. It’s a commercial TV show broadcast by a private company owned by foreign venture capitalists.

    • RedLogix 16.1
      29 May 2015 at 1:00 pm

      Fair enough SHG.

      And I guess you’d have to agree this means commercial media is really not up to the job of providing anything that looks like current affairs or half-way serious commentary.

      • Puddleglum 16.1.1
        29 May 2015 at 1:29 pm

        Hi Redlogix,

        Yes, I think that was what Mediaworks new boss (Mark Jennings) said in his interview on Media Watch last week.

        He contradicted himself during the interview in several ways – e.g., saying TV3 was not about to abandon serious journalism in its news and current affairs and then, later, defending the NZ On Air part-funding of 3D by saying that the state has always funded and still needs to fund the investigative strand in current affairs because it is increasingly not viable for commercial media to provide it (too expensive) – NZ On Air part funding was just a way for the state to continue to perform that function by funding the investigative strand of 3D.

        Basically, he was admitting that commercial media have either no resources or no will to do investigative journalism – despite believing such programmes are “essential”.

        • tc 16.1.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 4:34 pm

          Jennings isn’t the CEO, he’s head of the news group and come a long way from his days as an ABC Journalist in melbourne.

          Jennings backed JC as long as he could but in the end they all serve a master.

          • Tracey 16.1.1.1.1
            29 May 2015 at 8:23 pm

            mark weldon?

          • Tracey 16.1.1.1.2
            30 May 2015 at 12:21 pm

            unless they choose not to. A few from the show have declined a chance for another job within TV3.

            Principles cost, but some folks still stand up.

      • SHG 16.1.2
        29 May 2015 at 1:30 pm

        Commercial media exists to sell advertising. You shouldn’t look to it to provide current affairs or halfway serious commentary. That’s not its job.

        • RedLogix 16.1.2.1
          29 May 2015 at 1:48 pm

          So between what you and Puddleglum are saying – this is evidence of market failure again.

          Which is what us pig-headed old socialists do keep saying; that there are some things which non-commercial entities like governments (or trusts as in the case of The Guardian) just do better.

          Or would you prefer a media that is basically incapable of holding the privileged and powerful to public scrutiny?

        • Tracey 16.1.2.2
          29 May 2015 at 8:25 pm

          strange that its survival depended on government varying an agreement and giving it longer to pay for something it was using…. robbing the taxpayer of the use of its money with no default interest…. like in the commercial world?

    • b waghorn 16.2
      29 May 2015 at 1:06 pm

      Apart from the large bailout they got you mean?

      • Tracey 16.2.1
        29 May 2015 at 8:27 pm

        no one has responded… not the ones arguing commercial decision… commercial conditions… commercial rules.

  17. David Bachman 17
    29 May 2015 at 12:58 pm

    As more options become available and fewer people are watching free to air television, the spend is shrinking. Electronic advertising message targeting is improving eg: In not so long, the person that spends longer than 4 minutes looking at Mazda brochures online will get a call from a salesperson. Advertisers are growing more reluctant to invest large sums in Free to Air ‘shotgun blasts’.

    Yes, the reach is important (the number of viewers), the age of viewers is important (the demographics) most important is the psychographics. The life the viewers lead. Beyond the audience size, Campbell Live sponsors would be looking closely at the lifestyles of those viewers.

    The principal sponsor of Campbell Live was Mazda. If Mike Hosking and John Campbell said to their audiences one Friday evening. “Everyone that calls into a Mazda dealership this weekend, roadtests a new Mazda and mentions my name will get 10% off the list price.” What would the outcome of that experiment be? How many Hosking Mazdas vs Campbell Mazdas would get sold? In spite of aligning their product with Campbell Live for years, my guess is: Twice as many Hosking Mazdas would get sold. If so, Mazda’s marketers would tend to value a spend with Campbell Live at half the value of a Seven Sharp spend.

    Content doesn’t enter into it. If new Mazda buyers loved performing goldfish, Mazda’s ad agency would invest in such a show. Not black hands and midnight meetings, basic marketing decisions.

  18. Melanie Scott 18
    29 May 2015 at 1:01 pm

    A quick reference to the Herald’s Time Out insert reveals a bit. Their programming up to Wednesday of next week shows Campbell LIve still on air. Obviously the vile duo of Weldon and Christie threw their toys out of the cot.
    They of course really admire great journalism, that’s why they are encouraging it by saying ” Go John, Go Ali….!” etc, etc.
    Steve Braunias’ Diary of John Campbell last Saturday should cheer us up a bit. I think he got one bit wrong though – Julie Christie arriving at work in a rowing boat, I happen to know she uses a broomstick.

  19. Old Mickey 19
    29 May 2015 at 1:19 pm

    Personally John is one of the nicest politest guys I have every met. I was next to him on a long haul flight a few years ago, and by co-incidence on a domestic flight with him and Stacy Jones’s uncle….I used to watch the show, but stopped about 4 years ago – he asked why, and I told him that I found the advocacy approach and lack of objective journalism too draining & tiring to watch every night of the week. I said I was surprised that sponsors stuck by the show, he admitted the sponsors were paying less now that before, and he wasn’t surprised. He said he thought he was lucky to survive after the Helen Clark “little creep” & “corngate” dramas. Go figure.

    • Clean_power 19.1
      29 May 2015 at 1:29 pm

      Campbell’s extremely soft interview of disgraced Len Brown was really bad and all time low for his program.

      • dukeofurl 19.1.1
        29 May 2015 at 3:27 pm

        if you only knew about the bed hopping around parliament, you might be less high and mighty about Len.

    • Puddleglum 19.2
      29 May 2015 at 1:38 pm

      “I found the advocacy approach and lack of objective journalism too draining & tiring to watch”

      I take it you never watch or listen to Mike Hoskings, Paul Henry, Sean Plunkett et al. then?

      If you found Campbell’s ‘lack of objective journalism’ too draining you’d presumably experience near-death paralytic exhaustion if you tuned in to any of them.

      Then again, I’ve often found that trying to repress and avoid a sense of responsibility and the urgings of my conscience can be quite tiring.

      No-one these days likes to feel responsible (in the sense of able, and therefore obligated, to respond) to others’ troubles. It is quite wearying, no matter how needed.

      It feels much nicer and more enjoyable to be entertained.

      • Tracey 19.2.1
        29 May 2015 at 8:31 pm

        exactly… and pretending to have a non jaundiced view himself is laughable

    • Tautoko Mangō Mata 19.3
      29 May 2015 at 4:37 pm

      Objective journalism does not necessarily mean that there is balance. Here are some extracts from an interview and from a speech given to graduating journalists by Jorge Ramos.

      “The best journalism happens when we side with the victims, with the most vulnerable, with those who have no rights.
      The best journalism happens when we purposely stop pretending that we are neutral and recognise that we have a moral obligation to tell truth to power.
      We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. ”

      Jorge Ramos
      https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/05/26/bugaboo-advocacy-journalism/

      “Yes, I’m asking you to take a stand. Don’t be neutral. Neutrality is for referees in a football game. The really -really- good journalists always take a stand with those who have no voice and with those who have no rights. Maybe you don’t know it yet, but actually you chose to be a fighter. Don’t quit now.” Jorge Ramos
      http://time.com/3881590/jorge-ramos-usc-commencement/

    • Tracey 19.4
      29 May 2015 at 8:29 pm

      🙄

    • weka 19.5
      29 May 2015 at 8:37 pm

      “I used to watch the show, but stopped about 4 years ago – he asked why, and I told him that I found the advocacy approach and lack of objective journalism too draining & tiring to watch every night of the week.”

      This is a really good point. Maybe the viewers he has now are rolling viewers, people who don’t watch each night. He might be better off with an hour a week show instead.

  20. Colonial Rawshark 20
    29 May 2015 at 2:07 pm

    These private commercial radio and TV stations use a public resource for sweet fuck all – radio frequency bandwidth.

    If they can’t provide NZ with quality broadcasting then that bandwidth can go to someone else who can.

    • Tracey 20.1
      29 May 2015 at 8:32 pm

      especially when they get deferred payment for the bandwidth with no default penalty lime in the commercial world.

    • weka 20.2
      29 May 2015 at 8:46 pm

      I don’t remember the details, but in the TV series The Newsroom they talk about how when broadcast TV was set up in the States and frequencies allocated, they were given away on the basis that the networks had to provide x hours a week of news coverage.

  21. AsleepWhileWalking 21
    29 May 2015 at 2:37 pm

    Damit John, throw caution to the wind and wear a tie for the final!

  22. Old Tony 22
    29 May 2015 at 2:43 pm

    Observations from these comments:
    1. Whatever is of the Left is by definition “high quality”.
    2. Interfering with “high quality” is axiomatically wrong.
    3. All enlightened people can see that interfering with “high quality” is wrong.
    4. Therefore only right wingers interfere with “high quality” because they are inherently evil, stupid and self-interested (i.e not enlightened).
    5. If no right winger is clearly obvious when “high quality” is interfered with, their presence can be assumed – see point 4.
    6. The more people seem to wish to remain unenlightened the more contempt they deserve.

    • Colonial Rawshark 22.1
      29 May 2015 at 3:21 pm

      “observations”???

      Dunno which channel you are “observing” but I suggest you switch.

    • Crashcart 22.2
      29 May 2015 at 3:53 pm

      I think there is always a bit of confirmation bias involved in situations like this. Yes people on the left do enjoy watching programmes that present ideas they can easily agree with. It is the same reason people go and read Kiwi blog and Whale Oil.

      All of that of course doesn’t mean they a right by default nor does it give the show any claim on air time. It does however beg the question that if we are operating in a purely commercial world that ends up only presenting one political point of view then is that commercial environment really fit for the purpose.

      This is where having a true state run broadcaster is important. Yes it needs to be balanced. Let the commercial stations drop anything that requires a bit of thought and just play New Zealands got X dancing with cops and have a state broacaster presenting balanced and thought out information that isn’t reliant on ratings. If people want to learn more they can. If they want the cheese whizz of entertainment they can turn on any other channel.

      This is essentially what on line content is doing. I hardly watch TV any more and don’t miss it. I wonder if JC would be better off setting up a you tube channel similar to The Young Turks in a NZ format.

      • Dave_1924 22.2.1
        29 May 2015 at 5:31 pm

        Crashcart… JC setting up his own web delivered investigative show is not a bad idea.

        If people truly believe in him as an advocate for the dispossessed and downtrodden then they will back him with cash and eyeballs. A high rating web cast getting thousand of page views can generate advertising revenue as an additional source of cash on top of donations from the obviously fair committed JC supporters/viewers out there.

        The advantages of such an approach:

        1 – JC is his own boss and can control editorial direction with out suits upstairs interfering

        2 – Your not competing directly against anything in a time slot. People can time shift their viewing to a time that suits them best 24/7…

        3 – Transmission costs are less than a traditional TV station

        4 – You can leverage volunteers e.g. professionals moonlight from their main job, journalism students looking for a break

        5 – Format is what ever he wants it to be…. long in depth pieces, short sharp daily/weekly review pieces, regular follow ups on long running stories. And time slots, durations and commercial break slots are irrelevant as it can be set up as JC and co want

        Sometimes a death is a rebirth. Do JC and his supporters have the nads to go for it? Or will JC just go to another large corporation on high salary and effectively be just another media talking head?

        • maui 22.2.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 6:02 pm

          Like it. With great contacts and insiders in TV3 he could run stories about how all the propaganda and commercial interests play out within a tv channel too.

        • b waghorn 22.2.1.2
          29 May 2015 at 7:35 pm

          I’d chip in, its time the media had a shake up and the internet is just the thing for the job.

        • Craig H 22.2.1.3
          29 May 2015 at 9:32 pm

          Just bang it on Youtube and Netflix NZ (or similar), they pay well for reasonable views apparently.

        • Clemgeopin 22.2.1.4
          29 May 2015 at 10:25 pm

          Great idea.

          He could have great interview, stories, humanitarian and in depth investigative pieces which he could also sell to other media/tv.

          The programme could be cheap subscription based or free. If even
          100,000 supporters join, that could bring in considerable funds even with a low sub + advertisements, both static as well as short ads like on TV.

          Risky, but would be worth a try. Hope some rich independent supporter will come forward to try!

    • Tracey 22.3
      29 May 2015 at 8:34 pm

      7. old tony is right. about everything but doesnt see the irony of 1 to 6

  23. Clean_power 23
    29 May 2015 at 2:48 pm

    Not a bad idea to put a late entry for the Green party co-leadership position taking place tomorrow. Much better than the current weak candidates, Campbell would be a good and charismatic leader.

    • dukeofurl 23.1
      29 May 2015 at 3:25 pm

      Didnt work for Pam Corkery when she jumped for Alliance.

      Plus Greens have the older white wealthy left leaning demographic tied anyway.

      They need something to appeal to working class people under 40

      • One Anonymous Bloke 23.1.1
        29 May 2015 at 4:40 pm

        It’s the talking point du jour. All the parrots are confidently predicting it.

        I can’t help thinking they’re really talking about their feelings towards Hoskings & Henry.

    • Tracey 23.2
      29 May 2015 at 8:37 pm

      the greens are a membership organisation who vote for their leaders. ACT choose by decree from the board… aka gibbs and gibbs. its worked well for them… 🙄

  24. saveNZ 24
    29 May 2015 at 3:19 pm

    + 1 The last words belong to Ali Ikram:

    One of the things everyone knows about JC is that he is unfailingly polite; polite sometimes to the point of parody. It might seem like something small, but it is actually the outward expression of something greater, and the message I will be taking from my short time working on the show: kindness has power.

    But to put it another way, compassion, intelligence and thoughtfulness is where the gap in the market is.

    • Chooky 24.1
      29 May 2015 at 4:42 pm

      John Campbell reminds me a bit of Peter Lavelle…civilised , intelligent ,versatile and a compassionate truth seeker

      http://rt.com/shows/crosstalk/

      …it would be great if he could have a Cross Talk sort of interview /discussion show …television online….with experts in their fields on NZ and international issues…

  25. rhinocrates 25
    29 May 2015 at 3:38 pm

    Meanwhile, at The Limpet,

    http://www.tewahanui.info/index.php/longstanding-critics-quit-after-changes-to-listeners-music-column/

    Music reviews are to be halved in length, to concentrate on more popular artists and to use a star system.

    I haven’t bought it since I got rid of the TV. This won’t bring me back.

    Here’s a definition of neoliberalism’s race to the bottom:

    “We’ve been sacrificing virgins to the rain god and the rain hasn’t come. Clearly we aren’t sacrificing enough virgins to the rain god.”

  26. Ant 26
    29 May 2015 at 3:49 pm

    Those of us who read Medialens, Chomsky, Giroux, Truthout, Pilger and similar outlets will recognise the insidious pattern of dumbing down the nation, stifling social conscience, ramping up global threats and cozying up to the belligerent and powerful to keep the voters well to the right. Goodbye TV 3.

  27. Marvellous Bearded Git 27
    29 May 2015 at 3:53 pm

    Off to the pub tonight but recording CL to watch later.

    • SHG 28.1
      29 May 2015 at 5:55 pm

      Getting [deleted] done over on national TV by the Prime Minister can not, by definition, be the highlight of a journalist’s career.

      [Poor choice of words, SHG. TRP]

  29. Facetious 29
    29 May 2015 at 4:29 pm

    One can confidently predict JC will resurface as a political candidate of the Left, not an independent one, but an aspiring politician from the left side of the spectrum. So much for impartiality.

    [lprent: Why? He has never shown any signs of being interested. Or is this you just being a confident fuckwit?

    I don’t like fuckwits who make assertions without offering anything to back it up. You are moderated until you provide a link to a credible source or a rational argument or explain extensively why you make such a complete dork of yourself..

    Read the policy about making confident assertions without something to back them. ]

    • One Anonymous Bloke 29.1
      29 May 2015 at 4:34 pm

      Impartiality, and cogent arguments. And your competence at predicting things.

    • tc 29.2
      29 May 2015 at 4:35 pm

      you confuse being professional in the execution of a role for having beliefs about fairness and equity.

    • te reo putake 29.3
      29 May 2015 at 4:35 pm

      Impartiality in journalism means being fair and even handed in reporting. There are plenty of media people from both sides of the political spectrum professional enough to maintain that standard. Campbell’s one of them. But once he’s a private citizen, he can do whatever he likes, so your point fails completely. On the other hand, it’s possible Maggie Barry deliberately favoured flowers with a blue tinge on her gardening shows, so maybe you’re right.

    • Sable 29.4
      29 May 2015 at 5:03 pm

      How about Maggie Barry. Any comment there chum? Or how about Lockwood Smith?

      • McFlock 29.4.1
        29 May 2015 at 5:44 pm

        or Paul Henry, former national party candidate and current john key sycophant.

    • Tracey 29.5
      29 May 2015 at 8:40 pm

      your evidence of his bias is that you are sure he will stand for parliament for the greens or mana at some unspecified point in the future? youve just succinctly made a liar of old tony..

  30. Clemgeopin 30
    29 May 2015 at 5:30 pm

    Just to make a powerful point, how about everyone that is angry or sad about losing the Campbell Live show….

    (1) Either completely boycott the replacement programme that will take the place of Campbell live from 7 pm to 7 :30 pm

    or

    (2) Boycott ALL of media works TV and Radio for at least one year from now.

    These practical protests should teach the media works bosses an excellent lesson that they are not there just for their advertisers and their RW political Godfathers, but for good media and journalism.

    Let us see if they can survive just with an audience of their shareholders and RW callous supporters.

    • You_Fool 30.1
      29 May 2015 at 5:35 pm

      My plan from now on was to watch The Crowd Goes Wild, so check on 1)

    • stigie 30.2
      29 May 2015 at 5:43 pm

      You’re sounding like Darien Fenton wanting to boycott all the Mad Butchers outlets about something she didn’t like there Clemgeopin.
      That never did work nor what you are suggesting.

      • Clemgeopin 30.2.1
        29 May 2015 at 5:50 pm

        You can never know if it will work or not until you boycott and see if it will work or not. Give it a try stigie.

    • Tracey 30.3
      29 May 2015 at 8:41 pm

      road cops.

      consider it not watched.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 30.4
      30 May 2015 at 7:50 am

      Nah. Boycott the advertisers.

  31. Sookie 31
    29 May 2015 at 5:45 pm

    I’m really sad to see Campbell go. I was never fond of the dancing granny type stories and repeated items about Christchurch gave me compassion fatigue and I would often flick over to the Simpsons to avoid these, but I thought he was a genuine, old school journalist who actually did his job properly and was a lone voice in a wilderness of twats. Now we have nothing in the way of an alternative viewpoint, at least the crazy USA has Colbert, Stewart, Maher and now John Oliver. We have sod all and I can’t see where else he could go that would be friendly to his brand of journalism apart from Maori TV. If he was going to go into politics, he would do well. Labour needs a charismatic leader untainted by backstabbing and stupidity.

    • Anne 32.1
      29 May 2015 at 10:01 pm

      I’m sure Helen Clark regrets her premature judgement of John Campbell. We all have failings and that is one of Helen’s… sometimes a bit too quick to judge.

  33. Facetious 33
    29 May 2015 at 6:51 pm

    A very sensible suggestion.

    “If just 50,000 of those who signed the various “Save Campbell Live” petitions agreed to pay a small monthly subscription then you would expect Campbell’s team would have enough to get a show going.”

    • Colonial Rawshark 33.1
      29 May 2015 at 6:53 pm

      Yes, that’s what reinstituting public broadcasting would do for the nation. Or taking the broadcasting bandwidth off delinquent MSM networks.

      • Facetious 33.1.1
        29 May 2015 at 7:02 pm

        Come on, Rawshark. we live in a free society. Who has given you the right to determine who can broadcast? Who would you call delinquent? Your political opponents? We are not Cuba or Venezuela yet.

        • Paul 33.1.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 7:04 pm

          You really are the epitome of an extreme right wing tr***.
          You serve your corporate masters well.
          Puppet.

        • mickysavage 33.1.1.2
          29 May 2015 at 7:04 pm

          Maybe both sides of the spectrum should have their views presented? Not only the corporate side?

          • Facetious 33.1.1.2.1
            29 May 2015 at 7:09 pm

            We agree 100%, mickysavage.

            • mickysavage 33.1.1.2.1.1
              29 May 2015 at 7:10 pm

              Now you are being a dick. This post is about how the one remaining left wing media personality is being shunted out and we only have RWNJs left but you will now argue that this is not the case.

              • Facetious …
                29 May 2015 at 7:20 pm

                You can call me a dick if that makes you happy, but let the market and viewers decide who they want to watch on TV or listen to on radio. Not the state, not political appointees.

                • mickysavage …
                  29 May 2015 at 7:21 pm

                  The viewers want Campbell live to stay. The market (rich folk) want him gone because he threatens them and embarrasses them. The state needs to be involved sometimes to make sure that all views are heard.

                  You are still being a dick.

                  • Paul …
                    29 May 2015 at 7:24 pm

                    Facetious…a boring tr*** and spokesperson for the 1%

                  • Facetious …
                    29 May 2015 at 7:27 pm

                    If as you state, viewers and the market want Campbell, you can be sure a sponsor will be prepared to prop him and his great program. Are you confident?

                    • Paul …
                      29 May 2015 at 7:28 pm

                      The market is the corporations.
                      Of course they don’t want CL.
                      He speaks truth to power.
                      Unlike you.

                    • mickysavage …
                      29 May 2015 at 7:37 pm

                      So if some rich dude writes a cheque everything is fine.

                      You are still being a dick.

                  • Facetious …
                    29 May 2015 at 7:44 pm

                    According to your twisted logic is OK if big state writes a check, but not if a rich person does it. I reject that.

                    • mickysavage …
                      29 May 2015 at 7:48 pm

                      Rich people regularly write cheques hoping for their privilege to be preserved. Someone needs to write a cheque for the other 99% to preserve some sense of balance.

                      You are still being a dick. You are arguing that I am saying that rich people should not write cheques. I am not, I am just hoping for some balance.

                    • Tracey …
                      29 May 2015 at 8:47 pm

                      i think you have spelt your handle incorrectly.

                      fatuous

                      even on the lower ratings the show made more than it cost… not a commercial failure. tv3 6pm news is nothing compared to tv1 ratings yet has lasted much longer than CL.

                      logic gaps.

                    • Anne …
                      29 May 2015 at 9:53 pm

                      How do you expect anyone to treat your opinion with anything approaching respect when you don’t even know how to spell cheque faceboy/girl.

                    • Colonial Rawshark …
                      29 May 2015 at 10:18 pm

                      It’s some American based or educated git

                • Paul …
                  29 May 2015 at 7:22 pm

                  ‘The markets decide.’
                  Further neo-liberal twaddle from a puppet of the corporates.

                  • Colonial Rawshark …
                    29 May 2015 at 10:11 pm

                    These MSM broadcasting corporations use a public resource, our airwaves. If they do not serve the informational interests of the public, give those airwaves to organisations who will.

                    • Tracey …
                      30 May 2015 at 12:23 pm

                      and this one delayed its payment at no additional cost to itself… so it was NOT operating as a free-market commercial entity

            • Paul 33.1.1.2.1.2
              29 May 2015 at 7:12 pm

              Well at the moment in NZ only the corporate right’s view is propagated by Henry, Hosking, Christie, Williams, Plunket.
              Balanced?
              You’re kidding.
              You are a tragic right wing tro**.

        • Paul 33.1.1.3
          29 May 2015 at 7:08 pm

          No and we are getting close to the USA where only the voices of the plutocrats are heard.
          And you defend them.
          Puppet.

        • Tracey 33.1.1.4
          29 May 2015 at 8:45 pm

          free? mediaworks got a penalty free extension to pay for the use of something without which it would die. that means subsidised by taxpayers… a commercial organisation in a free society getting subsidised by the nations workers.

        • Colonial Viper 33.1.1.5
          30 May 2015 at 8:55 am

          a “free society”? Don’t make me laugh. This is a society whose communications and information flows are heavily corporate controlled. Thats the exact opposite of the “free society” that you claim to value.

          • Tracey 33.1.1.5.1
            30 May 2015 at 12:24 pm

            Must have missed the increased powers and forgiveness of previous wrongs by GCSB

      • Paul 33.1.2
        29 May 2015 at 7:09 pm

        The airwaves are a public asset for the people.
        Not a revenue source for corporations.

  34. mickysavage 34
    29 May 2015 at 7:02 pm

    Wow great start to the show. A big sloppy kiss from Mike McRoberts!

    • Anne 34.1
      29 May 2015 at 7:41 pm

      Well, Campbell Live has gone and there are tears in my eyes. No TV journalist or presenter or Current Affairs host has ever done that to me before. He has to be a special person indeed.

      I hope – after a good long break which he thoroughly deserves – that John Campbell will pop up on another media channel soon. He’s far too important for NZ to lose.

      • Paul 34.1.1
        29 May 2015 at 7:48 pm

        Worth a read.
        Ali Ikram writes a beautiful tribute to John Campbell.

        Includes this paragraph.
        ‘There are two types of television. There’s the one that panders to the perceived prejudices of the audience. This is easy to make, instantly creating headlines and galvanizing an audience that will switch on just to hear its view of the world parroted back. The weakness of operating this way will only be obvious to those it leaves out in the cold. The much tougher path is to challenge viewers to question their assumptions and to challenge the powerful, after all isn’t that what the job of journalism is supposed to be about?’

        http://ruminator.co.nz/ka-kite-ano-campbell-live/

        • the pigman 34.1.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 8:15 pm

          Great, especially the last couple of paragraphs.

          • North 34.1.1.1.1
            30 May 2015 at 4:09 am

            Tears alright in this household Anne, and then retching at what followed at 7.31 pm…….something witheringly vain and senseless called “Lip……Sync……Battles”. Bloody hell ! Yes I acknowledge, 7.31 pm weekdays, ripe for it…….but the contrast. As if to underline TV3’s intended direction……..dumbing, overblown nonsense served up with lashings of screech; in another time slot the cackling narcissist Henry being emblematic of that.

            Putting everything else aside…….bandwidth is a taonga of this allegedly democratic nation. It should not be hoist around limitlessly captive by the few whose various personal interests demand medi’a’crity.

  35. mickysavage 35
    29 May 2015 at 7:40 pm

    The show was utter class. No regrets just a celebration of what he had achieved and a trip down memory lane of some of the really important stories he covered. An utterly quality exit, just like the rest of his programme.

    • weka 35.1
      29 May 2015 at 8:02 pm

      Completely agree, very good end to the show.

      For a full 30 mins my Twitter feed was virtually either silent or full of tweets about JC/CL (during ad breaks). Lots of thank yous, tributes, and slamming of tv3. Still going strong.

    • tc 35.2
      30 May 2015 at 9:06 am

      +1
      A very classy and composed effort with the right tone pitched on the outtake as he signed off for the last time.

      This may come back to bite the movers and shakers as JC has no restraints on him now, plenty of history and an ironclad will to make a positive difference.

  36. Ant 36
    29 May 2015 at 7:46 pm

    Campbell’s finale should be compulsory viewing in all schools. It would give kids a lift to witness a show of undiluted goodwill in a world awash with self-seeking aggrandisement and deceit.

  37. Once was Tim 37
    29 May 2015 at 7:49 pm

    …….. and a brilliant finale it was in showing what it is and was that we’re about to miss (how can you summarise that sort of effort ih half an hour!)
    …….. except the tributes to all – the Billy Weepu’s, the Pip Keane’s, the Ali Ikram’s – to them all.
    What was missing however was the FUCK YOU tributes to the Joolie Krustie’s and the Muck Waldenss.

    Ne’er’ mind ….. there’s time.

    Maybe I’ll get a chance to chew the fat again in M’boro @ JC and discuss various means and methods of resurrecting PSB in the not too distant.
    IT’s not actually that huge a proposition, nor a mountainous opposition to overcome other than a changing political climate that’s not that far away.
    And it could be a system slightly bigger and better than the miniscule CBB aspirations NZers are entitled to expect of a PSB system (I mean as far as A (1) radio network and A (1) TV network) to attempt representing a Public Sphere)

    I’m not sure I’m still entitled to comment on this site, but should the enter button fail – it’ll simply reinforce my argument as to why things have all turned to SHITE

    [lprent: In answer to your question, we require one of the behaviours that outlined in the policy. We don’t just ban people for merely speaking their mind. Although this self-justifying whining does remind me of a 4 year old in a demand for attention. Coming to think of it, many of them show more control.

    Most of the reasons that we ban are for causing issues with either the comment stream (ie dumb flames of various types) or interfering with the authors will to write posts. The remainder fall into legal issues like making us liable for defamation suits. You will just have to try harder.

    But hey, if you are the complete jerk off that your comment implies, then simply blame an author for ever writing an opinion that you can discuss and tear apart with other people. This is called a self-martyrdom offence. Doing a personal attack like that is something that I take a great pleasure in giving long bans to the juvenile self-pleasurers requesting them with their excited splatterings. ]

    • Chooky 37.1
      29 May 2015 at 7:57 pm

      +100…it was a great finale….and may the phoenix rise from the ashes.

      ..Campbell and the the whole team…congratulations ! You are a New Zealand Taonga…a New Zealand Treasure !

    • The Other Mike 38.1
      29 May 2015 at 8:37 pm

      Dignified finale. They could have thrown in a few cheap shots, but resisted that temptation. Not sure I would have.

      Noted the kisses from the 6pm news team… watch out – you’re next!

      JC nailed it with his exclamation to Dunne in Naenae – “This is Real!”

      How much from now on will be that on any channel.

  39. Once was Tim 39
    29 May 2015 at 8:04 pm

    Why am I NOT surprised?
    Why am I not surprised at the departure of a Rawshark as a commenter
    …….. or a Karen as a Poster
    ……… or at the future of a left faction as represented by NZLP
    ……….. or a SR as a rising star as a poster
    ………… or the various baiting trolls that persist and make their pathetic efforts at ridicule of left arguments

    …….Here is THe Standard. (apparently a broad church)

    And the best of British Luck, and any other good luck charm you might subscribe to.
    Thank CHrist there’s more to life for most people

  40. ianmac 40
    29 May 2015 at 8:14 pm

    In the past when a program was dropped there would be some sort of protest perhaps by letter writing to the editor or the TV program concerned.
    But the outpouring re JC has been possible because of the net. Thousands signed an online petition in a matter of days. Emails by the thousands.

    The power of the net must be harnessed much more by we, the people.

    • weka 40.1
      29 May 2015 at 8:18 pm

      +1

    • mickysavage 40.2
      29 May 2015 at 8:21 pm

      Yep. I think that we need to bypass the MSM. Let it wither and die. But we need to resource the dissemination of progressive views to the masses. Somehow …

    • Tracey 40.3
      29 May 2015 at 8:50 pm

      compare mediaworks esponse to the other petition it received 2 weeks earlier

  41. Stephen 41
    29 May 2015 at 8:48 pm

    Just gonna note that:

    http://campaign.labour.org.nz/broadcasting

    is kinda weak sauce (funding a working party, how exciting) and also ancient and it would be great have something announced that speaks to what people are feeling right now.

    • weka 41.1
      29 May 2015 at 9:08 pm

      Yes.

      • Craig H 41.1.1
        29 May 2015 at 9:42 pm

        1. The LP are gun-shy of announcing policy early.
        2. The LP are gun-shy of announcing specific policy.
        3. The LP’s policy is proposed democratically, so it will be months before it’s reviewed and decided on.

        • Colonial Rawshark 41.1.1.1
          29 May 2015 at 10:14 pm

          The LP are fighting exactly as the old rank and file Red Coats used to do. The first rank fires, kneels and reloads as the second rank fires, kneels and reloads.

          Which is all well and good for the 19th Century.

          • rhinocrates 41.1.1.1.1
            29 May 2015 at 10:52 pm

            Labour’s grasp of new media reminds me of an anecdote I heard about an employer who was concerned about his employees surfing the internet on company time and so asked one to print it out and store it in binders so it need only be downloaded once and could be referred to outside of working hours.

            The Internet, I mean. All of it. Print it. Keep it in binders.

        • Stephen 41.1.1.2
          30 May 2015 at 1:27 pm

          If I understand correctly, part of the point of the policy platform is that caucus CAN announce policy or create on the hoof, if it’s consistent with the platform.

  42. Colonial Rawshark 42
    29 May 2015 at 10:17 pm

    The sorry state of Left Wing Infrastructure in this country is the Left can’t even offer a professional (i.e. paid) network radio spot or newspaper opinion column to Campbell to take over.

    • maui 42.1
      29 May 2015 at 11:45 pm

      What is the Left’s media infrastructure? Three core blog websites (Standard, DailyBlog, PublicAddress) and an array of personal blogs branching out from that. Anything else…

  43. Tory 43
    29 May 2015 at 10:20 pm

    If the socialists feel so aggrieved then start your own TV channel rather than expect a private business to deliver your own ideals. Perhaps the unions could fund this as they seem to enjoy collecting $’s for their own gain.

    • Colonial Rawshark 43.1
      29 May 2015 at 10:28 pm

      Corporate control of our society needs to be diminished. If corporate broadcasters cannot be trusted to use public airwaves in a responsible fashion, it should be reallocated to others who can.

    • Stuart Munro 43.2
      29 May 2015 at 11:02 pm

      Nah mate. Better we renationalise one of the stolen public ones. Let the corp rats build something the hard way for a change.

  44. Colonial Rawshark 44
    29 May 2015 at 10:34 pm

    I challenge the political Left to raise $2.5M (the grand sum equivalent of 3 average Auckland houses) for use in launching, reinforcing and underwriting the next generation of Left wing news media enterprises in NZ.

    • Sacha 44.1
      29 May 2015 at 10:38 pm

      thank you very much for your kind donations, thank you very much, thank you very very much much …

    • Liam 44.2
      29 May 2015 at 11:11 pm

      Make it $2M and you could [probably] crowd fund it.

      An average of $40 from just 50,000 Campbell Live fans would do it.

      What’s stopping people?

  45. Clemgeopin 45
    29 May 2015 at 10:54 pm

    The management of Media works/TV3 are stupid RW arse holes because, at least in the last two months, after the Campbell Live review news became public, its ratings soared so much that it became one of the most rated, and often the MOST rated TV3 show, even beating 6 pm TV3news!

    That being the case, if the TV3 management were not arse holes, they would have not cancelled this show now when it is in its high ratings peak, but instead would have logically waited at least for the next few months to see if the ratings fell or not.

    So it appears that the reason to sack the show was pre-meditated and for reasons other than ratings excuse. Why else would they have closed it down NOW?

  46. Red delusion 46
    29 May 2015 at 11:06 pm

    John Campbell on a personal level I liked, his show not so much, I also think calling it impartial in depth journalism is a bit of stretch,. I do understand if your a leftie you would be disappointed as show had a left wing bias and promoted left wing views but here is the rub it is not media works responsibility to promote your interests. It’s goal is to act in a way to ensure its own interests and to grow value for its shareholder by delivering a product people want and yes secondary in a socially responsible way. Obviously John Campbell show was not seen to be contributing to this strategy irrespective of short term watching a train wreck ratings over the last couple of months. Will strategy be successful or is right or wrong is irrelevant, all that counts is that media works has the sovereignty to make its own decision within the law and the left to boycott the channel if it sees fit Media work obviously sees little risk from the former and likewise If the left want to create a media network beyond state funded national radio promoting the lefT either collectively go buy or start your own network to which based on opinion here demand would suggest such a strategy would be highly profitable, similarly you can also change the government to one that favours subsidising a Leftwing PBS. As none of this likely I suggest what you wish for is not really in demand by the great majority of kiwis of what ever political persuasion in regard to soliciting required capital or to change the government. I guess this just leaves impotent rage and bleating

  47. Brendan 47
    29 May 2015 at 11:19 pm

    A somewhat verified source has told me the Julie Christie’s strategy for TV3 is to put in a rubbish journalism show on at 7 pm for a 6 month contract, let it fail, then when the dust from Campbell’s demise settles replace it with some vacuous reality TV show. This sounds like a legitimate stategy for Christie et al. Reap profits; dumb down critical thinking. We are doomed.

    • Ffloyd 47.1
      30 May 2015 at 8:58 am

      I think that the 7pm slot will end up with the forgettable pauly henry so that key can come on nightly and have a lovely snuggly little giggle time with said pauly, so that everyone will be forcefed a steady diet of *I’m just an ordinary casual kiwi,loveable,kind empathetic etc.*…… Labour bad! You know!……., propaganda!
      Fortunately we have managed to drop tv3 off our tv so won’t ever have to worry about accidentally turning over to 3. Kim Hill good this morning.

  48. Clemgeopin 48
    29 May 2015 at 11:30 pm

    Bill Ralston @BillyRalston

    For @JohnJCampbell an old HST quote: TV is a cruel and shallow money trench where pimps & thieves run free & good men die like dogs.

    • North 48.1
      30 May 2015 at 4:23 am

      Ummmh…….some details please on the Ralstons’ alleged engagement with the National Party in relation to the medium of television. If true…….oh the irony !

      • freedom 48.1.1
        30 May 2015 at 10:18 am

        North, you are aware that Ralston runs a media training company?

        The National Party use his services regularly, he even trained John Key.

  49. Reddelusion 49
    29 May 2015 at 11:32 pm

    Truth hurts wepus beard,

    You must be a fwit

    • ropata 49.1
      30 May 2015 at 6:45 am

      Drunk commenting rude diversion? Learn to use punctuation, spelling, and the “reply” button.

      NZ used to have this concept called “public service broadcasting” before a pack of right wing wankers carved it up and sold it to themselves.

      Theft of public property is a crime.

  50. Scott Chris 50
    29 May 2015 at 11:44 pm

    Your heart is in the right place mainly. Good luck.

  51. Seti 51
    29 May 2015 at 11:46 pm

    We have half of our advertising in peak time and I instructed our media broker to avoid CL simply because I can’t stand the guy and his advocacy. The Cost per TARP may now be economical so we will review our advertising with TV3 and the time slot. They made the right decision.

    • the pigman 51.1
      30 May 2015 at 12:05 am

      Now this is attention-seeking RW-tr***ling at its finest.

      “Look here you standardistas, I’m the big shot that gets to make all these decisions! I use meaningless acronyms like TARP because I am a VIP and, of course, much, much better paid than you lot. Did I mention that I’m a pretty big deal?”

      Fuck off.

      • Seti 51.1.1
        30 May 2015 at 12:54 am

        “…at its finest”?

        Gee…thanks…wanker. Although I’m just stating a position, not trying to create a target.

        • ropata 51.1.1.1
          30 May 2015 at 7:11 am

          So TV3 killed CL because you “can’t stand the guy and his advocacy”.

          In other words you are an entitled scumbag who doesn’t like being criticised.
          Are you a clone of “Sir” Bob Jones or something?

          • the pigman 51.1.1.1.1
            30 May 2015 at 9:36 pm

            Right on. This particular tr*ll is essprayshunl to be an old entitled fuck like Bob, but will always be a sad wannabe. I’m sure his PE (that’s private equity for his TARP-monitoring mind) plutocratic paymasters at O’Tree et al. That just picked up media works recognise him as the economic unit/exploited resource POS he is.

            • ropata 51.1.1.1.1.1
              1 June 2015 at 10:07 pm

              Ironic that “seti” would use a term like “TARP” after Mediaworks got a nice free loan from the Government, thanks to Steven Joyce.

    • lprent 51.2
      30 May 2015 at 12:11 am

      Please advise us of your extensive client lists. We wish to avoid them.

      Actually, just avoiding the whole Mediaworks stable seems preferable.

      But I see that you are still the charmless incontinent dribbler that I used to regularly boot off here for drooling when you were meant to be trolling.

      • Clemgeopin 51.2.1
        30 May 2015 at 12:35 am

        LoL! That is so funny! If his RW bosses read your comment, the poor bastard will get deprived of his minimum trolling wage for the day! Please think of his poor children!

    • Clemgeopin 51.3
      30 May 2015 at 12:31 am

      “we will review’

      We? Is that the arrogant rich RW rogue ‘we’ or the right royal ‘wee wee’ leak in your pants on fire, liar?

  52. John 52
    30 May 2015 at 12:31 am

    Campbell used to be pretty good but his crusades at times became so preachy that he was hard to tell apart from the religious channel.

    As an example he crusaded and fawned so much over Kim Dotcom I thought he was going to propose at any moment.

    And that made him as unwatchable as Hoskings.

    • ropata 52.1
      30 May 2015 at 7:03 am

      Well I never used to follow Campbell because I went off TV years ago. But the last couple of weeks were marvellous, a real Kiwi experience. It’s a shame to lose a programme that represents ordinary people in NZ and the wider Pacific.

      Instead we get “lip sync battles” by US TV personalities. Is that more your thing John?

  53. What's a next. 53
    30 May 2015 at 1:50 am

    Well that’s a rap for freedom of speech then.thanks for the memory John

  54. North 54
    30 May 2015 at 5:17 am

    Interesting……..from this morning’s Jared Savage Herald article linked below – “…….there will be greater editorial oversight by News leadership,” …….

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11457005

  55. ropata 55
    30 May 2015 at 7:36 am

    Duncan Garner’s gracious farewell to CL (linked article is a great review of Campbell’s work and the political blowback):

    Duncan Garner: Farewell to an exhausted John Campbell, a marvellous bugger http://t.co/Sqy9ZhepUJ— Duncan Garner (@Garner_Live) May 29, 2015

  56. Heyegg 56
    30 May 2015 at 8:43 am

    A short dystopian story

    In the year 2024 Gerry Brownlee slowly rises in the east Illuminating the night sky, his slow orbit round the planet serves as a beacon of gratification for mainstream New Zealanders. In the moonlight Jihadi John Banks squats outside his secret hideout in the Waitakere ranges plotting his return to national politics.
    Meanwhile Aucklanders are slowly walking home from work to the popular new housing developments formerly know as the Southern, Northern, and North Western Motorways. In the distance they can here the muted tones escaping Eden Parks raucous corporate boxes, while in the commentary box the country’s word smiths Justin Marshall and Israel Dagg cathartically ejaculate four syllable words as the country’s hero Sir Richie Mccaw touches down his seven thousandth test trie, aided with his bulging bionic limbs, and sporting the dazzling deep blue All Blacks jersey.
    Satisfied Prime Minster Mike Hoskins turns off the telly with a triumphant smirk, salutes the New Zealand Flag (A simple supply and demand curve embossed on blue and white checker with a tasteful AIG in the bottom corner) and utters the word “Marvelous”

    RIP Campbell live

  57. Heartbleeding Liberal 57
    30 May 2015 at 10:28 am

    Count me in as one of those people who really liked the guy and the show but rarely watched it. My reasons are largely that my lifestyle is such that allocating a designated hour to watch a show every day is impracticable. I preferred to get my information second hand (for example someone telling me what happened on the show, or reading an article that references the content).

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