Save Campbell Live!

Written By: - Date published: 5:41 pm, April 9th, 2015 - 285 comments
Categories: broadcasting, Dirty Politics, Media, news, tv - Tags: , ,

It looks like NZ’s last outlet for daily TV investigative journalism is going to be axed. TV3’s owners, Mediaworks, are allegedly focussing all their resources into propping up casual racism’s Paul Henry, who has been given the breakfast slot despite his proven history of failure. So far, Henry seems to think the role primarily entails trying to enhance the NZ National Party’s chances of surviving this term with John Key still as leader. As opposed to Henry sucking up to DunnoKeyo, Campbell has ten years of proving he’s on first name terms with real kiwis. Maybe that’s the problem. Is Campbell Live just too much reality for TV?

Dirty politics may also be a driver for Mediaworks. I’m sure they won’t have forgotten Communication Minister Steven Joyce’s generous decision to loan them $43 million against departmental advice. But, they will certainly say it’s all about ratings. While C Live has lost audience share, it is almost certainly going to get more eyeballs engaged than the purported alternative of Jono and Ben. No, really. That’s what’s being spruiked as a replacement. Two comedians. If you didn’t laugh, you’d cry.

The first of what I suspect may be many outpourings of outrage is here. And here. And here at Change.org.

Update: There are petitions to #savecampbelllive – here and here and here.

285 comments on “Save Campbell Live! ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Barfly 1
    9 April 2015 at 5:46 pm

    Goebbels would approve

    • fisiani 1.1
      10 April 2015 at 8:48 pm

      Godwin award in the first post. That must be a record even for here

    • Heather Grimwood 1.2
      11 April 2015 at 9:31 am

      just seen your very succinct reply Barfly….sadly so many have not the historical memory ( or acquired knowledge if too young to have that!)

  2. repateet 2
    9 April 2015 at 5:53 pm

    Does anyone have addresses of the mongrels at the top so we can mail them directly?

  3. r0b 3
    9 April 2015 at 5:54 pm

    Bollocks to that. #savecampbelllive

  5. red-blooded 5
    9 April 2015 at 6:04 pm

    Paul f-ing Henry over John Campbell??!! I despair…

    This has nothing to do with political alignments; the fact is the Campbell Live is engaging, thought-provoking and often entertaining and/or moving TV. None of those words can be used to describe Paul Henry and only a few of them, a bit of the time, can be ascribed to Jono and Ben.

    There is some reasonable current affairs on Saturday and Sunday mornings, but campbell Live reacts to the stories of the moment, and often helps to create them. We’ve got a lot to thank that show for.

    I’m off to #savecampbelllive.

  6. jackp 6
    9 April 2015 at 6:07 pm

    Key and Steven Joyce are very affective at dumbing down the public. I can remember Channel 7 was replaced with that symbol of Maori culture called Gold Coast.. has to be an all time waste of taxpayer’s money. At least Campbell would ask somewhat hard questions. Now there will be nothing to hold this government accountable. Facism at its best. Key is duplicating what happened in the United States. Yanks have to be the best entertained people in the world yet they know very little what is happening in the world nor what their country is really up to.

  7. ankerawshark 7
    9 April 2015 at 6:09 pm

    I think we need an on-line petition.

    Anyone know how to do this?

    [Petition address now included in the post -TRP]

  8. ankerawshark 8
    9 April 2015 at 6:27 pm

    Many thanks TRP and Kiwiri – Raided of the Last Shark.

    Have signed. Will pass on.

  9. Ffloyd 9
    9 April 2015 at 6:46 pm

    No wonder key has gone to ground. You can bet he’s got his grubby little mitts all over this.

  10. mickysavage 10
    9 April 2015 at 7:08 pm

    It is a sign of Mediawork’s commitment to democracy and investigative journalism that they would replace Campbell with Bill and Ben.

  11. Maui 11
    9 April 2015 at 7:12 pm

    The corporates will now have total control of the message: https://www.facebook.com/savecampbelllive

  12. Tracey 12
    9 April 2015 at 7:13 pm

    SHIT.

    SHIt. SHIT. SHIT!

    Oh and TRP, Henry is also sexist.

    • felix 12.1
      9 April 2015 at 7:20 pm

      At Mediaworks that’s called “multi-talented.”

      • tracey 12.1.1
        9 April 2015 at 7:41 pm

        It’s kinda funny that the kind of behaviour that got two young judges sacked was used to promote Henry’s show? It’s like rugby, at the top bad behaviour is lauded and a slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket, but in schoolboy rugby same stuff gets season ban

  13. Facetious 13
    9 April 2015 at 7:19 pm

    The result of supply and demand, I am afraid. Some goods are wanted, others are not. The same applies to television.

    • halfcrown 13.1
      9 April 2015 at 9:21 pm

      “The result of supply and demand, I am afraid. Some goods are wanted, others are not. The same applies to television.”

      Nothing to do with “supply and demand pal, it is all to do with the right getting pissed off because Campbell showed up these fucking arseoles who govern this country for what they are.

      Do you honestly expect us to believe that a good news programme was replaced by that fucking raciest pig called Henry because of supply and demand? It wasn’t, Henry was brought back to sing the fucking right wing bullshit tune to the great unwashed dumbed down masses out there.This is the reason Campbell must go he’s rocking too many cosy right wing fucking boats.

      • Anne 13.1.1
        9 April 2015 at 9:54 pm

        Got it in a nutshell. Thanks halfcrown!!!

      • the pigman 13.1.2
        10 April 2015 at 2:00 am

        Let’s not make out that Campbell is some darling of the Left (even if he is). Remember the rattling he gave Helen Clark over “Corngate” (HC describing him as a “little creep” and storming out of the interview).

        Campbell is just a real investigative journalist. And NZ doesn’t have many left.

        And it’s not just righties that like Paul Henry, even though he himself is an arch-righty. The weakminded respect him because he says ignorant bullshit with the confidence and purpose that they solely lack, with lashings of sarcasm (OOOOOOOH!) and they think he really is a very clever man.

        (Even though he’s a pig-headed ignoramus, as you say.)

        • Tracey 13.1.2.1
          10 April 2015 at 7:40 am

          hear hear !

        • Wynston 13.1.2.2
          10 April 2015 at 7:52 am

          “pig-headed ignoramus”?
          Don’t you mean ‘IGNORANUS’ (ie both ignorant and an arsehole?)

          • halfcrown 13.1.2.2.1
            10 April 2015 at 8:44 am

            “pig-headed ignoramus”?
            Don’t you mean ‘IGNORANUS’ (ie both ignorant and an arsehole?)

            Ha HA I like it. Will have to remember that for future quoting.

      • Gosman 13.1.3
        10 April 2015 at 7:47 am

        Campbell live used to get around 400000 views. What does it get now and can you explain the difference?

        • You_Fool 13.1.3.1
          10 April 2015 at 8:02 am

          I don’t know the numbers – but do you also know what the overall numbers watching TV are now and what they were 5, 10, 15 years ago? Esp. as a percentage of the population. I have no evidence or data to back it up; but knowing my own and my family and friends habits I would suspect that overall TV is down as people start to change habits to online delivery of information and entertainment.

        • Cancerman 13.1.3.2
          10 April 2015 at 12:17 pm

          It has only been getting approx 140,000 viewers I think it has been reported. Extremely easy way to save Campbell is too watch it.

          • Colonial Rawshark 13.1.3.2.1
            11 April 2015 at 9:04 am

            Or just force the bastards in management to invest in refreshing and promoting the show.

    • Raf 13.2
      9 April 2015 at 11:44 pm

      Absolutely right, Facetious – supply and demand rules. In fact if they were being remotely responsible they would programme nothing but porn. That’s the way to get the best ratings, after all.

      • Hayden 13.2.1
        10 April 2015 at 8:55 am

        A US study showed that the average pay-per-view (hotels, I assume) porn movie was watched for 12 minutes before being turned off. I suppose TV3 could jam two ad breaks in there though, so it mightn’t be too bad an idea.

  14. Rodel 14
    9 April 2015 at 7:55 pm

    Please could Campbell replace Hoskings on TV1?

  15. Skinny 15
    9 April 2015 at 8:02 pm

    The seed of corruption was planted long ago. Corporate welfare courtesy of us taxpayers by bailing out Media Works. Who pays the piper calls the tune comes mind. It’s little wonder many a member of ACT are so anti National after all it is against their principals taxpayer’s funding such blatant handouts.

    Take the positive and let’s hammer another nail in National’s coffin. We are on a roll!

  16. Rosie 16
    9 April 2015 at 8:16 pm

    Received my Action Stations petition via email and signed.

    You’re right TRP. Campbell Live is the last remaining outlet for daily investigative journalism.
    JC and the team have done so so much over the years to highlight very serious political and social issues that no other msm news media would bat an eye at. Too real people focused for them to care.

    Will be writing to Mediaworks tomorrow to give them a blast. How dare they touch our Campbell Live!

  17. Scintilla 17
    9 April 2015 at 8:29 pm

    Agreed Rosie, our only citizen advocates on broadcast TV currently. Is that why they’ve got the chop? Big, Bad News coming down the pipes the Powers That Be don’t want analysed and certainly don’t want the masses to get all het up about?

  18. philj 18
    9 April 2015 at 8:46 pm

    It’s very sad but predictable. Just when you thought our TV couldn’t get worse! I’m happy that I don’t watch NZ TV any more. Welcome to dumb on a smart TV! hahaha

    • Melb 18.1
      10 April 2015 at 9:26 am

      >Sad about Campbell Live being axed due to low ratings

      >”I don’t watch NZ TV” – contributes to the declining viewership of the show.

  19. Jim 19
    9 April 2015 at 8:47 pm

    The best letters to send are to the current advertisers, supporting them for their current support of Campbell Live, and reiterating that thinking people are a better spending demographic.

    • Anne 19.1
      9 April 2015 at 9:06 pm

      How does one find out who the advertisers are Jim? I’m sure they vary from night to night.

    • felix 19.2
      10 April 2015 at 5:11 am

      “…thinking people are a better spending demographic.”

      Probably debatable 😀

  20. Dan1 20
    9 April 2015 at 8:55 pm

    I have my doubts that Mediaworks will bend. The Steven Joyces and Paul Henrys of the world look after their type of people rather than looking to the interests of wider NZ.

    I wonder if it would be better to move the John Campbell show holus bollus to Maori TV. Campbell’s former TV mate Carol Hirschfeld made a very successful move to Maori TV, and although I understand Carol is now with radio, the precedent has been established.

    I don’t watch a lot of Maori TV, but if you want anything with NZ content, they produce the goods: Wahine anniversary, ANZAC stories, etc.

    I am sure a lot of Kiwis will rejig their automatic tuning from TV3 to Maori TV if it could be done.

  21. Saarbo 21
    9 April 2015 at 8:56 pm

    Unbelievable!!! May as well get rid of the fucken TV is that happens. This is a function of useless wine guzzling baby boomers needing something mindless to watch to stimulate their pickled brains.

    What ever happened to the other Ben? He seems to have just disappeared off the face of the earth?

    • Weepus beard 21.1
      9 April 2015 at 9:04 pm

      You don’t want to know.

      • idlegus 21.1.1
        9 April 2015 at 9:44 pm

        yes, nothing to joke about there, only comparable to a certain ex [r0b: deleted] (including the name suppression to protect the innocent).

      • the pigman 21.1.2
        10 April 2015 at 2:04 am

        Wasn’t his name “Bill”? (Well his real name is “Jamie Linehan”)

        Google and look for some sites run by angry white men and you’ll probably find out pretty quickly.

      • the pigman 21.1.3
        10 April 2015 at 2:04 am

        Wasn’t his name “Bill”? (Well his real name is “Jamie Linehan”)

        Google and look for some sites run by angry white men and you’ll probably find out pretty quickly.

  22. Regan Cunliffe 22
    9 April 2015 at 8:57 pm

    The sad reality is that on the week that Campbell Live celebrated its 10th anniversary, it suffered some of the worst ratings the show has ever had: http://www.throng.co.nz/2015/03/ratings-campbell-live-slumps-to-near-record-series-low/

    The only way for Campbell Live to be saved is for people to watch.

    • Anne 22.1
      9 April 2015 at 9:45 pm

      See my last paragraph at 23.1.1
      Also the final week of the cricket? A serious current affairs programme is going to suffer the most…

    • fisiani 22.2
      9 April 2015 at 10:28 pm

      Ratings rule commercial TV and Campbell Live no longer attracts the viewers and thus the commercial buyers pay less. This has nothing to do with politics. Watch it and it will stay

    • Melb 22.3
      10 April 2015 at 9:33 am

      But….but…the real reason is that JOHN KEY wanted the series axed! Those Mediaworks CRONIES of National will do whatever is asked of them.

      That Campbell Live has poor ratings performance from a flagship show in such a prime time slot has nothing to do the decision to review it. No facts, only feels.

  23. Bill 23
    9 April 2015 at 8:57 pm

    Is there a petition for ‘Kill TV Dead’?

    I mean, seriously!

    What has it come to when the potential axing of a likable teddy bear, running an essentially light weight current affairs programme, gets every ones back up?

    A sad pass to have arrived at.

    • weka 23.1
      9 April 2015 at 9:11 pm

      Kiwi institution. Campbell is far more than a likable teddy bear (that’s just what he’s allowed to do on TV3). A lot of respect out there for him and the team and what they’ve managed to do despite the sad state of affairs.

      • Anne 23.1.1
        9 April 2015 at 9:29 pm

        Agree weka. C.L. is up against a bunch of right- wing wankers and can only go so far. I noted recently there has been a distinct lack of political content for some time. It puzzled me because I expected at least one in-depth programme during the Northland byelection and as far as I know there was nothing. I can see why now. The C.L. team was being stymied and intimidated by Steven Joyce’s MediaWorks henchmen and henchwoman.

        And now they’re determined to get rid of it altogether.

        I suspect the slide in ratings is nothing but a straw man. It would happen every year during the hot summer months, then rise again as soon as the cooler weather comes in and daylight saving finishes.

        • weka 23.1.1.1
          9 April 2015 at 9:46 pm

          I don’t know if it’s just that I don’t pay much attention to the whole TV production culture thing, but there’s something odd about the announcement and how it’s been done eg telling the media about Jono and Ben, but not telling Jono and Ben. Incompetence, or is there something going on that’s not apparent yet?

        • Regan Cunliffe 23.1.1.2
          10 April 2015 at 11:09 am

          You are wrong. The decline in ratings over the last two years is 32%! If we remove those two single low rating days from the data, the decline goes from 32% to 30.7%.

          There is no conspiracy. People just aren’t watching. I don’t believe it has anything to do with Campbell’s show per se as I believe there is nothing wrong with it. His advocacy journalism is important. The problem is that viewers aren’t tuning in for it.

          It is a commercial decision. Two years ago, Campbell was going toe to toe with Seven Sharp and winning regularly. Now the audience is less than half, and falling.

          If viewers return, it makes it a far more difficult for Weldon and Christie to pull the plug on it. Right now, it’s not advocates that John Campbell needs, but viewers. If everyone that truly advocates for him tuned in, I believe we’d see a return the success of 2013. Personally, I think viewing habits have changed and while stories about Christchurch and poverty are important, there is only so much campaigning viewers will sit through after spending an hour in traffic.

          It’s not about the quality of the show, or its content. It’s about the fact that viewers aren’t tuning in.

          • Anne 23.1.1.2.1
            10 April 2015 at 11:53 am

            No, I’m not wrong. And for that matter neither are you. Yes, it is a ratings war and C.L. was losing. I even agree there is only so much viewers will sit through when it comes to Christchurch and poverty issues.

            But it does not alter the fact that the newly installed team of Weldon and Christie do not like C.L. or John Campbell. They are both close associates of Steven Joyce and – as such – will be dancing to his tune. This government does not like the scrutiny Campbell has given them over recent years and they will be very happy at his demise.

            I have noticed there has been next to no political content in the show for some time now. I’m sure that is because they knew what was going on behind the scenes, and were effectively forced to narrow their focus on basically non-political subjects, which may even have helped to further worsen their ratings. Joyce is a Machiavellian bastard who is more than capable of manipulating a situation behind the scenes for a certain out-come.

          • Paul 23.1.1.2.2
            10 April 2015 at 12:06 pm

            Do you have a political agenda, Regan?
            Does throng receive any income from political parties or lobby groups?
            I note in your profile on throng you seem to love Reality TV yet have no interest in news media.

            • Regan Cunliffe 23.1.1.2.2.1
              10 April 2015 at 5:12 pm

              There is no political agenda and certainly no payment for comment from any lobby groups. I write about television and ratings and try to remain as neutral as I can. There is plenty of evidence of that if you want to look.

              We’ve written extensively about the news media over the years and conducted a 12 month long analysis of the two 6pm news bulletins.

              • Paul …
                10 April 2015 at 5:30 pm

                No political agenda is an agenda.

              • the pigman …
                10 April 2015 at 5:49 pm

                I guess you are right, Regan, when National MP Todd Barclay tweets (verbatim): “No surprises that it’s only Labour Party MPs scrambling to keep Campbell Live running… #goodjobmikehosking”, it definitely isn’t political, nosiree.

                • Regan Cunliffe …
                  10 April 2015 at 7:18 pm

                  I am not Todd Barclay.

                  • the pigman …
                    10 April 2015 at 7:36 pm

                    No, nor am I suggesting you are. I am saying you cannot claim “there is no political agenda” when politicians are using the issue for their… well… agenda.

                    Given that you are the man of the hour for “expert media comment” on this issue I think it’s disingenuous to dismiss comment regarding the political angle as “conspiracy theories”.

                    Don’t you?

                    • felix …
                      10 April 2015 at 7:42 pm

                      Crossed wires I think.

                      Regan is saying there is no political agenda to “throng”.

                    • the pigman …
                      10 April 2015 at 10:56 pm

                      Well not really. Regan is quoted widely today describing people blaming politics for the decision as “conspiracy theories”. I’m suggesting that comments like those of Todd Barclay take them out of that realm.

          • Karen 23.1.1.2.3
            10 April 2015 at 12:28 pm

            The only viewers that get counted are those that live in the 440 households with set top boxes that collect the data for Nielson’s ratings service.

      • Bill 23.1.2
        9 April 2015 at 9:45 pm

        You miss my point Weka.

        • weka 23.1.2.1
          9 April 2015 at 9:48 pm

          I’m not sure that I do, I think I was responding to how you framed it.

          • Bill 23.1.2.1.1
            9 April 2015 at 9:53 pm

            No. You merely padded out what I wrote but omitted/buried the salient point I was making. Ne’er mind.

            • weka 23.1.2.1.1.1
              9 April 2015 at 9:59 pm

              You can always clarify. How am I going to know what I missed if I missed it?

              • Bill …
                9 April 2015 at 10:08 pm

                ffs! In a broadcasting environment where genuine investigative journalism was some kind of a norm, Campbell Live’s loss might have been kind of noted in its passing. Nothing more.

                That it’s held up as some kind of beacon, is indicative of a particularly sad state of affairs vis-a-vis TV based journalism.

                As an aside, I noticed nothing like this kind of reaction to the monkey-wrenching of the far more in-depth and challenging Native Affairs.

                just saying

                • weka …
                  9 April 2015 at 10:18 pm

                  Thanks, that’s what I took your original comment to mean.

                • adam …
                  9 April 2015 at 10:21 pm

                  Thanks Bill – I was getting sick of the reaction to Campbell live – when one could almost hear – the deafening silence, around Native Affairs.

                • Anne …
                  9 April 2015 at 10:28 pm

                  You’re right Bill but it is about all we have left. Q+A is a joke although it is better under Simon Dallow’s stewardship. The Nation has occasional good interviews but overall is a dead loss.

                  I remember the interviewing and reportage of David Exel, Ian Johnston, Ian Fraser and even Brian Edwards. They ran rings around the current lot. What’s more they had free rein to ask whatever questions they liked. The pollies of the day knew they were up against it and they came well prepared. The only bully boy was Muldoon but even he knew he could go only so far..

                  • Skinny …
                    10 April 2015 at 4:35 am

                    I think they brain wash the young ‘its all about the ratings game’ at media school these days.

                    Fortunately technology is coming to our rescue day by day. Online streaming makes old school TV less and less relevant. The likes of Netflix service have been available for sometime if you hook up from the States and now they offer a local service.

                    Recently Sel Manning has offered live video feeds off his Evening Post site. At some stage a blog site like this one will trump the big players and dominant the News space for a while….till they sellout probably lol.

                  • Tracey …
                    10 April 2015 at 7:56 am

                    Genuine state tv then Anne. No profit motive

                • Ergo Robertina …
                  9 April 2015 at 10:39 pm

                  Campbell has raised the profile of issues like zero hour contracts and school lunches/child poverty; your sneering is rather churlish and misplaced.
                  Everybody gets that it’s in the context of a degraded environment of current affairs.
                  Also some good stories/series on Chch earthquake aftermath, GCSB bill, Dotcom raids/US influence, Novapay, Solid Energy collapse, decent consumer stories (e.g investigating high price of milk in supermarkets).

                  • Bill …
                    9 April 2015 at 11:11 pm

                    Ergo, I’m being neither churlish about nor sneering at John Campbell and the programme he fronts. Read what I wrote please.

                    • the pigman …
                      10 April 2015 at 5:51 pm

                      “What has it come to when the potential axing of a likable teddy bear, running an essentially light weight current affairs programme, gets every ones back up?

                      A sad pass to have arrived at.

                      Bill, you don’t think this might have come across as, just vaguely sneering?

                • Olwyn …
                  9 April 2015 at 10:47 pm

                  There wasn’t such a broad reaction to the loss of Channel 7 either. At that time Key and his cronies still firmly held the upper hand. Now they are fighting to retain it, and people are more confident in opposing them. Also, the loss of Campbell Live may well be the last straw. The fact that it is not, for the most part, all that hard-hitting, tells you just how little tolerance the right have for the faintest hint of dissent. This ought to frighten people more than it does.

                  • Ergo Robertina …
                    9 April 2015 at 11:03 pm

                    Really? I remember a big response to TVNZ 7’s demise.
                    It never had the profile of Campbell but that’s because TVNZ are weirdos and tried to hide its existence.

                    • Olwyn …
                      10 April 2015 at 7:42 am

                      I agree that there was a big response to TV7 from those who knew and cared, but I used the word “broad” – it was not so widespread.

                    • Ergo Robertina …
                      10 April 2015 at 7:13 pm

                      ”I agree that there was a big response to TV7 from those who knew and cared, but I used the word “broad” – it was not so widespread.”

                      Well, maybe, given many people expressing an opinion about Campbell were only vaguely aware, if at all, of TVNZ 7, because it wasn’t marketed (such as cross promotion from TV1).
                      However, the TVNZ 7 issue sparked a nationwide series of public meetings and the first conversation about public broadcasting in many years. The reaction appeared to influence Labour’s broadcasting policy.

                • Tracey …
                  10 April 2015 at 7:53 am

                  dude…. calm down. i recall hershfields “leaving” both tv3 and mtv generated alot of comment.

                  I didnt get your point Bill. I tried but needed the clarification.

    • Tracey 23.2
      10 April 2015 at 7:51 am

      because the media are the conduit to voters. the daily “news” is now dominated by one perspective. Campbell also holds the left to task, which is why i support a petition to keep him

      This remains an argument for state tv with genuinely no govt interference.

      Perhaps a petition to get rid of henry and hosking would meet with your approval. tv3 set the bar at 70,000 petitioners and two rude judges… maybe show up their hypocrisy by matching the numbers. henry will take care of the rudeness.

    • dave 23.3
      11 April 2015 at 5:47 am

      kill TV its called the off button we all like Campbell but but hoskins and henry no thanks

  24. Paul 24
    9 April 2015 at 9:04 pm

    Update in the Herald’s reporting.
    3 sections appear to be new.

    ‘Replacing veteran journalist John Campbell with an entertainment programme would be “ludicrous” and a huge loss to the country, a media commentator says.
    Former broadcaster Bill Ralston is among those who have criticised TV3 bosses following news today that current affairs show Campbell Live is under review.’

    ‘It is understood senior management again held a meeting tonight.’

    ‘The news comes as MediaWorks’ own research commissioned from an external company showed Campbell is the nation’s most preferred current affairs broadcaster, receiving approval ratings twice that of Mike Hosking and Paul Henry.’

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11430250

  25. weka 25
    9 April 2015 at 9:07 pm

    Another petition, this one aimed at the advertisers,

    SAVE CAMPBELL LIVE

    TO: FONTERRA, SPARK, KIWIBANK, MAZDA NZ, 2 DEGREES MOBILE, TSB BANK, WHITTAKER CHOCOLATE & OR.

    Campaign created by Alastair Thompson

    Commit to directing advertising support to support maintaining the best public interest current affairs team broadcasting in prime time on TV3. Namely Campbell Live at 7 pm.

    Why is this important?

    NZ needs Campbell Live. We have come to rely on it standing up for Kiwis against injustice, unfairness and incompetence from both private and Government organisations.

    https://www.toko.org.nz/petitions/save-campbell-live?bucket=&source=twitter-share-button

  26. Clemgeopin 26
    9 April 2015 at 9:26 pm

    Here is MY personal commitment. If TV3 axes Campbell live, I will STOP watching ANY programme on TV3 for the rest of this year at least.

    • Maui 26.1
      9 April 2015 at 9:34 pm

      You mean you’ll have to stop watching the Block, the Batchelor and Police 10/7. Oh my god! I’m not sure if you’ll be able to stick that.

  27. Old Mickey 27
    9 April 2015 at 9:40 pm

    Campbell Live gave up journalism long ago, and became an advocacy/issue based dog whistler…TV3 clearly is not interested in journalism, rather entertainment. The idea of petitions had some merit, but as soon as Kim Dotcom tweeted his support, I bet Campbells heart sank…the kiss of death from the fat German. Bill & Ben or Jono and Ben will not improve the ratings, they would do better with re-runs of MASH, TAXI or happy days,

    • Skinny 27.1
      9 April 2015 at 10:02 pm

      Or they could fill the 30 minute time slot with new flag designs scrolling across the screen with a 50 cent vote poll for each nights favorite design. The nights wining design going on to the weekly final and the weekly final winner going on to the monthly final, leading on to the monthly finalist going on to the annual winner.

      What a winner that would be.

    • the pigman 27.2
      10 April 2015 at 5:53 pm

      Bill & Ben or Jono and Ben will not improve the ratings, they would do better with re-runs of MASH, TAXI or happy days

      Argh, it’s my childhood all over again.

      Look, The Brady Bunch and I dream of Jeannie, and you’ve got yourself a deal.

    • North 27.3
      10 April 2015 at 11:39 pm

      What a dorkish wrap up there Old Mickey. Interests me that in your first two lines you freudianly hold ‘advocacy/issue based’ and ‘journalism’ in the one hand, and ‘entertainment’ in the other. Then you run off into hating on someone who’s German.

      Your mind’s a MASH man, grab a TAXI to the nearest sanitorium.

  28. whateva next? 28
    9 April 2015 at 11:41 pm

    Perhaps Key is worried Campbell would make a far better PM than him.

  29. Whateva next? 29
    10 April 2015 at 12:42 am

    Joyce’s revenge for Northland?

  30. Dan1 30
    10 April 2015 at 7:16 am

    Joyce misjudged Northland badly. Let’s hope he has done it again!

  31. Gosman 31
    10 April 2015 at 7:17 am

    Here’s a radical idea to help save the show. Start watching it.

    Anyone care to explain the collapse of viewership of the show if it is so good?

    • felix 31.1
      10 April 2015 at 7:31 am

      I think I agree with Gosman.

      • Tinfoil 31.1.1
        10 April 2015 at 7:53 am

        Bugger me too…I think I need to go and lie down!

      • Tracey 31.1.2
        10 April 2015 at 8:01 am

        “… The news comes as MediaWorks’ own research commissioned from an external company showed Campbell is the nation’s most preferred current affairs broadcaster, receiving approval ratings twice that of Mike Hosking and Paul Henry. …

        • felix 31.1.2.1
          10 April 2015 at 8:59 am

          That does seem odd.

          I suppose they have to pay Paul Henry’s salary somehow.

          • Puddleglum 31.1.2.1.1
            10 April 2015 at 5:01 pm

            It might not be that odd.

            It may be wrong to assume that people are mainly watching Hoskings and Henry because they like them and rate them highly as current affairs presenters.

            There are alternative explanations: (1) People watch out of morbid curiosity to see what offensive thing they will say next – watching for train-wreck spectacle rather than out of approval and agreement; (2) people think ‘all tv presenters are as bad as each other’ (like some think of politicians) so they keep watching even though they only tuned in for the 6 o’clock news (in Hosking’s case).

            ‘Viewers’ doesn’t necessarily = ‘likers’

            Not that that matters to advertisers.

            • felix 31.1.2.1.1.1
              10 April 2015 at 7:29 pm

              Yep, and as Holmes demonstrated there are plenty of people who don’t really care who presents the show anyway.

        • Gosman 31.1.2.2
          10 April 2015 at 9:14 am

          Except people aren’t watching him and are instead watching Mike Hoskings in greater numbers at the same time.

          I do have another solution for you lefties though. If you like him and his show so much how about you crowd source funding to keep him on television in primetime.

          • felix 31.1.2.2.1
            10 April 2015 at 9:18 am

            I can imagine your response if we did. 😉

            • Gosman 31.1.2.2.1.1
              10 April 2015 at 9:57 am

              I’d actually be mightily impressed to be honest. I particularly detest Martyn Bradbury (as I am sure he does me). However I do admire his gumption to try and set up alternative media in NZ.

          • felix 31.1.2.2.2
            10 April 2015 at 9:24 am

            ps what makes you think people are watching Hoskings in greater numbers?

            Do you have some figures for that?

            • Gosman 31.1.2.2.2.1
              10 April 2015 at 9:39 am

              It was discussed on the Radio this morning. The guy in charge of the Throng website mentioned that 7 Sharp has increased their ratings and overtook Campbell live sometime last year.

              • You_Fool …
                10 April 2015 at 9:59 am

                looking at that website it appears that TV3 should just shut down; they don’t rank over any TVNZ product so why bother?

                Also looking at the graphs and analysis they have on CL v 7S there appears to be a mis-representation of trends. Both CL & 7S appear to be following similar patterns but 7S is talked up and CL is derided. % change is given, but the actual numbers appear to be similar and the reason CL has a high % is because it (and tv3 as a whole) has a lower viewership to start with – i.e. 1 out of 10 is a bigger % then 1 out of 20 but both are still 1 lost.

              • weka …
                10 April 2015 at 10:05 am

                I thought TV1 had historically always had higher ratings in that slot.

                • Gosman …
                  10 April 2015 at 10:23 am

                  I’m only going what I heard on the Radio. I believe it was mentioned that Campbell Live had slighly higher ratings in that slot around a year ago. It has slipped steadily since then. Hoskings taking over hosting of 7 Sharp arrested the decline and has overtaken Campbell live late last year. I could be wrong though.

                  • weka …
                    10 April 2015 at 10:50 am

                    Go read the other post and thread. It’s more complex than 7 sharps ratings.

                    • Tracey …
                      10 April 2015 at 2:12 pm

                      apparently ratings dont include who watched later online or who recorded it to watch later.

                      people used to throng to watch starved animals tear humans apart so it must have been ok.

                    • weka …
                      10 April 2015 at 3:15 pm

                      thanks Tracey. It looks more and more like a set up.

    • vto 31.2
      10 April 2015 at 8:04 am

      popularity does not mean quality

    • weka 31.3
      10 April 2015 at 8:29 am

      I don’t know, but,

      how many people are getting their content online, and do the figures take that into account?

      CL changed in recent years to become more entertaining. Have serious viewers stopped watching?

      I’m nearly 50 and have never been phoned for a ratings survey. How accurate are they beyond being a blunt instrument?

      Ratings reflect advertiser needs, CL’s relationship is with the audience (paraphrasing Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip)

      • Gosman 31.3.1
        10 April 2015 at 9:16 am

        They don’t seem to be doing the same for 7 Sharp given that the numbers for that show have held up and have in fact increased.

        • weka 31.3.1.1
          10 April 2015 at 10:01 am

          That doesn’t make sense in the context of what I just wrote.

          • Gosman 31.3.1.1.1
            10 April 2015 at 10:26 am

            I was responding to your querrying the numbers watching online. It hasn’t impacted 7 Sharp it seems.

            • weka 31.3.1.1.1.1
              10 April 2015 at 10:49 am

              So? Maybe CL viewers are more likely to be online.

              • Gosman …
                10 April 2015 at 11:17 am

                Do you honestly believe that considering 7 sharp was rebranded specifically to be more Social media and IT focused?

                • felix …
                  10 April 2015 at 1:00 pm

                  I don’t see how that’s relevant. It’s not like “online” is a demographic.

                  It’s not 1998.

                • weka …
                  10 April 2015 at 3:16 pm

                  I have no idea Gosman, which is why I’m asking the questions. But I suspect you have no idea either. eg how successful is 7 sharp with its social media plan?

                • McFlock …
                  10 April 2015 at 3:45 pm

                  That’s actually a vaguely interesting point: paul henry’s latest failure-to-be is obviously an attempt to leverage off mediaworks’ ownership of radio as well as TV, with social media thrown in for shits and giggles.

                  Seven sharp might be branded towards social media and IT viewers (i.e. not pensioners and idiots who watched holmes back in the day), but is it just working off the antiquated ratings system?

                  The challenge for commercial TV is to monetise unconventional viewers, including regular online viewers, mobile viewers and social media events.

                  • felix …
                    10 April 2015 at 6:48 pm

                    I’d also say a big challenge is irregular online viewers, i.e. won’t watch the show but will watch particular stories.

                    • weka …
                      10 April 2015 at 7:14 pm

                      That’s me. Plus I don’t go there via tv3 promos, I go via twitter and ts.

                    • felix …
                      10 April 2015 at 7:26 pm

                      Yep, same. So we’re not particularly well targeted by thinking in terms of “shows” and “channels”.

    • Skinny 31.4
      10 April 2015 at 8:46 am

      Currently the show is a one night in five of topical interest to me. There lies the problem, decent content. Which is governed by the desires of the producers. If they concentrated on hard hitting current affairs instead of some of the fluffy they force upon us viewership probably would increase.

      • The Chairman 31.4.1
        10 April 2015 at 12:24 pm

        Dead right, Skinny.

        Perhaps Campbell should see this as an opportunity to improve the format, utilize the following the show already has and move it online, freeing it from the corporate control.

    • Old Mickey 31.5
      10 April 2015 at 9:26 am

      +100

  32. vto 32
    10 April 2015 at 8:03 am

    Sure, popularity is a measure of quality .. /sarc. Like commodores and cortinas.

    I despair of society…… axing Campbell Live is completely in line with electing John Key, and having opinion pieces from Mike Hosking in the paper rabbiting on about his greedy life, and having reality tv shows squirming out of every orifice..

    axing Campbell Live for comedy is entirely in keeping with the recent direction of our populations thinking and daily lives..

    It is not a good sign.

    It is like when the Fed Farmers came out after the election and said “nyah nyah nyah, we voted in John Key and so proved Snowden and Dotcom wrong nyah nyah nyah”

    That is the level of it.

    People are tuning out in favour of light-headedness. It is a sign of an overly prosperous, indulgent and FAT-ARSE society. Lazy and fat.

  33. Puckish Rogue 33
    10 April 2015 at 8:15 am

    I never thought the hysteria (and bat-shit crazy opinions) over the last election result could be topped but once again this site manages to suprise me

    Hes been going 10 years which is a decent amount of time (plenty of time to shut him down one would think) and his viewing figures are going in the wrong direction yet somehow this is all a conspicracy to shut him down!

    If people watch his program the program will continue but if they don’t it won’t…again like the election the people have spoken (or rather changed the channel) and again those wailing and gnashing their teeth on the left fail to comprehend why its happened

    • vto 33.1
      10 April 2015 at 8:24 am

      Not right.

      It is clear why it is happening. The question I think is whether it is a good and healthy thing for society to be dumbing itself down so …..

      clearly society dumbing itself down is good for the National Party though …. witness election of John Key

      this whole situation describes evidence for a whole lot of stuff going on in our streets, homes and shopping malls

      • Puckish Rogue 33.1.1
        10 April 2015 at 8:36 am

        Still blaming everyone and everything else for the failures of the left, are you seriously trying to say that Labour, under Goff, Shearer and Cunliffe deserved to be in power?

        They did not and thats why people voted National, because Labour simply were not up to it. The people of NZ proved their intelligence by rejecting Labour.

        If Campbell wants to save itself from being canned it needs to attract the viewers, the solution is in its own hands much like the Labour party itself

        • vto 33.1.1.1
          10 April 2015 at 8:52 am

          “The people of NZ proved their intelligence by rejecting Labour”

          Completely incorrect and this exact point has been the tenor of my various comments on this.

          Popularity does not equate to anything else such as intelligence or quality. That you think it does simply again reinforces the thinking that right wing types have, per Fed Farmers example already posted….

          thick

          • Puckish Rogue 33.1.1.1.1
            10 April 2015 at 9:33 am

            As Mike Moore said “the voters are always right”

            • vto 33.1.1.1.1.1
              10 April 2015 at 9:40 am

              you still keep conflating different things which have nothing to do with each other.

              What are the voters right about? Popularity? Which is better to watch in te tele, Campbell live or all-you-can-eat tiv? Whether Snowden and Dotcom were telling the truth?

              ha ha ha ha ha ha ha – yeah, the voters are always right. It is what they are right about which is the funny part

              • Gosman …
                10 April 2015 at 9:54 am

                If you want to watch Campbell Live why don’t you and your lefty mates stump up the cash and pay for it?

              • Puckish Rogue …
                10 April 2015 at 9:55 am

                Election night 2014, when in his closing statement John asked “Come on guys, no more Whaleoil”

                No John……no more Campbell Live!

                🙂

            • Gosman 33.1.1.1.1.2
              10 April 2015 at 9:52 am

              The trouble for many on the left is that there is a high degree of intellectual arrogance. Hence why they cannot accept anyone with a fraction of intelligence could be swayed by right wing policies unless they were some sort of evil sociopath. It is a cartoonish and overly simplistic view of life which seems to make them feel better when political parties they support fail to win support. Weirdly for people who claim to stand up for the common folk many are incredibly dismissive of their abilities as humans.

              • felix …
                10 April 2015 at 10:48 am

                That’s twice I’ve agreed with you today. 😀

                Of course your depiction of “the left” is also cartoonish, overly simplistic and intellectually arrogant itself, but there’s a kernel of truth to it.

                The simplistic bit is that you’re only looking at individuals. What’s happened over the last few decades is that the idea of living in a society has been replaced with the idea of looking after yourself. In this environment it’s quite predictable that right-wing policies will tend to resonate with otherwise intelligent people.

                Attitudes that 40 years ago would have been seen as bordering on sociopathic are now pretty standard. Voiced by politicians, reinforced in the media, taught to children from birth.

                It’s just how you get ahead. (Ahead of who?)

                Selfishness. You’re soaking in it.

                • Scintilla …
                  10 April 2015 at 11:25 am

                  Selfishness. You’re soaking in it.

                  Great line, Felix. Agree with all you’ve said there.

                • Gosman …
                  10 April 2015 at 11:26 am

                  That is why I attempt to phrase my views in such a manner where I am not claiming all, or even most, Leftists think this way. I accept there are a huge numbers of moderate left wingers who are far more accepting and understanding of people’s reasons for not agreeing with them. The problem is that view is generally not common on political blogs such as this one.

                • Puddleglum …
                  10 April 2015 at 1:21 pm

                  Hi felix,

                  “In this environment it’s quite predictable that right-wing policies will tend to resonate with otherwise intelligent people.”

                  Couldn’t have said it better myself.

                  It’s important also to remember that a greater and greater proportion of the population have been born since the 1980s reforms. For them – on average – the rhetoric that came along with those reforms will amount to little more than ‘common sense’. And that will be true irrespective of individual intelligence which, at least in its traditional sense, is simply a technical cognitive skill, little more.

                  As a rule, people much prefer assimilating new information into pre-existing understandings than accommodating new information by changing their understandings. When your ‘pre-existing understandings’ were shaped in the post-1980s discursive environment you’ll be reluctant to look critically at your own ‘common sense’ and will be attracted to television, books, etc. that reinforce those views. The same, of course, applies to those raised earlier.

                  I think that the popularity of media ‘celebrities’ like Hoskings and Henry is sad.

                  ‘Sad’ because I think there are good reasons to believe that the attitudes manifest in people like Hoskings and Henry (in their on-screen personas, at any rate) – with which more and more New Zealanders apparently resonate – are not wise when it comes to maintaining a humane and sustainable society.

                  As you said, ‘Selfishness? You’re soaking in it!’ (The memorable Aussie Madge!)

                  Wisdom and intelligence are quite different things. As a broad generalisation (which is still a bit unfair) I think right wing economic and social thought – in its most refined forms – may well be intelligent (and therefore potentially appeal to intelligent people) but remains extraordinarily unwise.

                  The closest it tends to get to ‘wisdom’ is ‘unintended consequences’ – but that’s an impoverished and only partial substitute for wisdom.

                  There’s a reason that compassion dominates many so-called ‘wisdom traditions’ – and that reason is not that it makes you feel ‘warm and fuzzy’ and want to hug trees.

                  • vto …
                    10 April 2015 at 3:40 pm

                    Thanks Puddleglum and felix you described it in ways better than I did.

                    The problem expressed is that of society’s direction (as illustrated by the likes of replacing Campbell Live with lightweight pap) not the lack of intelligence in people. There is no arrogance.

                    In a different set of background factors, as you say puddleglum, the society would be different while the people the same.

                  • fisiani …
                    10 April 2015 at 8:59 pm

                    There are no Right Wing policies in New Zealand. Virtually all NZ political opinion would sit comfortably within the Democrat Party in the USA. Claiming that Hoskings or Henry are Right Wing is ludicrous as they both support the National government plan to extend free health care to children in a few weeks time.

                    • felix …
                      10 April 2015 at 9:11 pm

                      lol very funny fizzy.

                    • Anne …
                      10 April 2015 at 9:13 pm

                      What????? Free health care for children???? What in Gods name is the world coming to.

                      Hang on, that’s what we had when I was growing up. Yeah that’s right. Free visits to the doctor when we were sick. Sometimes the doctor came to our home if we were real sick. Gee, that’s terrible. Only the kids who’ve got rich parents should get health care.

                    • mickysavage …
                      10 April 2015 at 10:25 pm

                      So the democrats are hard core lefty revolutionaries …

        • Reality 33.1.1.2
          10 April 2015 at 5:31 pm

          So I presume you would rather watch circus clowns on each channel at 7pm? Are you 13 years old?

          I really appreciate Campbell Live’s focus on what is happening in the daily lives of real people and have no interest in the self-absorbed arrogant self-satisfied blather spouted by I Love Me Hosking and Henry.

  34. SETI 34
    10 April 2015 at 8:17 am

    The ratecard, or retail cost for each program, is based on achieving a certain TARP (Targeted Audience Rating Point). If TV3 sell Campbell Live with a TARP value of, let’s say 7%, and it falls under that then they have to compensate advertisers with additional free ad slots, or “make-goods”. Continuously having to provide free spots is not commercially viable so something has to give.

    In addition –

    What will be more troubling for Campbell Live is that with the show being replaced by Road Cops on Friday, the average audience when compared to the previous 4 Fridays was up 44%.
    Last week, the NBR claimed that Mediaworks board member and manager Julie Christie had made it known that John Campbell’s days were numbered. Recent ratings should reinforce Christie’s concern for the 7pm time slot.
    Year on year, Campbell Live was down 26% on 2014 and 41% on 2013. Meanwhile, TV One’s Seven Sharp continues to go from strength to strength, up 13% on last year and 24% on 2013.

    • vto 34.1
      10 April 2015 at 8:20 am

      “What will be more troubling for Campbell Live is that with the show being replaced by Road Cops on Friday, the average audience when compared to the previous 4 Fridays was up 44%.”

      This is it folks.

      This is evidence of our populations general thinking and interest

      It is genuinely poor and not at all something to be proud of. Imo.

    • Tracey 34.2
      10 April 2015 at 8:23 am

      ah yes julie christie. she who feeds the people swill so she can live high on the hog. Must be due a dameship from the liar in chief.

      • Karen 34.2.1
        10 April 2015 at 8:38 am

        She has already been given a cushy number picking the flag.

        If you are wanting to find who is behind this look no further than Julie Christie. A more right-wing, mean-spirited, shallow, and greedy person would be hard to find.

  35. burt 35
    10 April 2015 at 8:26 am

    A dumb lefty to thick to notice his preferred ( well probably his parents preferred ) ideology is a complete failure and has failed for this country every time it’s been tried for the last 50+ years.

    It’s hard to imagine the 23% crowd can live without this 1 validation of their failed political ways. I guess that’s why the lovers of other people money want him to stay. Perhaps those that want him could each arrange a $20/week payment of their own money to keep they tv show they want rather than demand everyone else who switches him off pay for it.

    • Paul 35.1
      10 April 2015 at 8:32 am

      Burt, it has not been left ideology that has been stuffing up NZ since 1984.
      It has been free market capitalism aka neoliberalism.
      Please get your facts correct.

      • Karen 35.1.1
        10 April 2015 at 8:42 am

        Wasn’t it Burt who had advance notice of the Donghua Liu beatup about the letter Cunliffe signed?
        “Dirty Politics” in action.

        • dukeofurl 35.1.1.1
          10 April 2015 at 11:42 am

          Failed, like Bill English who has “borrowed more than every previous finance minister combined”

          And who wouldnt have had a chance if Cullen hadnt mostly paid his predecessors borrowings back.

          Of course in the mid 2000, English said we should be borrowing more , when the times were good

    • weka 35.2
      10 April 2015 at 8:37 am

      nearly 26,000 people have signed the petition in half a day.

      • burt 35.2.1
        10 April 2015 at 9:03 am

        $20/week each = $520,000/week – stop expecting other people to pay for the show that you want !

        • vto 35.2.1.1
          10 April 2015 at 9:11 am

          Bullshit artist

          Apply your thinking to

          finance company failures
          irrigation businesses
          mediaworks tardy cashflow and Joyce taxpayer handouts
          casinos
          stadiums
          rio tinto
          the list is endless when it comes to examples of socialist acts of this Nat govt.

          You are a bullshitter

          • burt 35.2.1.1.1
            10 April 2015 at 5:57 pm

            I hope we do apply my thinking to finance companies, casinos, stadiums etc.

            That is – if they can’t stand on their own 2 feet they fail. Not have them propped up with tax payers or other people’s money when the few who want/use them pay nothing. Which is what this ‘save Campbell Live’ seems to be about.

            Can you see how expecting other people to prop up an unpopular ‘current affairs’ show is like bailing out a poorly performing finance company ?

        • BassGuy 35.2.1.2
          10 April 2015 at 10:32 am

          I don’t think you understand how television works. The viewer is not the sponsor, the viewer is the product.

          Just remember, if you’re not paying for a service, then you are the product. GMail/Hotmail/broadcast television/Youtube all feature advertisers whose target is you.

          • Puddleglum 35.2.1.2.1
            10 April 2015 at 1:46 pm

            We’re being delivered to media companies’ clients like home-delivered* pizzas.

            And the cheaper the box we’re delivered in, the better.

            *Edit: changed from ‘takeaway’ pizzas as the clients don’t even have to come and collect us.

          • burt 35.2.1.2.2
            10 April 2015 at 5:50 pm

            I think I understand how the funding of his show works. If he gets good ratings advertisers climb over each other for advertising slots. If he gets shit ratings advertisers don’t want slots in his show. TV3 do their job earning a return for their share holders by running shoes which have good returns ratio after their production and broadcast costs are deducted from advertising revenue.

            Perhaps I’ll rephrase what I’ve said above to make it simple for you.

            If advertisers don’t want to pay sufficient money to advertise in his show to justify its production and screening and apparently 26,000 people want his show kept on air – how are they planning to get it funded ?

            If they are not prepared to fund it themselves ( eg: perhaps pay $20/week themselves ) then who is their petition requesting to fund it and why ?

    • North 35.3
      10 April 2015 at 11:45 pm

      Burt…..you’ve Burped Up. Haven’t seen you for months. Powerful Re-Entry Babe !

  36. weka 36
    10 April 2015 at 8:41 am

    Thinking about this overnight, I’m even more convinced that there is an ulterior motive in this whole issue.

    The whole Paul Henry! compared to CL gnashing of teeth makes me think we are being manipulated. The Jono and Ben thing is just daft. I reckon all this is strategy so that CL will stay but be forced to toe the line (‘stop being so anti-govt’). And thus CL is ‘saved’ by the people.

    Get out now while you can John, and a do a Network/Newsnight rant on the way out the door.

    • Karen 36.1
      10 April 2015 at 8:45 am

      According to the Herald this morning it is to be replaced with a soap made by Eyeworks, Julie Christie’s old company.

      This would need NZOA funding so maybe there needs to be pressure put on them not to fund anything that replaces Campbell Live.

    • Puckish Rogue 36.2
      10 April 2015 at 8:46 am

      He probably should, its not like many people would be watching 🙂

      • weka 36.2.1
        10 April 2015 at 8:53 am

        fuck off trole.

      • felix 36.2.2
        10 April 2015 at 9:02 am

        According to this that’s not the case.

        • Puckish Rogue 36.2.2.1
          10 April 2015 at 9:27 am

          receiving approval ratings twice that of Mike Hosking and Paul Henry

          – ok but what about the viewing figures

          • felix 36.2.2.1.1
            10 April 2015 at 11:56 am

            I haven’t seen any. Have you?

              • Paul …
                10 April 2015 at 1:45 pm

                Old news.
                The rwnjs are cherry picking stats.

                Campbell Live 3rd most watched show on TV3 last week.

                Most watched on TV3

                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)

                Campbell Live amongst best improvers last week.

                Biggest increases (previous week)

                One News: TV ONE 652280 – up from 504960 (6:00pm – 7:00pm)
                Shortland Street: TV2 409150 – up from 291830 (7:00pm – 7:35pm)
                Seven Sharp: TV ONE 437090 – up from 343360 (7:00pm – 7:30pm)
                Campbell Live: TV3 241870 – up from 156470 (7:00pm – 7:30pm)
                Neighbours: TV2 184580 – up from 100970 (6:30pm – 7:00pm)

                http://www.throng.co.nz/2015/04/tv-ratings-9-april-2015/#more-85627

                • McFlock …
                  10 April 2015 at 3:57 pm

                  interesting – according to that site, sevensharp had a third less viewers than the programme that immediately preceded it.

                  Campbell Live was just 5% lower than 3news.

                  3news had 40% of the audience of ONEnews.
                  Campbell Live had 55% of the audience of sevensharp.

                  Why isn’t 3news “under review”?

                  • weka …
                    10 April 2015 at 4:01 pm

                    because it’s kinder to Jonkey and his mates. Plus they have Gower 👿

                  • Paul …
                    10 April 2015 at 4:05 pm

                    Yes, Campbell Live seems to do a pretty good job of retaining the audience it gets from TV3 News, losing just over 10 000 viewers.
                    Seven Sharp by comparison loses over 200 000 viewers.

                    Fire Hosking.

                    • Colonial Rawshark …
                      11 April 2015 at 9:09 am

                      Why isn’t that Cunliffe fella making the same pertinent points about how useless Hosking’s ratings are?

  37. yabby 37
    10 April 2015 at 8:45 am

    Mediaworks are not public TV despite generous program funding and a bail out. If you’re not bringing in viewers in the 7.00pm slot then simple economics demands they change it up. In that time slot on TV1 it took Seven Sharp well over a year to settle on a formula and Mediaworks might need to muck around a bit with theirs. I personally can’t imagine Jono and Ben doing a good job of it, but who am I to say in this Kardashian/Geordie Shores world we inhabit.

    • miravox 37.1
      10 April 2015 at 5:08 pm

      “Mediaworks are not public TV despite generous program funding and a bail out”

      There is that. Campbell Live is on the wrong channel. We should be clamouring for the station charged with public interest broadcasting to pick it up…. oh, wait…

  38. Puckish Rogue 38
    10 April 2015 at 8:49 am

    http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2015/04/face-of-the-day-654/

    Its ok people Kim Dot Con has gone on twitter to drum up support, nothing can go wrong with this 🙂

  39. Sanctuary 39
    10 April 2015 at 8:53 am

    Public broadcasting – by which I mean not just TVNZ but all the free to air broadcasters – are almost at the logical conclusion of the free market experiment.

    TV3 are obliged by the conditions of their license to offer news and current affairs. I’d revoke their licence and give it to Maori TV, along with their frequency.

    The rot is probably to deep to save the state broadcaster. My preference would be to sell TVNZ, but retain it’s frequencies and name, and start again from the ground up with new, properly funded, state owned broadcaster funded by a new “licence fee” – a levy on internet downloads (say, 5c for every GB used added to everyones broadband bill by your ISP – in an average household that might add up to $45-$50 extra PA) that would pay for it’s multi-media content.

    • Melb 39.1
      10 April 2015 at 1:43 pm

      “state owned broadcaster funded by a new “licence fee” – a levy on internet downloads (say, 5c for every GB used added to everyones broadband bill by your ISP – in an average household that might add up to $45-$50 extra PA) that would pay for it’s multi-media content.”

      Sounds regressive.

  40. Karen 40
    10 April 2015 at 8:59 am

    Mark Weldon looks to be a similar kind of character to Julie Christie. This article about him on the Daily Bog is definitely worth a read.

    http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/04/10/guest-blog-rex-widerstrom-thirteen-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-mark-weldon-ceo-of-mediaworks/

    • Puckish Rogue 40.1
      10 April 2015 at 9:35 am

      Its a moot point, if Campbell wasn’t losing viewers then the show wouldn’t be getting cancelled, thats it, end of.

      (has it been announced its getting canned or just a rumour at this stage?)

      • adam 40.1.1
        10 April 2015 at 12:32 pm

        “Its a moot point” using your own ideology, to justify the failings of your own ideology. Puckish Rogue you crack me up.

        How long have you been on this site? How much time have you ever taken to understand ideas outside your limited paradigm? My guess, very little – with comments such as above – you show either wilful ignorance, stupidity or some other arrogance associated with the ideological pure.

  41. Melanie Scott 41
    10 April 2015 at 9:09 am

    Signed everything I have been able to find so far. Will write a letter and put it here for delivery to the relevant parties later today.

    Julie Christie and Mark Weldon are to NZ television what Daesh or IS are to ancient Assyrian artifacts and buildings.

  42. AUDNZD 42
    10 April 2015 at 9:12 am

    TV3 is a private comany driven by profits and free to hire/lay off whoever they want, so its giving the flick to Campbellshould surprise no one. His ratings were bad, so he got the axe.

    Time for something new, I guess. In reality nobody should watch the rubbish that is NZ television.

    • saveNZ 42.1
      10 April 2015 at 10:51 am

      Hello, Media works got a taxpayer handout via Stephen Joyce against parliamentary advice when they went into receivership.

      It seems the taxpayers money is just one giant tap, to keep the Key/Joyce agenda going. Hope they get lot’s of nasty surprised come election time.

      Media Works seem to have unlimited funds to prop up under performing but National Brown nosing Paul Henry’s shows going. Under performing Nats are fine, it seems ,in fact try to get more of them on TV.

      Trolls get your facts right.

      Journalists fight back because soon the profession will be dead in this country and Journalism jobs will only be going as political appointments.

    • Paul 42.2
      10 April 2015 at 11:35 am

      Your views show no sense of society.

  43. Clemgeopin 43
    10 April 2015 at 10:05 am

    I sent the following email to mjennings@mediaworks.co.nz, mweldon@mediaworks.co.nz, replies@mediaworks.co.nz and to http://www.3news.co.nz/TVShows/CampbellLive/Contact.aspx

    “Hi.

    Here is MY personal commitment. If TV3 axes Campbell live, I will STOP watching ANY programme on TV3 for the rest of this year at least. I often listen to Radio Live of Media Works also. I will stop doing that too. This is not an empty knee jerk reaction. I want to take a practical stand within my simple power that may hurt Media Works at least a little bit.

    (Yours etc) “

  44. Paul 44
    10 April 2015 at 10:27 am

    Making the headlines in the Herald.
    Regan Cunliffe.

    ‘Regan Cunliffe, the director of TV website Throng, said it was a logical commercial decision given the “massive” decline in audience which wasn’t sustainable for TV3.’

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11430250

    Who is Regan Cunliffe?

    Appears he has an agenda.
    He doesn’t like the liberal elite.

    http://www.throng.co.nz/2012/09/please-be-bad-just-so-i-can-hate-you/

    Regan is one of the co-founders of Throng Media.
    “If they’re on, I’m usually watching Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, 24, Battlestar Galactica, The X Factor, Survivor, House of Cards, Mad Men and the NRL.”

    So Regan loves soaps, drama and reality TV.
    Not a great person to being making an informed decision about our news media, then.

    • Melb 44.1
      10 April 2015 at 1:46 pm

      “Insert ad-hominem here”

      Why should TV3 continue to support Campbell Live as the show’s ratings decline further and further?

      They aren’t a charity.

    • Regan Cunliffe 44.2
      10 April 2015 at 5:40 pm

      You can make any assumption you like. There are plenty of stories on Throng about Campbell Live that have been full of praise if you bother to look, particularly in 2013 when they were giving Seven Sharp a regular hiding.

      The numbers are what they are. That’s all the story I’m telling. I honestly hope CL doesn’t go but from a commercial perspective I can’t see Mediaworks allowing the current state of things to continue.

      • Clemgeopin 44.2.1
        10 April 2015 at 6:50 pm

        Isn’t your extrapolated ratings unreliable when they are, as I have read in the comments here, collected via a tiny sample of set boxes in just 440 (or 600?) households in NZ? Can you comment on this please?

        • Regan Cunliffe 44.2.1.1
          10 April 2015 at 7:16 pm

          You mean, like, how political polling is conducted?

          • the pigman 44.2.1.1.1
            10 April 2015 at 7:38 pm

            Why don’t you answer his/her question instead of making a smartarse retort? What is the sampling size and what is your assessment of its margin of error?

            • Colonial Viper 44.2.1.1.1.1
              10 April 2015 at 9:32 pm

              Next question to ask: has the placement, sampling or other statistical methodology relating to those 600 monitoring stations changed at all in the last 24 months.

        • Puddleglum 44.2.1.2
          10 April 2015 at 8:09 pm

          The margin of error at the 50% mark (e.g., if a channel got a result of 50% of households tuned in) and for the standard 95% confidence interval would be about 4.67%. That’s if we assume there are 1,000,000 households in New Zealand with televisions and the sample of households was 440*.

          I’m not sure about my assumptions on the number of households (really just an easy round number) or whether the figures reported are based on actual viewers rather than households multiplied by an average occupancy rate.

          I’d assume that from a purely commercial perspective TV3 would need to look at the year-on-year decline in its overall market share and compare Campbell Live’s decline to that – and, in particular, to the decline in TV3 News viewers.

          If Campbell Live’s decline were not as great as either the overall TV3 decline or that of TV3 news it would seem odd to ‘review’ Campbell Live without also reviewing other programmes, especially the main evening news bulletin (unless they were looking for ‘best practice’ amongst their offerings).

          As I posted on my own blog, the retention rate of viewership from the main news bulletin to the following current affairs show is better for Campbell Live than for Seven Sharp, at least for the 9 April viewership figures reported on Throng.

          *Edit: Randomness of the sample would also need to be assumed

          • Puddleglum 44.2.1.2.1
            10 April 2015 at 8:28 pm

            Make that 4.76%.

            BTW, population size doesn’t matter for the margin of error – ‘oddly’ – but it matters for interpreting the absolute number of viewers that are reported in these ratings – i.e., it matters for working out what proportion of the overall potential viewership each ‘show’ gets. Basically just divide 1 by the square root of the sample size to get the margin of error.

            Some households won’t have their TVs on sometimes (which seemed to happen on 2 April, the Thursday evening before Easter when there was far fewer viewers for both TV1 and TV3 than for 9 April).

            • Clemgeopin 44.2.1.2.1.1
              10 April 2015 at 10:41 pm

              Thanks for your detailed reply. Much appreciated.

              I still have a few doubts but do not know if they are relevant to the statistics.

              For example,

              (1) The boxes (viewers) are pre-selected and probably remain there for some years while their ages keep increasing ((viewing habits changes as per age) and some of the older household members might have even died. Doesn’t this give a skewed/unreliable result because the sample will not reflect the population over time?

              (2) The statistics depends on the trust that the box holders are diligent in switching on the box every day (and for each changing programme they may watch). That must be so boring and tiring to do every day so often too apart from forgetting when busy, tired etc. So, can we still get a reasonably accurate measurement? In my case, at 6pm, I invariably first watch the headlines on TV1 (a few seconds) and then always switch to watch TV3 news in full, including Campbell Live. Quite often I watch them live on line or later on demand. If the box holders do something similar, again, the numbers would be wrong, won’t they?

              (3) I think the sample size is not really random and is too small. What do you think?

          • Regan Cunliffe 44.2.1.2.2
            10 April 2015 at 8:53 pm

            There are 600 households in the survey.

            • Clemgeopin 44.2.1.2.2.1
              11 April 2015 at 11:40 am

              Viewers appear to have heeded the call to “vote with your remote” to save Campbell Live, with Friday night’s episode achieving its highest average audience for 2015.

              According to television ratings website throng.co.nz, an average audience of 293,050 viewers tuned into the embattled show, making it the third-highest rating episode in the past 18 months.

              The figure was 53 per cent higher than Campbell Live’s 2015 average, Throng reported.

              Campbell Live posted a screen shot of the results to its Twitter account and thanked viewers.

              However rival Seven Sharp achieved a rating of 400,910 in the same time slot.

              The news comes as Campbell has reportedly hired a lawyer to take on Mediaworks in the battle to keep Campbell Live on air.

              http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/67696456/higher-ratings-achieved-as-john-campbell-lawyers-up

  45. saveNZ 45
    10 April 2015 at 10:36 am

    As we all know ratings figures can be manipulated. I do not believe anything from those people. I have never been asked what I watch. For example if you poll people by phone at 10am on a Monday only oldies are probably answering. You can easily get any ratings figures you want.

    At the end of the day as well, advertisers align to people and values they want people to associate with their products. John Campbell is the one that has the middle NZ family values. Yep the oldies might watch TV1 but the market for advertisers is more limited because of the age of people watching.

    Lets face it, this is a political decision and people should be very afraid with the cronyism and I hope Campbell staff take legal action.

    When the government put in Susan Devoy for race relations, and then she is being told what to do and say in that role. National are going for total domination in MSM and in government human rights roles.

    • Karen 45.1
      10 April 2015 at 11:32 am

      Ratings are collected via a set box in 440 households in NZ. The people who have them are given gifts to compensate for having to push a button every time they start or stop watching tv. The machine itself indicates the channel that they are watching at sends it to Neilson electronically.

      The households are chosen to reflect a range of ages etc. Where the system falls down is the boxes aren’t given to people who are flatting and there is no way that you can tell if people are actually watching or are just in the room where the tv is. Also many people wouldn’t want one so it is self selecting.

      I don’t know anyone who has ever had one, but a market research person once came to the door. I felt sorry for her because it was raining so I did the survey, then she said I may be suitable for having a ratings box. I was tempted, but would have to had to lie about my media related job to qualify.

      Thought it may have been fun to manipulate the ratings, though.

      • Paul 45.1.1
        10 April 2015 at 11:37 am

        440 households makes for a very small data group.

        • saveNZ 45.1.1.1
          10 April 2015 at 12:15 pm

          Extremely small number considering how much money advertisers pay. If I was an advertiser and I was paying based on 440 households results on a population of nearly 4 million, and the 440 people might not even be watching. Hello, stupidity!!!

          The margin of error is probably greater than the result!

          • Paul 45.1.1.1.1
            10 April 2015 at 12:44 pm

            And wasn’t Campbell Live’s low rating days the same time as the World Cup semi?

            • saveNZ 45.1.1.1.1.1
              10 April 2015 at 12:48 pm

              Ha ha. It’s a set up. The trolls are out ad Nauseum about the ratings I guess it is the only way to set up John Campbell.

  46. AUDNZD 46
    10 April 2015 at 10:38 am

    Save Campbell, save what? The program has fewer viewers, so why should TV3 keep it?
    The marketplace rules.

    • Robert Glennie 46.1
      10 April 2015 at 11:05 am

      Campbell Live does stuff that Seven Sharp would never dare to do, i.e. conduct proper journalism.

      • Kiwiri - Raided of the Last Shark 46.1.1
        10 April 2015 at 1:07 pm

        Campbell Live did some excellent coverage about the zero-hour contract issues that ruffled some feathers behind the scenes and word would have got to Joyce.

      • North 46.1.2
        11 April 2015 at 8:09 am

        It’s not a matter of Seven Sharp not daring to do the stuff Campbell does. Seven Sharp does not care to do the stuff Campbell does. To care would be to fall too far from the Key tree. Mr Hosking and TV3 understand this. Not an unreasonable quid pro quo perhaps……keep the noise low and reserve a place at the funding table ?

    • Paul 46.2
      10 April 2015 at 11:29 am

      Don’t you find spouting extremist neoliberal dogma dull?
      It is certainly dull to listen to you repeating your religious mantra.
      You are welcome to your doctrinaire belief system. Just keep it to yourself.
      I hear Somalia is a great country where the free market really reigns.
      Why don’t you go there?

    • NZSage 46.3
      10 April 2015 at 11:30 am

      Yeah marketplace rules so let’s call in our $43,000,000 taxpayer loan …plus interest.

      Oh hang on… it wasn’t a loan was it, it was a bailout of a failed capalist venture.

      Private profit, public loss rears it head again.

      • Paul 46.3.1
        10 April 2015 at 11:33 am

        Yes AUDNZD can’t like all this socialism for the rich in this country.
        A flight to Mogadishu would enlighten him of the delightful consequences of a totally free market.

    • lurgee 46.4
      10 April 2015 at 12:35 pm

      Save Campbell, save what? The program has fewer viewers, so why should TV3 keep it? The marketplace rules.

      You’re quite right. Instead of the current ghastly situation where commercial channels are forced to pretend they give a damn about the public interest and public service broadcasting, New Zealand should have a state funded non-advertising channel, similar to the BBC. This will be free to pursue important but non-commercial investigative journalism. Just like in Britain, it will force commercial rivals to maintain their standards, so even those who don’t watch it will benefit from it.

  47. Cancerman 47
    10 April 2015 at 12:24 pm

    I hear that they are thinking of replacing Campbell Live with Top Gear re runs. I’m looking for to quality entertainment!

  48. Papa Mike 48
    10 April 2015 at 1:52 pm

    Just a comment re the Government $34 million loan.
    It was paid back quite a while ago, and the Interest rate charged was 14% p.a. as a commercial transaction.

    [$43 million at 11% for 5 years, last payment due around April next year. It’s possible that they have paid it off early, but I’d like to see some evidence of that from you, Papa Mike. TRP]

  49. millsy 49
    10 April 2015 at 2:11 pm

    Julie Christie is on the Mediaworks board. She believes in the supremacy of reality TV over all other forms of TV.

  50. Bernard 50
    10 April 2015 at 2:12 pm

    If John Campbell leaves TV,then that would free him up for a political career, would be great to see him up against the likes of Key

    • fisiani 50.1
      10 April 2015 at 11:27 pm

      Why would you think JC would be on a different team from JK? JC is not a raving fruitcake like Delahunty. I could see him as the leader of the Blue-Green faction in National. That way he could be in government. The Greens have never been in government and never will.

  51. Papa Mike 51
    10 April 2015 at 2:27 pm

    I stand corrected re final payment.
    Thanks

    [No prob. TRP]

  52. chris gibson 52
    10 April 2015 at 2:34 pm

    Campbell as kept the public informed and helped many people. Paul Henry has failed here and Australia, in fact tv 3 sacked him. The management do not know what they are doing. Perhaps the public need to vote on this.

    [edited a couple of typos – TRP]

  53. Heartbleeding Liberal 53
    10 April 2015 at 3:38 pm

    It seems that the biggest gripe among our friends on the other side of the blogosphere is the focus that the show had on school lunches (and child poverty in general).

  54. Clean_power 54
    10 April 2015 at 6:52 pm

    You could be right, Papa. Mr Campbell could formally join the Green Party and run for Parliament. Time will tell.

  55. Clemgeopin 55
    10 April 2015 at 6:59 pm

    WATCH Campbell Live tonight (in 2 minutes).
    Campbell says he will have a few words for us, ‘the lovely people!

  56. North 56
    10 April 2015 at 11:52 pm

    Saw it……the words were few……but they conveyed……which in the round is Campbell.

    This is way beyond a corporate board performing directorial obligations.

    Follow the money……yes. In a New Zealand I never guessed about 40 years ago……follow the money.

    • dave 56.1
      11 April 2015 at 6:06 am

      the other side is a lot of us would spend more time accessing media from the net than watching TV i would love to sell tvnz only for the reason to broadcast there not needed to access programming there not needed for information there not needed
      there services are obsolete
      there like netflix already obsolete
      http://bgr.com/2015/03/18/netflix-vs-popcorn-time-2015/

  57. bernard 57
    11 April 2015 at 8:46 am

    fisani,I believe John Campbell to be a chap of integrity and honesty deep down,so do not believe he would be a good fit with our current prime minister

  58. NZSage 58
    11 April 2015 at 9:24 am

    Apologies if this already been posted but this is an excellent read.

    http://www.mana.co.nz/arts-music/executing-john-campbell.html

  59. Graeme 59
    29 April 2015 at 9:39 am

    Paul Henry is nothing but a real “DICK” get rid of him, He thinks he’s “GODS GIFT TO TV” John Campbell live is all for the “people” and does a GREAT job and is honest with huge integrity, so I say for god sake keep John Campbell and his crew on.

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