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Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Bob Jones: Political Journalists


The most futile job in New Zealand right now is that of a political columnist. With four weeks to go to the election, they pretend the outcome is uncertain when they know full well the election is done and dusted. That’s because this is easily the most unpopular post-war government and they’re about to pay the price and be decimated, as I forecast on this Blog 18 months ago. But instead of saying so and writing about relevant things such as likely cabinet position allocations, or policy issues instead they moan that Luxon is boring and such-like trivia.

Well course he is; he’s a Nat’ and that’s what National traditionally offers and indeed what the public cherish, namely certainly and not constantly having every aspect of life turned on its head.

In vain the journos seek out scandals to expose but even should they catch Luxon in woman’s panties, a bra and fishnet stockings prancing about in a gay bar hand in hand with Labour’s soon to be returned to his former obscurity, Northcote Labour MP Shanan Halbart who as a homosexual possibly likes that sort of thing, Luxon is still our next Prime Minister.

I exclude from these criticism the doyen of our political journalists, namely Barry Soper who doesn’t waste time beating around the bush and pretending the election outcome is still up for grabs. So too his wife, broadcaster Heather and Mike Hoskings.

A recent study by AUT’s Centre for Journalism, Media and Democracy revealed the lack of trust New Zealanders have in our media.

82% consider it to be biased and in line with the political leanings of its newsroom.

73% consider it over relies on opinion rather than fact.

The most extraordinary statistic revealed 69% of New Zealanders avoid reading or listening to the news, the highest percentage in the world. By way of contrast 29% of Germans, 20% Finns and 14% Japanese have similar distrust of the media.

Print journalists are up against it, their publications undergoing a death spiral in readership thanks to the internet and cell phone obsession, but they should at least die with dignity and not degrade themselves with trivial scandal-seeking.

Sir Bob Jones is a renowned author, columnist , property investor, and former politician, who blogs at No Punches Pulled HERE - where this article was sourced.

8 comments:

Anna Mouse said...

The statistics do not lie, but the journalist do.

They are literally their own worst enemies and for whatever reason they seemingly carry on like those stats do not exist.

Its seems that TV3, TV1, RNZ, Stuff and to a lesser extent the NZ Herald and ODT take turns in trying to ply us with stories that are filled with everything except the facts.

They have turned themselves into a perverse version of journalism where only their writings are true. No critical analysis can exist unless it agrees with their analysis.

So what we get fed in New Zealand is no longer fact based upon sound investigations but fiction based on feelings.

It is no wonder that the majority of New Zealanders no longer engage, our sanity is at stake.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Bob, your 3rd paragraph had me in fits. (Sssshhhh don't tell the woke left loonies).

I have little faith and certainly do not trust this countries unbelievably biased and socialist run media outlets. I'm actually stunned that there are 18 % of us kiwis who don't think they are biased left leaning nutters.

David Farrier researched something similar and found over 80% of journos and reporters held left or far left views....how on earth can we get unbiased news and reports with those stats.

I have a feeling that many people (like me) have had a absolute gutsful of this 6 year disaster and now we are pushing back against the lunacy.

In the past I would just put up with the stupidity and hope that common sense would prevail, it hasn't. We actually need to save these nut jobs from themselves.

It starts with articles like this. Keep up the good work Bob.

Anonymous said...

To anger a conservative, lie to him.

To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.

robert Arthur said...

Sadly RNZ is both left leaning and ultra pro maori(same thing) and being public funded will not fade away. Hopefully som3e Board members are due for repalcemnt. We had areal stroke of luck with the last defector who appeared closely aligned with Willie.

DeeM said...

I so look forward to the day, hopefully very soon after October 14, when we can listen to news about our newspapers going under due to falling circulation.
And best of all, the sacking of many TV and radio reporters who can no longer attract a big enough audience to pay their salaries.

Rob Beechey said...

I blame the brain dead to allow themselves into being seduced by the obvious lies and propaganda flowing from our corrupt media. I broke with habit by recklessly tuning into the sewer to get their predictable take on Robertsons upbeat delivery of the most disastrous state of our economy NZ has ever faced. It was your classic own goal, perpetrated by his own outrageous spending. He bullshitted the media into believing that his deft podgy fingered touch had NZ heading in the right direction. Not only has he wrecked our economy but has presented a poisoned chalice to the next govt which will be followed by “Nine years of neglect” from the socialists.

Anonymous said...

What I find perplexing is that TV3 is woke. It is owned by Discovery, a major US corporation, which presumably supports capitalism. When it's main competitor is state-owned, left-leaning TVNZ, surely it would make commercial sense, and improve its ratings, to offer an alternative viewpoint to the public.

Anonymous said...

In the last few days I read an article by Charlie Martin described as National Correspondent for Stuff with cv ‘’He has won awards for reporting, feature-writing, and investigative journalism”.
To my mind the article was a visceral attack on the personality of Julian Batchelor with corresponding absolution for his opponents.

I suggest - a case study in how to crucify the person if you don’t like their message.

Investigative journalism - I get he doesn’t like Batchelor. I am none the wiser as to why he blithely quotes Meihana and O’Malley as the true voices of NZ history.