TV One’s 6pm bulletin on 22 February began with a story about child poverty statistics. After six years of a Labour Government, five of them with Jacinda Ardern as Minister for Child Poverty Reduction, the figures for those in poverty are now much worse. Without saying this in so many words, the report by Cushla Norman acknowledged the problem’s cause could (she didn’t say should) be laid at the door of the last government. But the selection of two of the three commentators told another story. Carmel Sepuloni, whose policies caused most of the problem, was given lots of space to defend her stewardship and to attack the Luxon-led government’s new approach to the crisis. She was backed up by the CTU’s so-called economist, Craig Renney. Not surprisingly, he went into attack mode against any proposal to change Labour’s failed policies. The third commentator, Jonathan Boston, at least conceded that keeping on with policies that gave us today’s crisis might not be a wise course!
Then TV One’s Bulletin moved on to the case of a real estate agent who is objecting to being forced to complete a compulsory course on Maori culture and tikanga before she can renew her practising certificate. Surprise, surprise, who should be the reporter covering that story but the self-confessed Maori crusader, Te Aniwa Hurihanganui, whose lack of sympathy for the complainant oozed out of her every pore. The realtor in question objects to the course being compulsory. She’s entitled to object, one would think. Having to endure a course in Maori culture and tikanga mid-career, 184 years after the Treaty, when there are no longer any full-blooded Maori and their original tikanga has been almost completely forgotten, does seem rather ridiculous. Given that the realtor practises in an area where about 50% of the people are Chinese, a course in Mandarin might be more help. I must admit however, I’d have been inclined to take the Maori course, if only to see whether it was another tonne of tosh like so much “tikanga” these days: stuff invented in truck loads by a growing industry in search of opportunities to make money, and almost certainly happy, in this case, to take the credulous real estate industry on their virtue-signalling ride. This, of course, is an every-day reality that a Maori crusader like Te Aniwa Hurihanganui could never concede. Is she really cut out for work with a state-funded media outlet that should be producing unbiased reporting?
Then the next evening came a TV One story about Maori desecration of statues of Captain James Cook in various parts of New Zealand. Who did the reporter, Donna Marie Lever, approach for comment but that old-style Maori agitator, Ella Henry. Cook, of course, was one of the greatest navigators of all time. His world-renowned biographer, J.C. Beaglehole, was a Kiwi on whom the late Queen bestowed her highest honour, an Order of Merit. But that wouldn’t have meant anything to Ella Henry for whom Cook is a symbol of the dreaded “colonialism” without which, of course (though she’d never admit it) she wouldn’t have her well-paid, taxpayer-funded, job at AUT. There are dozens of better-informed commentators who could have given a more balanced assessment of Cook, and of the recent vandalism, its cause, and how sensible people should respond. But the thought of approaching them never occurred to Donna Marie Lever, or to TV One.
Then on Sunday 25 February at 6pm came a story claiming “fears” about the government’s new policies on gangs. I’m personally not sure they will improve things much, but as ever TV One’s reporting was negative. Without much effort, Corazon Miller could have found someone to say something positive about what is being proposed. She had the same problem on the 27th when discussing the scandal surrounding accredited employers and the legions of young foreign workers who have been let into the country on what appears to be false pretences. The whole scandal looks suspiciously like yet another Labour government stuff-up by Michael Wood who made a mess of the Immigration portfolio over several years. Identifying the Labour culprit, however, goes against TV One’s current policy. State-owned TV One, these days, is on a crusade to criticise every idea and every change of direction advanced by the new government. It does do not identify who was responsible for creating the mess that is the subject of the clean-up unless it’s National. Bizarre!
I’m not saying here that TV One’s journalists should always be giving the thumbs up to the new government’s policy announcements. Far from it. Some new policies appear to be the product of very slender thought, and are unlikely to achieve their ends. Moreover, the reporters are entitled to their personal views. But they are NOT entitled to promote those beliefs as news, or to protect their favoured political party or politicians on State media. If TV One had someone competent in charge, the reporters would all be called in and reminded about their obligation to report balanced news.
Then TV One’s Bulletin moved on to the case of a real estate agent who is objecting to being forced to complete a compulsory course on Maori culture and tikanga before she can renew her practising certificate. Surprise, surprise, who should be the reporter covering that story but the self-confessed Maori crusader, Te Aniwa Hurihanganui, whose lack of sympathy for the complainant oozed out of her every pore. The realtor in question objects to the course being compulsory. She’s entitled to object, one would think. Having to endure a course in Maori culture and tikanga mid-career, 184 years after the Treaty, when there are no longer any full-blooded Maori and their original tikanga has been almost completely forgotten, does seem rather ridiculous. Given that the realtor practises in an area where about 50% of the people are Chinese, a course in Mandarin might be more help. I must admit however, I’d have been inclined to take the Maori course, if only to see whether it was another tonne of tosh like so much “tikanga” these days: stuff invented in truck loads by a growing industry in search of opportunities to make money, and almost certainly happy, in this case, to take the credulous real estate industry on their virtue-signalling ride. This, of course, is an every-day reality that a Maori crusader like Te Aniwa Hurihanganui could never concede. Is she really cut out for work with a state-funded media outlet that should be producing unbiased reporting?
Then the next evening came a TV One story about Maori desecration of statues of Captain James Cook in various parts of New Zealand. Who did the reporter, Donna Marie Lever, approach for comment but that old-style Maori agitator, Ella Henry. Cook, of course, was one of the greatest navigators of all time. His world-renowned biographer, J.C. Beaglehole, was a Kiwi on whom the late Queen bestowed her highest honour, an Order of Merit. But that wouldn’t have meant anything to Ella Henry for whom Cook is a symbol of the dreaded “colonialism” without which, of course (though she’d never admit it) she wouldn’t have her well-paid, taxpayer-funded, job at AUT. There are dozens of better-informed commentators who could have given a more balanced assessment of Cook, and of the recent vandalism, its cause, and how sensible people should respond. But the thought of approaching them never occurred to Donna Marie Lever, or to TV One.
Then on Sunday 25 February at 6pm came a story claiming “fears” about the government’s new policies on gangs. I’m personally not sure they will improve things much, but as ever TV One’s reporting was negative. Without much effort, Corazon Miller could have found someone to say something positive about what is being proposed. She had the same problem on the 27th when discussing the scandal surrounding accredited employers and the legions of young foreign workers who have been let into the country on what appears to be false pretences. The whole scandal looks suspiciously like yet another Labour government stuff-up by Michael Wood who made a mess of the Immigration portfolio over several years. Identifying the Labour culprit, however, goes against TV One’s current policy. State-owned TV One, these days, is on a crusade to criticise every idea and every change of direction advanced by the new government. It does do not identify who was responsible for creating the mess that is the subject of the clean-up unless it’s National. Bizarre!
I’m not saying here that TV One’s journalists should always be giving the thumbs up to the new government’s policy announcements. Far from it. Some new policies appear to be the product of very slender thought, and are unlikely to achieve their ends. Moreover, the reporters are entitled to their personal views. But they are NOT entitled to promote those beliefs as news, or to protect their favoured political party or politicians on State media. If TV One had someone competent in charge, the reporters would all be called in and reminded about their obligation to report balanced news.
Historian Dr Michael Bassett, a Minister in the Fourth Labour Government, blogs HERE. - where this article was sourced.
11 comments:
In one word Newshub. People have switch off, fed up with left wing government bashing. No advertising revenue.
With TV3 gone will they get the message?
Michael, you stopped short of saying what the government should do about it. Here's what I think.
If they haven't already they should instruct the Minister for Media and Communications to drag the top execs from TVOne and RNZ into a very small room and go through the Charter with them. At the end of the meeting there should be a clear action list of what needs to change to comply with the Charter and deadlines to achieve those actions.
Those unwilling or unable to change should be dispensed with, as they are clearly unable to fulfil their roles to the required standard.
The longer our Coalition pisses around with this, the longer they get trashed in a good chunk of the public's eyes.
Just defund TV1.
I have asked the PM and Broadcasting Minister Lee to take action on 4 separate occasions - zero reply.
Does National wish to wreck the Coalition via bad press?
Apart from Country Calendar I gave up on TV long ago. But I do catch a lot of RNZ. The same observations apply. The Panel and The Detail both maintain the blatant RNZ pro maori stance. Maori names are used for organisations alone or before the English. A programme commenting on the disbandment of the Maori Health Authority included no justifying argument. Anyone who viewed the Select Committee submissions some time back could have offered numerous arguments.
(Charters are part of the problem as can be read for emphasis on matters maori. With current selected staff there is no shortage of persons primed for a blatant pro maori interpretation.)
Defund the media. Do it before we become a 3rd world country. If ministers want to share something with the public, let it be on beehive website. No more tax payer subsidy for radio and TV, please.
By the day, it is becoming more apparent that one third of the coalition is either complicit or incompetent.
The National party as many have suspected are infact encouraging the status quo.
I can't see any other explanation.
Surely they understand they are in power now and no longer need to find votes.
Chris Luxon has two staunch allies, what's his problem.
I no I shouldn't, but I fear now, more than ever for New Zealands future.
DeeM, I agree with most of what you say but at the end of the meeting all of the top dickheads should be sacked for showering us with so much woke bullshit and lies for years, AND paid to do it with our hard earned tax dollars. Kiwialan.
Yep most of us have had a gutsful. All I want is balance. We are not getting it.
DeeM and kiwialan, both spot on. The govt need to sort tv1 out immediately.
If you sack ‘em there will be enormous redundancies and brilliant references to enable those sacked to find and entrench themselves in cosy government funded sinecures.
Is that too cynical?
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