Various studies have indicated that people on the left are far more intolerant of different opinions than the right. In fact, Pew research has shown that self-described “liberals” are twice as likely to block and unfriend someone on social media, because they expressed an opinion the “liberal” didn’t like. That behaviour carries over into real life, as well: “liberals” are vastly more likely to drop a friend because of their political views.
At the same time, mainstream media journalists are almost universally left-wing. ABC journalists, for instance, are over three times as likely to vote Green as the rest of Australia.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a Stuff journalist who’s completely flabbergasted that a left-wing politician would talk to a right-leaning journalist.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a Stuff journalist who’s completely flabbergasted that a left-wing politician would talk to a right-leaning journalist.
When leader of the opposition, Chris Hipkins joined broadcaster Sean Plunket on radio outlet, The Platform, on Wednesday, it seemed a strange fit for the leader of the Labour Party.
Only if you’re a mainstream media journalist locked firmly in the left-wing echo chamber.
Or is it just jealousy, that a media entity can actually survive without guzzling at the taxpayer trough?
The Platform is an online radio station that was founded by former Magic Talk broadcaster Sean Plunket in 2022. The station describes itself as an “independent digital media site” which does not “take your tax payer dollars through government funded agencies”. It promotes itself as a space to “receive and impart views and opinions the mainstream media simply cannot handle”.
Cue autistic screeching from the government-funded media. Robert Heinlein wrote that, “a government-supported artist is an incompetent whore!” I’d hate to know what he thought of government-funded journalists.
Search Hipkins on The Platform’s YouTube channel and on the first page of results is one clip posted seven months ago titled, “Chris Trotter calls Hipkins a Nazi”.
Professional jealousy? Or a demarcation dispute: only the left is allowed to call people “Nazi”.
The Stuff hack is apparently even more amazed that people with different opinions can talk civilly to one another.
While mostly cordial, there was a bit of back and forth when Plunket suggested the Labour party was too “woke” for middle New Zealand and that the Labour Government “tended to cancel and de-platform people” and was “far from tolerant of people ideologically different from it”. Both claims Hipkins denied.
Following the interview, Plunket said “I know the Labour party cancelled people and bureaucracy cancelled people, because they tried to cancel me … So when he says, ‘we didn’t do that, we’ve always been open and inclusive’, I say bullshit”.
So why now, is the Labour leader appearing on a platform known more for its right-wing conservative views than the centre-left of the Labour Party?
Because — for the slow kids at the back of the Stuff echo chamber — conservatives don’t screech in outrage and block, un-friend, and cancel people for having different opinions.
No matter what Hipkins, or anyone else, may think of Plunket or The Platform, the fact remains that it is an outlet with an audience reach that normally wouldn’t listen to a Labor leader. If Hipkins wants to start rebuilding Labour’s fortunes, he has to try and reach many people he otherwise might not.
And media have a duty to talk to more than just the people they happen to like.
Lushington describes himself as Punk rock philosopher. Liberalist contrarian. Grumpy old bastard. This article was first published HERE
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