Two contributors to the Weekend Herald I regularly read are Bruce Cotterill and Claire Trevett. Bruce writes from a business background, while Claire, as a political journalist, tends to write with a certain flair that I frequently find myself at odds with. Bruce, being analytical, usually hits the nail on the head concerning his subject matter. Claire, on the other hand, tends to be somewhat subjective, given her political beliefs but I wouldn’t go so far as to insult her by comparing her to the moderators of last week’s presidential debate. Compared to them Claire could be considered ‘far right’.
In their most recent articles, Bruce was writing about TVNZ while Claire found David Seymour continually grabbing the headlines rather annoying. Bruce was highlighting the fact that TVNZ’s management, with reference to the financial hole they find themselves in, were canvassing staff for ideas. This left me dumbfounded: if their political reporting is a yardstick, then this could be regarded as a retrograde step. A better idea might be to canvass the viewers, who are not only their customers but also their shareholders.
Maybe they should find out who their demographic is and start serving up programmes that appeal. And that is not a diet of endless evenings of countless offerings of reality television. The demographic most likely to watch linear television are the older members of society who want decent news and current affairs on a daily basis. They also tuned into programming that TVNZ in their misguided wisdom decided to dispense with, e.g., Sunday and Fair Go.
They could employ some unbiased journalists who are capable of giving viewers objective information rather than inserting their own opinions. I exempt Katie Bradford on that score. Further, drop the Māori tokenism: it’s nothing more than a turnoff. There are two other channels, of which we are also shareholders, which are dedicated to the language. That is where it belongs.
More current affairs are needed, not the one hour, largely PC-offering Jack Tame fronts up with on a Sunday morning. We are lacking good investigative journalism discussing relevant issues. A lot of the domestic news they front up with more suitably belongs on a programme like the old Town and Around. The news hour should consist of hard-hitting stories reflecting major events from both home and abroad.
The fact TVNZ management are asking staff for ideas goes a long way to explaining why they are in their current position. If the management has no idea how to turn it around then the business is likely doomed. The government should realise it’s not up to the taxpayers to support a failing commercial enterprise. The minister, in my correspondence with him, seems reluctant to interfere. As the owner, I am somewhat bemused by his stance. As a member of a government intent on cutting waste I suggest TVNZ needs some urgent attention.
Now to Claire Trevett and David Seymour getting under her skin: as a political journalist she should know that is the ploy of the consummate politician. David is not alone. Donald Trump and Nigel Farage spring to mind. These are the types of political operatives who invoke strong feelings. Most people have a love/hate relationship with them. As for taking the wind out of Christopher Luxon’s sails, that is something for Christopher to address.
These politicians don’t rely on biased journalists to create headlines (mostly negative): they create the headlines themselves. That might be irritating to the likes of Claire but it is a fact of political life. Take the Treaty Principles Bill: that is a definite headline grabber. It keeps Seymour and ACT in the news, which is exactly what he wants. I think one of Luxon’s failings is his tendency to avoid certain issues for fear of alienating voters. If he were to change his tack he might find himself even more popular.
Like them or not, we need more politicans in the David Seymour/Shane Jones mould. Even if you don’t like them, you are in no doubt as to where they stand on a given topic. There is too much wishy-washy rhetoric and political correctness coming from politicians, particularly those on the left. Unfortunately it can also inhabit the right. Politics is a rough and tumble, and at times nasty, game. It requires firm leadership. Governments are elected to govern and those on the right expect them, in Luxon’s words, “to get things done”.
JC is a right-wing crusader. Reached an age that embodies the dictum only the good die young. This article was first published HERE
Maybe they should find out who their demographic is and start serving up programmes that appeal. And that is not a diet of endless evenings of countless offerings of reality television. The demographic most likely to watch linear television are the older members of society who want decent news and current affairs on a daily basis. They also tuned into programming that TVNZ in their misguided wisdom decided to dispense with, e.g., Sunday and Fair Go.
They could employ some unbiased journalists who are capable of giving viewers objective information rather than inserting their own opinions. I exempt Katie Bradford on that score. Further, drop the Māori tokenism: it’s nothing more than a turnoff. There are two other channels, of which we are also shareholders, which are dedicated to the language. That is where it belongs.
More current affairs are needed, not the one hour, largely PC-offering Jack Tame fronts up with on a Sunday morning. We are lacking good investigative journalism discussing relevant issues. A lot of the domestic news they front up with more suitably belongs on a programme like the old Town and Around. The news hour should consist of hard-hitting stories reflecting major events from both home and abroad.
The fact TVNZ management are asking staff for ideas goes a long way to explaining why they are in their current position. If the management has no idea how to turn it around then the business is likely doomed. The government should realise it’s not up to the taxpayers to support a failing commercial enterprise. The minister, in my correspondence with him, seems reluctant to interfere. As the owner, I am somewhat bemused by his stance. As a member of a government intent on cutting waste I suggest TVNZ needs some urgent attention.
Now to Claire Trevett and David Seymour getting under her skin: as a political journalist she should know that is the ploy of the consummate politician. David is not alone. Donald Trump and Nigel Farage spring to mind. These are the types of political operatives who invoke strong feelings. Most people have a love/hate relationship with them. As for taking the wind out of Christopher Luxon’s sails, that is something for Christopher to address.
These politicians don’t rely on biased journalists to create headlines (mostly negative): they create the headlines themselves. That might be irritating to the likes of Claire but it is a fact of political life. Take the Treaty Principles Bill: that is a definite headline grabber. It keeps Seymour and ACT in the news, which is exactly what he wants. I think one of Luxon’s failings is his tendency to avoid certain issues for fear of alienating voters. If he were to change his tack he might find himself even more popular.
Like them or not, we need more politicans in the David Seymour/Shane Jones mould. Even if you don’t like them, you are in no doubt as to where they stand on a given topic. There is too much wishy-washy rhetoric and political correctness coming from politicians, particularly those on the left. Unfortunately it can also inhabit the right. Politics is a rough and tumble, and at times nasty, game. It requires firm leadership. Governments are elected to govern and those on the right expect them, in Luxon’s words, “to get things done”.
JC is a right-wing crusader. Reached an age that embodies the dictum only the good die young. This article was first published HERE
1 comment:
What was it that won the last election for this Government ? Was it the public's general revulsion of all things Ardern or was it National's support from their then recently re-embraced partners, Act and NZ First ?
Whichever it was , National this last election ever so brilliantly nearly engineered a re-run of 2017. To steal defeat from the jaws of victory, to once again stare at the constitutional aisle to the Governor General without a partner in sight.
Had Labour won the last election we could by now be so far down the road to their version of socialist nirvana that a reversal would be at best distant, if ever possible. The current economic hardship faced by many will still be with us at the time of the next election. Could we once again see National steal defeat from the jaws of victory ? Certainly that is made more possible with two taxpayer funded propaganda channels operating on Labour's behalf, TV1 and RNZ National.
One of the fundamental planks of a Western Liberal Democracy is an independent and unbiased media. Given the dominance in NZ media of the two Labour biased tax payer funded channels that is certainly not what we have.
I recently went along to one of Mr Seymour's Friday night visitations to hear his version of the gospel from on high. I asked him a question which brought a remarkably enthusiastic response from the crowd. Apparently they had similar views.
I asked, had Ardern won office in 2017 and faced two tax payer funded media channels ,so clearly right wing biased then as they are left wing biased now, would she not have cut heads off day one ? Mr Seymour replied with what can only be described as a truly Trumpian diversion .
He told us he asked an associate of his who had set up the Spinoff why was it so left wing ? His friend had replied he could only employ left wing journalists , they are all left wing biased.
Really ? Had the Government employed a bunch of house painters that would only paint houses red , would they tolerate that ?
I asked Mr Seymour could the Government not place some light handed control or regulation over TV 1 and RNZ National to ensure some balance and neutrality to their reporting, not bias either way. Perhaps some sort of Ombudsman ?
No no no , he said , that would not be tolerated by the public, that would be totalitarian, and I'm a Libertarian. We have no way to control them anyway he went on. Really ?
Perhaps Mr Seymour has forgotten that to enjoy the privileges of a Western Liberal Democracy we must also protect those privileges. Like the freedom of an independent and unbiased media. It is not his right to say that we should abandon that freedom to the Socialists in his personal idealistic view of Libertarianism. He seems to be saying we'll have a Libertarian state only if the Socialists let us !
I recognise the numerous successes of this Government to date. But times are tough, and I don't think that by the next election the public will feel this Government has scored too many home economic runs for them. Times will still be tough.
Meanwhile the taxpayer funded Labour Party propaganda channels keep knocking out of the park for them.
As Trump says , just keep telling them the same lie, the public will believe anything ! If the election is a 100 metre sprint, the left l are starting with a 50 metre start.
Meanwhile
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