NZME, the only stock exchange listed news gathering operation in the country, has had to face reality and tell staff that jobs at the New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB will have to go
Actually the company has been here before and the number of journalists and news gatherers has dropped significantly not only from its pre-internet heyday but in more recent times with, for instance, the closing down of a resource hungry Radio Sport just on five years ago.
But that pretty much completes the circle of media company redundancies in the last year.
From memory, which may be wrong, only the government funded RNZ hasn’t had to shed staff in recent times. Newshub has closed, TVNZ has reduced numbers, Stuff has cutback and now NZME has joined the trend.
We often listen and read the reasons put forward for the demise of the traditional or legacy media. While modern technology is the root of the problem, the real issue is why the companies now enduring staff layoffs haven’t been able to use technology to their advantage.
I write this after reflecting on my own media consumption over the holiday period.
For reasons associated with annual leave liability, all the big media companies put their main people on holiday for a month from just before Christmas. It used to happen to me a long time ago when I was a favoured son at TVNZ. You finished up around December 20 and started again on January 20. It was great. A month off on full pay and you only used three of your five weeks annual leave. They were great employment conditions but born of an age when the media industry printed money.
Being a conservative old bloke these days my main electronic media consumption is a combination of Newstalk ZB, The Platform and occasionally RCR. But all three of those outlets offered me nothing over the holidays. Two them had no new content at all and ZB replaced its usual hosts with a bunch of wannabes, many of whom - on the rare occasions I sampled them - I thought were ill-informed.
But I like to have a bit of conversation in my Air Pods as I go about daily life. Therefore I found myself attracted more and more, in fact almost exclusively, to the world of podcasts. And wow, is there some seriously great content out there for 70 year old men of a certain world view.
I devoured the work of Tucker Carlson. For example, his conversation with Teamster’s Union boss Sean O’Brien was an eye opener into just how arrogant the Karmala Harris campaign really was. Carlson posts a new long form interview every two or three days.
Megyn Kelly is an acquired taste. Frankly she’s a bit stroppy for my liking but her commentary around the Trump Administration confirmation hearings is fascinating.
Then there’s the man often called the biggest media star on the planet - Joe Rogan. I don’t go there that often because there are too many comedians and MMA fighters but his three hour conversation with Mark Zuckerberg was compulsive listening.
Across the pond, Brendan O’Neill has an informative weekly podcast which in recent times has featured free speech advocate Toby Young and London Times columnist Melanie Phillips positing that as Jews and Christians built the West only they can save it.
And of course if you want a lively bout of arrogance and interruption go no further than Piers Morgan Uncensored.
Yes I know there aren’t many views being expressed in that lot which might be construed as leaning centre left, but so what. At nearly 71 years of age, my political pendulum isn’t swinging back the other way.
But listening to those podcasts and some others of a similar ilk means I haven’t been consuming New Zealand media for the last four weeks – and I didn’t miss it a bit.
The question for those legacy or mainstream outlets is will they get me back? I have to be honest and say it will be a battle.
At ZB Mike Hosking, who I think has just turned 60, appears to have lost his appetite for hard subjects. Yes, he’s a brilliant broadcaster, one of the best this country has ever had along with Paul Holmes and Paul Henry, and certainly the most disciplined. But when has he ever really delved into the Treaty Principles Bill or any matter to do with race relations or Treaty issues? When has he ever seriously questioned the government Net Zero narrative? Or exposed the numerous reports now emerging about covid vaccine injuries?
Sean Plunket on The Platform at least tries to push the envelope out on Treaty and climate issues but still insults those with a view contrary to his own covid matters by calling them “cookers.” Not a great way, I would have thought, to attract the listeners and subscribers he says he needs to have a viable business model.
It goes without saying that our main print news websites Stuff and NZ Herald.co.nz will not report and publish views contrary to the approved narrative on those three issues, nor on transgender matters. In fact they won’t even accept paid advocacy advertising from the likes of the Taxpayers Union, Family First or Hobsons Pledge.
As for my local paper, the Otago Daily Times – well it’s published in the socialist republic of Dunedin. Say no more. But it does print my occasional letter to the editor.
So if I’ve been reading news commentary over the holidays it’s been on BreakingViews, BassetBrashandHide.com or various Substacks that come to my attention through subscription or referral.
Heck, I’ve even set up my own Substack and some readers pay me the greatest compliment of all by sending in a few dollars each month. I thank of all you most sincerely.
Get the picture? I don’t need the traditional New Zealand news media. I doubt I’ll ever have much consumer involvement with it again unless there’s some significant change in their editorial balance to offer what we used to call “both sides of the story.”
Why won’t Stuff or the Herald publish Michael Bassett on Treaty matters or Owen Jennings or Barry Brill on methane and climate subjects? Where was their common sense on the Elon Musk “Nazi salute” beat-up? Why weren’t Trump’s comments on splitting the atom put into some proper context?
The surveys say trust in the media is at an all-time low. Where is the self-awareness to do something about it? It may not get the New Zealand media industry back into profit but it might help attract this grumpy old right wing voter back to occasionally read and listen to it.
I’m pretty sure TVNZ is beyond redemption though.
Peter Williams was a writer and broadcaster for half a century. Now watching from the sidelines. Peter blogs regularly on Peter’s Substack - where this article was sourced.
From memory, which may be wrong, only the government funded RNZ hasn’t had to shed staff in recent times. Newshub has closed, TVNZ has reduced numbers, Stuff has cutback and now NZME has joined the trend.
We often listen and read the reasons put forward for the demise of the traditional or legacy media. While modern technology is the root of the problem, the real issue is why the companies now enduring staff layoffs haven’t been able to use technology to their advantage.
I write this after reflecting on my own media consumption over the holiday period.
For reasons associated with annual leave liability, all the big media companies put their main people on holiday for a month from just before Christmas. It used to happen to me a long time ago when I was a favoured son at TVNZ. You finished up around December 20 and started again on January 20. It was great. A month off on full pay and you only used three of your five weeks annual leave. They were great employment conditions but born of an age when the media industry printed money.
Being a conservative old bloke these days my main electronic media consumption is a combination of Newstalk ZB, The Platform and occasionally RCR. But all three of those outlets offered me nothing over the holidays. Two them had no new content at all and ZB replaced its usual hosts with a bunch of wannabes, many of whom - on the rare occasions I sampled them - I thought were ill-informed.
But I like to have a bit of conversation in my Air Pods as I go about daily life. Therefore I found myself attracted more and more, in fact almost exclusively, to the world of podcasts. And wow, is there some seriously great content out there for 70 year old men of a certain world view.
I devoured the work of Tucker Carlson. For example, his conversation with Teamster’s Union boss Sean O’Brien was an eye opener into just how arrogant the Karmala Harris campaign really was. Carlson posts a new long form interview every two or three days.
Megyn Kelly is an acquired taste. Frankly she’s a bit stroppy for my liking but her commentary around the Trump Administration confirmation hearings is fascinating.
Then there’s the man often called the biggest media star on the planet - Joe Rogan. I don’t go there that often because there are too many comedians and MMA fighters but his three hour conversation with Mark Zuckerberg was compulsive listening.
Across the pond, Brendan O’Neill has an informative weekly podcast which in recent times has featured free speech advocate Toby Young and London Times columnist Melanie Phillips positing that as Jews and Christians built the West only they can save it.
And of course if you want a lively bout of arrogance and interruption go no further than Piers Morgan Uncensored.
Yes I know there aren’t many views being expressed in that lot which might be construed as leaning centre left, but so what. At nearly 71 years of age, my political pendulum isn’t swinging back the other way.
But listening to those podcasts and some others of a similar ilk means I haven’t been consuming New Zealand media for the last four weeks – and I didn’t miss it a bit.
The question for those legacy or mainstream outlets is will they get me back? I have to be honest and say it will be a battle.
At ZB Mike Hosking, who I think has just turned 60, appears to have lost his appetite for hard subjects. Yes, he’s a brilliant broadcaster, one of the best this country has ever had along with Paul Holmes and Paul Henry, and certainly the most disciplined. But when has he ever really delved into the Treaty Principles Bill or any matter to do with race relations or Treaty issues? When has he ever seriously questioned the government Net Zero narrative? Or exposed the numerous reports now emerging about covid vaccine injuries?
Sean Plunket on The Platform at least tries to push the envelope out on Treaty and climate issues but still insults those with a view contrary to his own covid matters by calling them “cookers.” Not a great way, I would have thought, to attract the listeners and subscribers he says he needs to have a viable business model.
It goes without saying that our main print news websites Stuff and NZ Herald.co.nz will not report and publish views contrary to the approved narrative on those three issues, nor on transgender matters. In fact they won’t even accept paid advocacy advertising from the likes of the Taxpayers Union, Family First or Hobsons Pledge.
As for my local paper, the Otago Daily Times – well it’s published in the socialist republic of Dunedin. Say no more. But it does print my occasional letter to the editor.
So if I’ve been reading news commentary over the holidays it’s been on BreakingViews, BassetBrashandHide.com or various Substacks that come to my attention through subscription or referral.
Heck, I’ve even set up my own Substack and some readers pay me the greatest compliment of all by sending in a few dollars each month. I thank of all you most sincerely.
Get the picture? I don’t need the traditional New Zealand news media. I doubt I’ll ever have much consumer involvement with it again unless there’s some significant change in their editorial balance to offer what we used to call “both sides of the story.”
Why won’t Stuff or the Herald publish Michael Bassett on Treaty matters or Owen Jennings or Barry Brill on methane and climate subjects? Where was their common sense on the Elon Musk “Nazi salute” beat-up? Why weren’t Trump’s comments on splitting the atom put into some proper context?
The surveys say trust in the media is at an all-time low. Where is the self-awareness to do something about it? It may not get the New Zealand media industry back into profit but it might help attract this grumpy old right wing voter back to occasionally read and listen to it.
I’m pretty sure TVNZ is beyond redemption though.
Peter Williams was a writer and broadcaster for half a century. Now watching from the sidelines. Peter blogs regularly on Peter’s Substack - where this article was sourced.
9 comments:
Peter - I am sure that those who " click into this website" will read your worth while comments, in this article. Past posted Articles, have shown by the posted comments, that your views are well thought of.
As to your TVNZ News days at least you " spoke to us in the language of the Nation (then), not insulting us with a Language that most Kiwi's do not know, nor want to learn, and then (now) be presented with news that has a bias to it.
Our NZ print media - have adopted the left, socialist policies that can be found in many US papers - example New York Post, Atlanta Journal, even Los Angeles papers, along with the Mirror (UK) - which has a fixation on " celebrity news".
Your thoughts on the Otago D.T are shared by Michael Laws (The Platform) - but then again there is that print media maximum- " if we print it they will believe it, and if we repeat it it must be true".
Rogan speaks to Zuckerburg - an interesting exercise by the latter, who previously would not have been ' seen dead in the same room as Rogan '. Zuckerburg - who following the Presidential elections, made an ' immediate pilgrimage to Trump at Mar A Lago, to bend a knee, the exercise to fend off potential retaliation from the New King. Facebook is a multi million dollar social media platform, heaven forbid that a retaliatory strike occur. Master Zuckerburg has a track record of " anti Trump ", which goes back to 2016, strange ' how the leopard had a change of spots '?
With regards to your final comments, I do not see the former, traditional MSM, that like you many of us grew up with ever returning to the good old days. Even Radio with its constant " replaying of the same music" indicate that time will come when those radio stations will close because both advertising will cease (it is in decline now) and the audience will have found another way to listen to music.
I agree Peter. People have access to overseas media in nz. When our media gaslight people, use propaganda, change history and make up a new mixed minglish language for reasons unknown, people see through them. The only way this might work in nz would be if the internet was banned here, north korean style.
Thanks Mr. Williams your are very correct in that with too much bias there is no balance and without balance your audienceis split into one side of the fence or the other. In the case of the NZ MSM they very much now sit upon the very left side and refuse to be the fourth estate.
You may remember this from some years ago:
New Zealand Journalists' Association 1967
CODE OF ETHICS
Members of all Journalists Unions affiliated to the New Zealand Journalists' Association are reminded of the need to observe the following Code of Ethics in the course of their employment:
1. To report and interpret the news honestly.
2. To promote, through their conduct, full public confidence in the integrity and dignity of their calling.
3. To observe professional secrecy in matter revealed in confidence to the furthest limits of law or conscience.
4. To use only honest methods to obtain news, pictures and documents.
5. Never to accept any form of bribe either to publish or to suppress.
6. To reveal their identity as members of the Press when not to do so would be contrary to ethical standards.
7. Not to suppress essential fact, and not to distort the truth by omission or wrongful emphasis.
8. To observe at all times the fraternity of their profession and never take unfair advantage of a fellow member of N.Z.J.A.
9. To accept no compulsion to intrude on private grief.
It is a shame that the MSM now seemingly ignore #7 entirely and the PJIF taken during the 'Ardern' regime IMO counts as ignoring #5.......
I hold the belief that should the MSM in NZ come back to their 1967 selves then the public would be better served and trust would be rebuilt. Sadly I think the carcass has far too much decay for that to ever happen.
Excellent article, Peter.
TVNZ is beyond redemption.
It has become the opposition long ago.
Like you, I find the msm to be weak, empty and so Left !
The biggest problem as I see it Peter, from my 83 year-old perspective, is that the news lacks just that: perspective. If they had the guts to include views contrary to their wishy-washy take on race, climate and the value of science, among the more obvious contentious topics, more people might subscribe, or think twice before cancelling a subscription. You may read the Spectator, but if not, and you want a clearly stated centre or right-of-centre set of views it is worth every cent. It has guts and is right in nearly all of its prognostications.
You'll get widespread agreement with that one, Peter. As for TVNZ and their one-sided reporting; its incessant insertion of bloody "Aotearoa" at every opportunity along with the totally pointless, extremely annoying snippets of te reo that only a very small percentage of viewers relate to - they deserve everything that's coming their way. Hopefully, that'll start with a 10% pay cut for all, and a sacking of the Board Chairman, Alastair Carruthers, and the CEO, Jodi O'Donnell? Such a fundamental wayward misdirection starts at the top and it's only fitting their heads should be the first to roll.
Same age and have followed the same path.
I will never listen to local media as long as they call our country by some other name and insist on infusing make up language in to all manner of discussions.
Have to say there is one particular nasty , rude , obnoxious and denigrating host on ZB that I hope loses his job.
To Anon @ 9:07AM 23 Jan - your comment re " North Korean style" which has unfortunately a " ring of truth to it" - such an idea being considered by Saint Jacinda Ardern - as on a
' specific trip ' to California visited - YouTube, Facebook & Google - the ' reported agenda - how to control the internet that was available via these American operated Media platforms '.
Also revisit the speech, by same person, to the UN - the topic " Misinformation/Disinformation " that was available & processed via social media the Govts across the World had issues in controlling, specifically the information they wanted to place in front of their citizens.
One has to " speculate, if Jacinda had remained PM, how much effort she would have put into carrying out a Socialist Dogma - The Govt will control what you access and say".
If that happened this Website would not be allowed to continue, ditto access to any overseas Media site, that may have presented a different fact/basis/data/information, that would run counter to Govt dictate - do not believe me visit Russia (the home of the Socialist Movement), today.
I share your views Peter of the deplorable MSM and feel liberated after ridding it from my life. In the old days I used to enjoy submitting letters to the Press until it became infested with liberal left wing apologists that took great pleasure rejecting or worse, rewriting my opinion pieces.
The emergence of President Trump terrifies them and the typewriter’s will be running red hot as the spew their venom to their diminishing audience.
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