Michael Bassett: Our Media in Election Year

When the media went cap in hand to Jacinda Ardern’s government with sad tales about their declining financial position, ministers responded with the Public Interest Journalism Fund (PIJF). Newspaper editors realized there was a risk that people would think that upwards of $50 million of taxpayers’ money would be used to buy pro-Labour stories, especially in election year. 

The editors at the New Zealand Herald gave solemn undertakings to their readers that such would never be the case. However, any objective scrutiny of the Herald’s conduct since then would conclude they long since decided to throw caution to the winds. A couple of their columnists often appear to be mouthpieces for current ministers, while the paper’s cartoonists might as well be on Labour’s payroll.

This has been even more evident since the recent change in Prime Ministers. Journalists fawned over Jacinda Ardern and never highlighted her well-documented capacity to say one thing (“He Puapua hasn’t been to Cabinet”) while her ministers were busy implementing its recommendations. 

Michael Bassett: Our media in election year

What is becoming clear is that this Labour government is swimming out of its depth. In their determination to empower Maori

When the media went cap in hand to Jacinda Ardern’s government with sad tales about their declining financial position, ministers responded with the Public Interest Journalism Fund (PIJF). Newspaper editors realized there was a risk that people would think that upwards of $50 million of taxpayers’ money would be used to buy pro-Labour stories, especially in election year. The editors at the New Zealand Herald gave solemn undertakings to their readers that such would never be the case. However, any objective scrutiny of the Herald’s conduct since then would conclude they long since decided to throw caution to the winds. A couple of their columnists often appear to be mouthpieces for current ministers, while the paper’s cartoonists might as well be on Labour’s payroll.