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Migraine journalism | May 15, 2006 11:06
Matthew Hooton's Star Times column calling time for Don Brash reads less like newspaper commentary than a post to an internal National Party mailing list. Indeed, that's how it should be read.
Clearly, there is a movement inside the party to edge out the "historic figure" presently in charge within the year. To read the runes it casts, it would seem that Murray McCully has, yet again, contrived to change sides (and according to Hooton "is believed to see himself as a potential deputy leader"). All that unfortunate election campaign stuff about Maori and the "mainstream"? Don's idea, apparently. Um, yeah, right …
What's remarkable about the column is its sheer Soviet pomp. "Generations of National Party families will pass down the story of how [Brash] saved the party from oblivion and brought it to the cusp of power," Hooton declares.
John Key, meanwhile, "is able to articulate a fresh, inclusive, ambitious and bold agenda like no one else in contemporary New Zealand politics," Gerry Brownlee is "intelligent and thoughtful" and even Tau Henare "deserves an early return to Cabinet." In all, he offers, "New Zealand is blessed with the most talented alternative government in its history."
The "increasingly corrupt Labour regime", on the other hand, is home to the "hapless" Steve Maharey and the "loathsome" Pete Hodgson. But still, for some reason, in government and ahead in the polls. I guess there's a place for this sort of partisan cheerleading - in the blogosphere or even as a radio entertainment - but when it masquerades as political commentary, it's migraine-inducing.
Meanwhile, there was more slogan-shouting in the Herald on Sunday, from Deborah Coddington on the topic of local loop unbundling. Debs certainly isn't letting not knowing much about her topic cramp her style. She kicks off by claiming in her first sentence that David Cunliffe is the Minister of Economic Development (no, that would be Trevor Mallard, as you would think a political correspondent might know) and goes on to make a series of ridiculous statements, including linking unbundling to Nazism. Again, fine as a comedy act - migraine-inducing as serious commentary.
Juha Saarinen carried out a fisking, and DPF followed up.
Looks like discussion of the unfortunate political connections of Act Party vice-president Trevor Loudon has started up again, with the publication of David McLoughlin's 1983 New Zealand Herald story about links between Zenith Applied Philosophy and neo-Nazi groups. It's the story I referred to earlier this year.
Talking Points Memo has a mini-roundup on just-departed CIA executive director K. Dusty Foggo (a strange and compromised character appointed to the number three position in the organisation by Porter Goss), whose office and home were raided last week by the FBI as part of a corruption investigation. It's truly a bizarre affair, and one that would seem to have some way to go yet.
And with Keith Richards up and walking again, it's an opportune time to re-read Jimi Kumura's truly excellent Keef anecdotes. You'll have to scroll down, because Jimi doesn't do permalinks.
PS: I've published the open letter from Kiwi FM's Karyn Hay today because I thought she deserved a right of reply - but I have to take issue with her claim about the "holier-than-thou" student stations opposing a youth radio network. It's simply not true. I took part in the youth radio advisory group as the chairman of the 95bFM board, subsequent to a board-level decision to support such a network, and to try and ensure the engagement of b-Net and community stations in any future structure. I thought that was a pretty big call by our board and it's a shame it's been forgotten.
Flocking Mental | May 11, 2006 10:07
To read the rambling letter sent by Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to President Bush is to be put in mind of a slightly dotty blogger who doesn't know when to stop writing.
He makes obvious points - what would Jesus think of Gitmo? - and leaves well alone the issue of his own regime's dreadful human rights record. The concluding paragraphs consummate an invitation implicit throughout the letter:
The people of many countries are angry about the attacks on their cultural foundations and the disintegration of families. They are equally dismayed with the fading of care and compassion. The people of the world have no faith in international organisations, because their rights are not advocated by these organisations.
Liberalism and Western style democracy have not been able to help realize the ideals of humanity. Today these two concepts have failed. Those with insight can already hear the sounds of the shattering and fall of the ideology and thoughts of the liberal democratic systems. We increasingly see that people around the world are flocking towards a main focal point – that is the Almighty God. Undoubtedly through faith in God and the teachings of the prophets, the people will conquer their problems. My question for you is : Do you not want to join them?
Mr President, Whether we like it or not, the world is gravitating towards faith in the Almighty and justice and the will of God will prevail over all things.
No faith in international organisations? Flocking towards God? You may fancy you've heard those ones before. Earlier this year the American government supported (along with the fun-loving types who run things in Sudan, China and Zimbabwe) an Iranian initiative to deny United Nations consultative status to gay rights organisations. It's not the first time the two enemy states have converged on "moral" issues and it won't be the last. I guess you can't blame Ahmadinejad for thinking that maybe he could work with these people.
As the Christian Science Monitor story points out, Ahmadinejad might be a lunatic, but he's a lunatic who knows the value of public relations. In a country where 76% of people would like warmer relations with the US, he needs to be seen to be reaching out, even if it is by means of a list of grudges dressed up as a personal message. It seems not insignificant that Ahmadinejad made his name as a populist city mayor. He has that feel about him: slightly mad, self obsessed, forever living down his own political Tourette's. You may be able to think of other examples.
I was thinking last night about the Coalition of the Willing. No, really, I was. One of the popular clichés about a year ago was that their electorates hadn't punished the leaders who signed up for the Iraq project: Blair and Bush got re-elected after all. Things aren't going quite so well now. There's no leader who sent more than a thousand troops to Iraq who isn't in strife with his voters.
Bush's job approval rating hit a new low of 31% in the CBS/NYT poll this week; since July last year he has registered a positive job approval rating in one poll. Tony Blair is clearly on the skids: his approval rating - 26% - is now the lowest for any Labour Prime Minister in modern times; worse than Harold Wilson rated after the devaluation of the pound in 1968. Poland's Lech Kaczynski has spent months trying to form a workable government, and has had to do by bringing in a populist party that is demanding a timetable for troop withdrawal (no one thinks it will last, by the way). And South Korea's ruling party is looking at a landslide defeat in local elections that are regarded as a pointer to the presidential vote to follow.
And, of course, even Berlusconi couldn't rig the system enough to prevent his defeat in Italy. Of the most prominent war-boosters, only John Howard (just shy of 1000 troops) looks politically indestructible.
Oh, and this one made me personally very angry. US Army recruiters, having missed targets last year, are now so desperate for young Americans to throw into the grinder that one of them approached an 18-year-old autistic boy in Oregon and signed him up. The poor kid didn't even know there was a war in Iraq. He was to be trained as a cavalry scout - the most dangerous role in the army, and a chillingly inappropriate one for someone who can't make sense of his environment. The kid's parents tried to talk sense to the Army but failed to get him released from duty. He has been let go now, but only after the local paper took up the case. Unfortunately, this case does not seem to be an isolated one.
This week's reports (especially Monday's and Tuesday's) on Today In Iraq are barely believable.
On a lighter note … Stacey Perrett's intriguing art-mission to reproduce Kiwiana in giant size continues, with some giant Spaceman ciggies on Trade Me. Awesome. David Young/MediaCow wrote about Stacey's special thing and his hassles with Trade Me last year. Since then, says Stacey:
Due to my problems with unorthodox items I've gone down a more straight path involving giant Kiwiana items in a form of B-Grade modern art. They exist, they can be verified and more importantly they can be sold for an amount used to finance the next item.
I mean who wouldn't want to buy a foot long pack of Spaceman Cigarettes?
Next on my list as a minor one more or less before this vein is tapped is a foot long K Bar and my crowning candy glory I hope to achieve will be 10 x 5ft High Eskimos distributed around the Wellington CBD at 4am. Some will be adorned with Moko as a statement of the appropriation of indigenous imagery by corporate design in historic Kiwiana. Really I just want to put 5ft Eskimo's around town and film the reaction, but it's good to have an ulterior motive on standby.
Indeed. Staying on the fringe, Mondo Weirdo is back tomorrow night at the Academy cineman, and this time the feature is Polyester - and will screen with Odorama cards. I have two double passes to give away, but I'm determined to make it challenging. So … you must hit reply and tell me this: what does Polyester director John Waters have in common with this man? Apart, that is, from them both being brilliant freaks?
1pm update: No one has come up with the right answer, possibly for the reason that I got the question wrong (I had an idea that Sun Ra was once based in Baltimore, but actually he just played some of his most famous shows there). But that's been a handy way of keeping the passes open for later arrivals for once. So get in there, hit "reply" and they could be yours ...
And finally: last Friday night at the Music Month party, I made a pact with Mr Otis Mace (guitar ace), recently of London and now once again resident in the parish of Auckland. He would link to my website, and I would link to his. He promptly kept his side of the bargain, and now, so am I. Ladies and gentlemen, do feel free to cruise on over to OtisMace.com.
Following up | May 09, 2006 10:00
Well, the Theresa clip certainly caused some excitement yesterday: NZPA called, and Peter Nowak has a story on the front of the Herald's Business section. I now also know its provenance - it's from an analyst briefing in March which is archived on Telecom's website.
As you might expect, the context is but it's not like that any more, we have to become consumer-centric, etcetera, but I make no apology for posting the clip. It's of interest both because it has been circulating and because it gives an insight into the business model of the last 15 years.
And I'm also not convinced that confusion is really no longer a marketing strategy. I corresponded with a number of readers who had trouble working out whether they were really better off after Xtra rejigged its broadband plans earlier this year. It was confusing, and they were confused.
John Burland emailed from Germany to observe:
Nothing new here. If you're a price leader, you want transparency. If you're not (or if there's implicit and/or tolerated market collusion), then lack of transparency is right up your street. Play the brand, determine the stress levels of changing suppliers (EXTREMELY high in the area of personal communication) and milk it for all it's worth.
Standard pricing practice and everyone tries it - just attempt to do a direct comparison of car rental rates in the States. Nightmare. What do you do? Take the easy route - "Well, Avis/Hertz/Alamo/National has always been pretty good, I'll stay with them" Sucker!
So who dropped the clip into the media ecosystem? No idea. But these guys have the money quote transcribed on their website.
With more reports emerging that suddenly-departed CIA chief Porter Goss and his number three K. Dusty Foggo attended parties where lobbyists laid on hookers for bent Republican Congressman Duke Cuningham and his pals, the whole bizarre business now appears to officially be Fornigate.
Gpod is a newish and very interesting film and video site, with links to good stuff in public archives, new treats on YouTube and unusual torrents.
And sorry about last week, but here's the latest Public Address Virtual Super 14 leader board, after a round in which quite a number of people (me included) fared rather poorly. I maintain I'd have done better if Lavea hadn't taken the field for the Blues. His effort - with his team one point down and possession in the dying seconds - in hurling the ball 20 metres across the field and into touch was unbelievable. Unless he falls in a very big hole and Kevin Moar has a good run, it looks very much as if Nic Jones has a home final …
"They know that we're not being straight-up" | May 08, 2006 10:54
Play the audio for this post MP3, 132.1 KB
Another journalist provided me with a copy of this short, startling clip of Theresa Gattung explaining the incumbent telco business model: using "confusion" as a "marketing tool" to maintain prices and margins. I don't know its exact provenance - just that it was at "a conference", and it may well have been plucked out of context. But it is, nonetheless, an extraordinary revelation.
Further on the impending new world of telecommunications: "naked DSL" appears to have entered the media lexicon, if the Star Times' editorial yesterday is anything to go by. And rightly so. It changes everything - and puts us in the vanguard, rather than five years behind the OECD.
As someone observed to me over the weekend, it's "a huge shift in the perception of broadband in this country. Instead of being an adjunct to your telecommunications services, it becomes your telecommunication services. People with Skype will be dropping their landline connections in droves for pure ADSL lines."
And it doesn't appear to present any major technical problems. The exchange operator (Telecom) would simply assign a fictitious number to the DSL line, with all services suspended. It would involve a tech visit to install a new jackpoint and that's basically it.
And guess what? The line could even be left "live" for dialtone but restricted solely to 111 and technical diagnosis tasks.
Christiaan Briggs dropped me a line to point out this new service in Britain: a flat monthly fee for mobile voice and data, using WiFi in nine city centres. He quite likes the look of the NetGear Skype phone too.
Meanwhile, Juha speculates on the leaked Cabinet documents. I actually have a theory, based on a conversation I had on the evening of the announcement, but I think it would be unfair to implicate anyone without proof. Suffice to say, I'll be interested in the results of the inquiry.
Had a top night out on Friday at the New Zealand Music Month party at 4.20 and the Rising Sun. I spent a bit of time in the public bar watching the league test (sigh …) so didn't see all the acts on show, but I thought Farmer Pimp seemed nice and quirky, the Electric Confectionaires were a little too nice, and Cobra Khan were really impressive (they need to shed any vestige of the whiny American punk and just concentrate on being a great Antipodean rock 'n' roll band). Concord Dawn (well, just Evan, looking like a sweaty bog monster under the lights) played late and were wonderfully full-on, although I could only handle short bursts.
I spent quite a bit of time yarning to various people in the outdoor smoking room, which took over a fair chunk of K Road. Among othjer things, it appears that a New Zealand iTunes Store is not a wholly lost cause. Apple continues to talk to local music industry interests, but also continues to push back any launch dates.
This may be because (a) we're a pissant little market that Apple will get around to when it can be bothered, (b) Apple wants to nail down video distribution rights for the likes of the Daily Show before it opens any new markets, or (c) a combination of the above. It's certainly not because the local industry is being obstructive. Quite the contrary.
Also, it seems that the government and the record companies are very near a compromise on the format-shifting issue, but don't expect an amendment to the Copyright Act this year. This is an extraordinarily slow-moving issue.
But most of the talk was about the out-of-the-blue announcement that the government is to hand $20 million worth of FM frequencies to Canwest's Kiwi FM. And the overwhelming view is that Steve Maharey, fondly believing he was making a good-news announcement for New Zealand Music Month, has committed an unbelievable cock-up.
A measure of how septic things have quickly turned can be gained from the knowledge that on Friday, a succession of Kiwi FM hosts took juvenile on-air potshots at Neil Finn. That's just silly: if ever there was a day for Kiwi to keep its nose clean, it was Friday.
It may be that something workable could have been crafted here: after all, Canwest is a clever company and Karyn Hay, the newly-appointed general manager, is a smart woman. Perhaps - in an open and contestable process - Canwest could have washed up as the best contractor to run such a venture. But there wasn't an open and contestable process.
The announcement - apparently made without consulting the industry - is a vague and half-arsed commitment to Kiwi "working towards" not-for-profit status over the next year. There are serious questions as to whether anyone actually wants an all-NZ format (the ratings suggest otherwise), and as to how Kiwi's present style will be changed. This is, after all, a radio station that carries hourly advertising for Mermaids strip bar.
I was on the same youth radio advisory group as Neil Finn, and we put a lot of work into ways that existing b-Net and community stations could be embraced rather than smothered by any new initiative. It appears that we might as well not have bothered.
Dubber has been covering the story on The Wireless since it broke, Wammo from RDU made the minister sweat in a scoop interview, and Chris Hocquard appeared opposite Maharey on Close Up on Friday night.
PS: Yes, I know the Virtual Super 14 chart isn't here today, but I'm flat-out preparing for an important meeting in an hour's time, and I promise it will be up tomorrow.
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