This week's Media7 is a little bit country -- as in, a foreign one -- and a little bit rock'n' roll.
The first part of the show will be devoted to the way our military participation in Afghanistan is being covered in the media. The New Zealand Herald's Patrick Gower will join us to discussion his recent flying visit (and the implications of being there on the State Department's tab), with others to be confirmed.
The story appears to be gaining legs here, what with Jon Stephenson's lead in the Star Times about our troops' decision in handing over captives to the bad guys US forces. In Britain -- which is losing a soldier a day, and suffering a severe lack of mission clarity -- it's pretty much rolling news now.
The other part of the show picks up on John Harris's recent feature for the Guardian Review, which asks: where have all the good music writers gone?
Many of the marquee names or yore -- Creem, Crawdaddy, Melody maker, Sounds -- have gone, and NME is a shortform version of its former self. Whither now the young men who would write this?
In 1981, I cut up the NME and plastered my walls with their cheap, print-stained photos of Ian Curtis, Robert Smith, Paul Weller, Ian McCulloch and Julian Cope: beautifully wan, wax boys with big, dandy hair. My father was so worried about their influence over me he banned the NME from our house.
That was John Campbell, in case you were wondering.
There are thousands of music bloggers, but almost the only expansive writing is now in the form of grown-up journals like Faber's new publication, Loops.
On the other hand, Nielsen figures show that Real Groove, which was bought by its management when Real Groovy Records ran aground, is attracting a smallish but highly engaged audience -- its online readers are more likely than those of any other site (even this one) to be active forum participants, and to upload pictures online.
Also, Rip It Up is now under the guidance of DJ Sir Vere (the hip hop mag Back 2 Basics having morphed into an online forum), which is perhaps a testament to the lively media culture of hip hop.
And, of course, there's Cheese on Toast and Under the Radar.
And finally: NME has its first female editor in 57 years. A sea-change and a half?
We'll be joined by Graham Reid, Real Groove editor Duncan Grieve and others tbc.
If you would like to come along to tomorrow evening's recording at TVNZ, from 5pm, hit "Reply" and let me know.