Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: A cog in the Mediaworks machine

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  • Russell Brown, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    this seems like a story that needs more eyes than just the twitteratis...

    Matt Nippert picked it up for the Herald, and looks set to run with it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Alfie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    this seems like a story that needs more eyes than just the twitteratis…

    Matt Nippert has a slightly tamer version of the story in the Herald. Rather than Eyeworks being liable for fringe benefit tax as reported in the Spinoff, he correctly (IMO) suggests that Christie herself is responsible for tax on the capital gains.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Alfie, in reply to Alfie,

    Snap!

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • simon g,

    That totally independent newsroom update:

    Story on 'The Block' becomes a headline for TV3's bulletin tonight. And it's not as though today is a slow news day.

    Meanwhile Scout Promo-Bingo is still delivering: they have all the goss we crave on megastars Tom Cruise, One Direction and, er, Dom Harvey.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    3 News hit its lowest ratings in four years on Sunday - just 124,000 viewers compared to 590,000 sets of eyeballs glued to the government channel.

    Brian Edwards suggests that kiwis still see TVNZ as the only "legitimate" channel, whatever that means. Some people might think it has more to do with TV3 management treating their viewers as imbeciles. Or maybe people just prefer entertainment?

    Time will tell.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Alfie,

    3 News hit its lowest ratings in four years on Sunday – just 124,000 viewers

    Surely this must dent any confidence we could have in Julie Christie’s Flag selection acumen, as well…
    … I feel for those poor vulture investment owners, they must like their stake Weldon…
    Charcoal here we come!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • linger, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    they must like their stake Weldon…

    the opposite of rare = dreadfully common.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to simon g,

    Story on 'The Block' becomes a headline for TV3's bulletin tonight. And it's not as though today is a slow news day.

    Apparently both TVNZ and TV3 news tonight decided not to cover Jane Kelsey et al beating Tim Groser in court. Longing for the day both networks are refused entry to court or parliament for no longer practicing journalism.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Alfie,

    Brian Edwards suggests that kiwis still see TVNZ as the only "legitimate" channel

    Silly old fogies like himself, he means. Probably correct.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Hilary Stace, in reply to Sacha,

    So frustrating that a lot of interesting and political news is censored. There was also a protest at parliament today against selling off state housing but that wasn't mentioned either.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Alfie,

    Brian Edwards suggests that kiwis still see TVNZ as the only "legitimate" channel, whatever that means. Some people might think it has more to do with TV3 management treating their viewers as imbeciles. Or maybe people just prefer entertainment?

    Time will tell.

    The irony is that TV3 had a pretty good understanding of the 3 News audience for a long time, and acted strategically on that understanding. Fuck knows what they're up to now.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to linger,

    the opposite of rare = dreadfully common

    and the Medium is the Massage
    oooh is that a tenderiser I see...
    runs!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Russell Brown,

    ...TV3 had a pretty good understanding of the 3 News audience for a long time, and acted strategically on that understanding.
    Fuck knows what they’re up to now.

    Case in point - watched some of Story last night - they had a piece on a woman chasing youths with a rifle from her shop with a broom - they had a very uncomfortable and ultimately pointless 'live to air', but never answered my immediate question - were the kids caught? (I think I saw the whole piece)

    Had to find that out on TV One news later in the night - sloppy reporting, let alone making a cohesive narrative...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    This follow up from the harold on the subject.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    Former Campbell reported Tristram Clayton has left TV3 along with entertainment editor Daniel Rutledge. The Herald reckons Kate Rodger may be the next to go...

    ... taking her global entertainment contacts with her and leaving TV3 with a gaping hole in its entertainment journalism.

    I can't see that being a problem as so much of TV3's "news" already qualifies as entertainment these days. Roger's departure worries me less because honestly, I'm not watching news looking for entertainment, I don't like being shouted at and I already fast forward through her reports.

    How low must morale be in the TV3 newsroom these days?

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Death spiral. Reduced viewers => cutbacks => lower quality => reduced viewers.

    I suspect we'll have no TV3 in 5 years, probably no conventional broadcast telly in 10 unless the government directly or indirectly props it up (in return for its utility as a propaganda channel).

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • chris, in reply to Alfie,

    3 News hit its lowest ratings in four years on Sunday – just 124,000 viewers compared to 590,000 sets of eyeballs glued to the government channel

    What struck me most about this is that this appears to be a battle for less than 20% of the population. Though the photo and caption is fairly pointed:

    Hilary Barry and Mike McRoberts present a “dynamic” front for 3 News.

    Despite the the fact that on either channel “the news” only takes up about half the show, I’m not sure about anyone else’s reference point but having spent an unreasonable period in a few countries where at least 1/3 of any nightly news hour isn’t devoted to the triviality that is sport because that would be ludicrous I’m genuinely impressed that the media and its commentators are able to accord the issue this much gravitas.

    http://thestandard.org.nz/gower-and-the-3-news-ratings-slump/

    Soaps.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report

  • chris,

    It's fairly difficult to envisage how things could get much worse.

    Auckland barrister Nicholas Taylor said clearly no system was fool proof.

    “Every legal system relies on compliance via threat of punishment If an individual wishes to break the law and obtain a firearm unlawfully and has no concern about the severe penalties that doing so will bring.

    “So really what TV3 are saying is that if you have absolutely no regard for the law or penalties that may be imposed then you can obtain a firearm.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    When TV3 relaunched 3rd Degree as 3D back in April, the show attracted an average of 203,000 viewers aged 5+ which is relatively healthy. But when 3D was buried in a later slot on Monday nights, the average audience dropped to just 81,000.

    Duncan Greive ponders the implications in Shabby treatment of 3D puts focus on Government funding.

    Why does this matter? Aren't private companies free to do as they wish with their programming, even if it does vastly diminish the public audience for these important stories?

    It matters because while TV3 parent MediaWorks is indeed a private company, 3D is made with public money: $567,420 from NZ on Air's platinum fund pays for 10 special "3D investigates" episodes a year. Which is all well and good if the programming created is treasured. But being shunted around the schedule so carelessly suggests otherwise.

    Greive suggests that Fairfax and MZME would give their eye teeth for that level of government funding to carry out investigative journalism. He has a point.

    When scarce NZonAir funding is given to a commercial company which then demonstrates obvious distain for the principles of public service broadcasting, maybe it's time to reaccess TV3's eligibility for such handouts.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Katharine Moody, in reply to Alfie,

    Couldn't agree more. Was contacted recently to give feedback to some survey company with respect to television programming. In asking our likes/dislikes and what we watched - there was no Maori TV programming included in the survey - yet we watch a whole lot of Maori TV .. in fact they consistently choose the best mainstream movies across all FTA channels. And their documentaries are excellent too and same goes for their current affairs programs. I had to tick the 'something else' box so often. They likely thought I was watching something else on payTV, but we don't get it and they didn't ask.

    Useless survey - I hope it wasn't a NZOA contracted survey!!!

    Wellington • Since Sep 2014 • 798 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    MuddierWorks announces its integrated news brand. Meh.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Business is tanking. so Weldon nickle-and-dimes MediaWonks staff on photocopying. That'll help morale.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Alfie, in reply to Sacha,

    MuddierWorks announces its integrated news brand. Meh.

    While newsroom integration appeals to accountants, it doesn’t always work that well in practice because writing for television requires different skills.

    When Sky News launched its 24 hour service in the UK in 1999 I was their first freelance video editor. They brought over a number of journalists from Murdoch’s other operations, mainly from The Times. These were all competent journos who could write well for print but received no specific training for TV journalism.

    When you’re writing for TV you need to let the pictures tell part of the story or you end up producing scripts that are very Lord Privy Seal or "stating the bleeding obvious”. It took us months to retrain them.

    And that penny-pinching business with the photocopier is just plain stupid.

    Meh indeed.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    It seems the new-found austerity at MediaWonks isn’t being applied across the board. MediaWorks has bought “hundreds of bottles” of wine over the past year from… wait for it… Mark Weldon’s Terra Sancta winery. I guess that sort of expenditure is approved when the boss gets to clip the ticket.

    The winery’s website explains its name: “It means ‘sacred earth’, or, in modern Kiwi, ‘special dirt’."

    Special dirt… really? I thought that was something Glucina produced? Of course anyone with a basic knowledge of latin could tell you that it actually means "holy land".

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • Alfie,

    More panic at MediaWonks... 3D may be dropped... cooking show cancelled... moving right along folks... no quality TV here.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

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