Hard News by Russell Brown

Read Post

Hard News: "Creative" and "Flexible"

679 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 18 19 20 21 22 28 Newer→ Last

  • Cecelia,

    Geoff, as a Media Studies expert, what do you think of the Facebook phenomenon of Save Radio NZ. 14,000 fans now and a protest outside parliament planned for tomorrow. People will have little radios tuned into RNZ. (Concert FM is tucked up in the whole surge of public outrage about Nat Rad)

    Hibiscus Coast • Since Apr 2008 • 559 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Gio: it is back there, as a general refrain. I just don't want to personalise things, when it is the ideas which are so important here.

    And I'd like to be told who wrote that and where, because I get the strong impression that this general refrain has existed only in the heads of the people who are arguing against Concert, and not in the actual words of those who are arguing for.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    Hey, that's *my* soul station, Geoff! I am brandishing my brick from the Stax building as we speak.

    some of the genres you're advocating for are in fact at least represented on our airwaves

    Commercial stations play an extraordinarily narrow range of songs, though. So to use soul as an example, your average oldies station would play the requisite five or ten Motown songs and nothing else, droned into your head repetitively for months on end, familiarity breeding contempt. It's depressing when you think about what they could dig up if they had the option. Instead, thousands and thousands of amazing recordings are left to a few hard-core fans or Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour. And it would be the same for nearly any musical genre, probably. Ecchhh.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    The Plasticine Man

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Hey, that's *my* soul station, Geoff! I am brandishing my brick from the Stax building as we speak.

    Grovel, grovel. I will beat myself over the head with a stack of student essays. Of course it is!! I could send you my ticket stub from the Al Green concert as an act of contrition.

    Geoff, as a Media Studies expert, what do you think of the Facebook phenomenon of Save Radio NZ.

    Hmm. "Expert' Never did like that word. I think FB can prove its worth in such times but I wonder what political impact it might be having. Certainly the comments on FB have not been of the same calibre as the commentaries here.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    In the end, I just find it hard to swallow the NZ Herald as the white knight riding to the rescue of public service broadcasting

    But no one's asking you to. It's just one columnist (who I'm not sure is even a full-time employee) making some worthwhile points in a column. I think it's more useful to address those points than change the subject to what buggers APN are.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    I'd certainly applaud a little honest self-examination on that score.

    I'd also applaud it, but I sure don't expect it.

    My idea of hell would be serving on the board of Creative New Zealand or NZ on Air.

    Hah, I have the lever that can break u now! Ranapia won't talk, eh? Put him on the .... Board!! Muaahaha!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Nevertheless, publically I would most probably defend the continuing existence of Concert FM if it is shown to be serving a public godo, its demise would cause great concern, people would be out of a job etc.

    More than a hundred people have lost jobs at TVNZ (there are only about 10 jobs at Concert), so I'm not sure maintaining employment is sufficient in itself. But Concert delivers various things for its budget that the government would have to find ways of funding anyway.

    It's an efficient part of the cultural infrastructure, and while dumping it might satisfy some people, I fear you'd lose more than you gained.

    As a compromise position, I would also support sensitive and appropriate underwriting or commercial sponsorship

    I would too. But I'd be wary about how much of that sort of financial support is really available. You'd also be looking at cost-of-sale issues -- do we want Concert to add four staff whose only role is sales? -- and the impact on the rest of the cultural sector.

    It's much easier to prescribe sponsorship than actually make it work.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    My review meeting is in an hour, how do you get Creative NZ Funding again?

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Roger Lacey,

    There's huge sums of corporate sponsorship sloshing around at the moment. Just look at how oversubscribed Eden Park is with any number of companies prepared to chuck in a few million in to make up the shortfall. I'm sure that Statins-R-Us or someone similar would come to the party and pay for Concert FM.
    Oh wait, that banging my head on the desk has knocked the lid off the Ados.

    Whatakataka Bay Surf Club… • Since Apr 2008 • 148 posts Report Reply

  • Robbie Siataga,

    "Nothing is perfect
    In the space where nothing exists
    will one find perfection
    The perfect nothing

    Accept nothing as fact
    Question everything
    Determine your own truth
    Define your own reality

    BE YOUR OWN MESSIAH..."

    ahhh yes... words to live by

    My review meeting is in an hour, how do you get Creative NZ Funding again?

    swallow...don't spit :)

    Since Feb 2010 • 259 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    swallow...don't spit :)

    Maybe just a trickle "like a genius".

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Robbie Siataga,

    heh...and no gargling. Thats just showing off.

    but you're saying 60 years of the music of one end of one country has as much "cultural capital" as 600 years of the music of the entire western hemisphere?

    Actually no. I'd say C&W has more just cos of Charlie Pride, Freddie Fender and the Dixie Chicks and what the hell, Keith Urban just cos he's an NZer.

    Where as in the whole 600 years of the western hemisphere as defined by classsical music. There weren't, if any, women, blacks, hispanics and certainly no Kiwi's in its probably first 500 years.

    Besides we're in the southern hemisphere and some of us don't take to kindly to them northern/western suns of beaches on cultural issues.

    But that's beside the point. Its a question of relevence in the modern world. The concert program has had a good run, the music has had it's day in the sun, it lived a good life, let it die with dignity :)

    I'm all for hiphop but if it were in the same case i would have put it to sleep decades ago.

    Since Feb 2010 • 259 posts Report Reply

  • Jan Farr,

    True, but I'd also not particularly like to live in a society that prioritized the past over the future too much.

    Actually, Ben, as others have said before, there's nowhere for the future to arise from but the past. And is anyone in this debate actually yearning for the past at the expense of the present? If so, I've missed it.

    I'd argue that works by Charles Goldie and Peter McIntyre are somewhat more relevant to our nation than the Well Tempered Clavier.

    Danyl perhaps when you argue about the science it sounds more knowledgeable and contemporary.

    Carterton • Since Apr 2008 • 395 posts Report Reply

  • philipmatthews,

    Actually no. I'd say C&W has more just cos of Charlie Pride, Freddie Fender and the Dixie Chicks and what the hell, Keith Urban just cos he's an NZer.

    Where as in the whole 600 years of the western hemisphere as defined by classsical music. There weren't, if any, women, blacks, hispanics and certainly no Kiwi's in its probably first 500 years.

    You've confused cultural capital and multiculturalism.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    True, but I'd also not particularly like to live in a society that prioritized the past over the future too much.

    I'd say a culture that doesn't know its past -- even the unfashionable and/or socio-politically uncomfortable bits -- doesn't have a future worth the having. Also a relevant corollary: The cultural cringe inverted is just as noxious and short-sighted as the original recipe.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler,

    Where as in the whole 600 years of the western hemisphere as defined by classsical music. There weren't, if any, women, blacks, hispanics and certainly no Kiwi's in its probably first 500 years.

    Umm, the part about women is a reasonable point, but the rest would be like me complaining about the lack of Chinese artists performing Delta Blues in the 30's. And even that's assuming that your definition of 'Hispanic' doesn't, like, include Spain.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Jan Farr,

    Just in terms of some of the judgements being made about cultural value/cultural capital (evoking Bourdieu) eg classical music is 'serious'.

    Who said that?

    I was attempting to avoid naming names but Jan Farr did so some time back,

    I know it's me but I'm buggered if I can find that comment.

    Perhaps it's me too, because I'm buggered if I can remember making it. I don't even know what it means. I think I did say that you had to pay attention to it or something of the sort.

    Carterton • Since Apr 2008 • 395 posts Report Reply

  • Jan Farr,

    Who said that?

    Well, I approvingly quoted Jan Farr as saying that CONCERT music is serious, rather than 'classical' music.

    And I really think that's an important distinction. People seem to have run off with the idea that we're only talking old world classical music when we're defending Concert Radio.

    Carterton • Since Apr 2008 • 395 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Hah, I have the lever that can break u now! Ranapia won't talk, eh? Put him on the .... Board!! Muaahaha!

    Thanks you, Ben, I expose my soft wet liberal pussy heart and that's what I get. I'm just going to have to go eat a baby now -- and it's ALL YOUR FAULT. Harumph. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Nimmo,

    For clarity - Jan Farr, page 9:

    Because it doesn't come in little sound bites. Concerts take time and concentration. Concerts are about serious music - not necessarily European classical music - Indonesian gamelan and Hirini Melbourne and Richard Nunns recreation of early Maori music, for instance. Music with something to say. You certainly don't want to be dragged out of it at the end of every movement and told which firm to buy your mobile phone from.

    Wellington • Since May 2009 • 97 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    I'd say a culture that doesn't know its past -- even the unfashionable and/or socio-politically uncomfortable bits -- doesn't have a future worth the having.

    Gonna call bollocks on that. I'd way rather be a culture with no past than one with no future. I think that feeling was even stronger in the days of my forefathers.

    Actually, Ben, as others have said before, there's nowhere for the future to arise from but the past.

    Metaphysics at this hour? Both past and future are human constructs. Certainly the future can't affect the past, but there's nothing that says the past must affect the future. That is the fallacy of induction.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Robbie Siataga,

    You've confused cultural capital and multiculturalism.

    Probably. In this instance, i was thinking in terms of accruing non material wealth from diverse ethnic/cultural backgrounds in the form of music, which then adds value and influences the wider mainstream culture.

    not the same thing ?

    complaining about the lack of Chinese artists performing Delta Blues in the 30's. And even that's assuming that your definition of 'Hispanic' doesn't, like, include Spain.

    fair cop, my bad...i'm tempted to look for some japanese hillbilly stuff now ?

    Since Feb 2010 • 259 posts Report Reply

  • Jan Farr,

    That is the fallacy of induction.

    Try it. Come up with something COMPLETELY original. Go on! No cheating now - no using an established language - or alphabet or anything passe like that.

    Carterton • Since Apr 2008 • 395 posts Report Reply

  • Christopher Nimmo,

    There weren't, if any, women, blacks, hispanics and certainly no Kiwi's in its probably first 500 years.

    Soooooo clearly the people who assembled this list were just making it up?

    I'd particularly like to draw your attention to the name of Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), with whom many timelines of Western 'classical' music commence. Sure, this list is much, much thinner - until the twentieth century - than a list of male composers would be, but a list of, say, female artists would be just as unbalanced.

    Wellington • Since May 2009 • 97 posts Report Reply

First ←Older Page 1 18 19 20 21 22 28 Newer→ Last

Post your response…

Please sign in using your Public Address credentials…

Login

You may also create an account or retrieve your password.