Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Crossing the line into idle bigotry

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  • Sacha, in reply to Scott Chris,

    what is it about some retailers? :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    I don’t get either Scott or Angus’ positions. Cox has no right to appear in a newspaper – no proprietor is obliged to print his words. If they print them, that’s because they wanted to, and if they want to and do so, they deserve all the blame they get.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson, in reply to Sacha,

    There is no level playing field or ‘free market’ for denigratory speech.

    In a Fairfax paper there is generally a left wing fuddy-duddy or two employed to balance the field.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Scott Chris,

    Yeah but it only operates at the margins of society, and that’s where it will stay if we don’t suppress it with censorship.

    Then again, the exposure of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion as a political forgery didn't stop it from falling into the wrong hands. The rest as they say is history.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Angus Robertson,

    In a Fairfax paper there is generally a left wing fuddy-duddy or two employed to balance the field.

    You're right. But why do right-wing fuddy duddies seem to be taken a lot more seriously than left-wing fuddy duddies? John Minto had a regular column on the Fairfax web not too long ago, and far from giving him a podium, it largely preached to the choir. Chris Trotter is slightly better, but only just.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    and both those examples are.. old white men.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Young,

    Ye gods. It looks as if the fundies are transitioning from targeting LGBTs as their preferred object of the Three Minutes Hate session to Muslims, with conspiratorial sentiments that similarly attribute the Downfall of Western Civilisation to them. I recommend Martha Nussbaum, the excellent US philosopher, as a corrective to these diatribes.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 573 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Martin Lindberg,

    That distiction is probably a bit too subtle for Mr Cox.

    But it’s not fucking subtle at all – if anyone wants to equate all Catholics of Irish descent with the IRA I’ll have some words to share. They’ll be short, sharp and not fit for company, but that’s really not my problem. :)

    With the appointment of Don Brash yes-man Richard Long (the long-time Dom editor, not the newscaster) to the TVNZ board, it’s quite plausible Paul Henry will be returning to our screens.

    I’m going to regret asking this, but would you care to show your working for that conclusion, Red? It's actually a non-trivial allegation you're making there, so at least make an argument instead of an assertion.

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

  • Kyle Matthews,

    With the appointment of Don Brash yes-man Richard Long (the long-time Dom editor, not the newscaster) to the TVNZ board, it’s quite plausible Paul Henry will be returning to our screens.

    Sadly he's been on our screens with "Would I lie to you" on TV3 for several months now.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    With the appointment of Don Brash yes-man Richard Long (the long-time Dom editor, not the newscaster) to the TVNZ board, it’s quite plausible Paul Henry will be returning to our screens.

    I’m going to regret asking this, but would you care to show your working for that conclusion, Red? It’s actually a non-trivial allegation you’re making there, so at least make an argument instead of an assertion.

    Long is joining the board, Henry is in negotiations to to return to a hosting role. I don't think the two things are connected.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    Sadly he’s been on our screens with “Would I lie to you” on TV3 for several months now.

    I'm not clear on what his contractual situation is with TV3, but I assume any buying out of his contract would be occasion for a shitstorm.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    TV3 broadcast a pretty calm 'news' story last night that noted the TVNZ interest in Henry and his Mediaworks contract.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Quite. Frankly I don’t think job creation (for Paul Henry) is terribly high on the vast right-wing conspiracy bucket list. But, hey… let’s hope market forces really are in play at TVNZ. Henry corpsed in Australia’s notoriously tacky, cut-throat and unsentimental breakfast television market, and Would I Lie To You? isn’t exactly crushing the ratings for Three. Stick a fork in Paul, folks, he’s done.

    I’m not clear on what his contractual situation is with TV3, but I assume any buying out of his contract would be occasion for a shitstorm.

    Can't imagine it would be cheap either, especially at a time I get the clear impression Three isn't exactly awash in the dough-ray-me.

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

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    But it’s not fucking subtle at all – if anyone wants to equate all Catholics of Irish descent with the IRA I’ll have some words to share.

    Of course you are right, and the IRA - Catholics comparison is a useful illustration of people conflating political and religious motives and then ascribing them to the one they dislike the most. Thus anything the IRA does (or did) is becuse they are Catholics and anything the Taliban does is because they are Muslims. It's easier that way.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    The heart of the matter is, there seems to be just as many people who want Paul Henry back on the box as those who want Australia to keep him.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • izogi, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    The heart of the matter is, there seems to be just as many people who want Paul Henry back on the box as those who want Australia to keep him.

    The Australian satarists would certainly be disappointed. These guys make fun of Paul Henry in some way nearly every week. (Link from 4.37 in.)

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    FWIW, the SMH are describing the failure of Henry's show largely as, my words, a production error saying of Henry:

    …it was worryingly off-brand for Ten, a network which has always prided itself on being inventive, original and never faltering in its clear focus on its younger audience. In contrast, Breakfast was predictable, derivative and – with a cranky, 52-year-old front and centre – seemingly pitched at an older, conservative audience which was never, and is still not, part of Tens's heartland.

    Full story here.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to izogi,

    Priceless. Sad that he kept saying "We", meaning Australians, when it's so patently clear Australians don't see it that way. Um, Paul, you've got a kiwi accent. No, really, you do.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    The problem is and always has been extremists. Extremist muslims, extremist catholics, extreme unionists, extreme republicans, extreme libitarians, extreme atheists …

    The difficulty is separating the first part from the second part. It isn’t muslims that are a problem it’s extremists, it isn’t unions that are a problem it’s the extremists.

    For a newspaper it is just a bit more complex to make that distinction. So when you get lazy op-ed writers they bundle all muslims up with the extremists. My brother-not-in-law was born in Iran and raised a muslim, he’s a hell of a nice guy whose been contributing to New Zealand for nearly two decades.

    It’s just lazy to conflate my brother-not-in-law with some madman who shot a little girl in the head.

    Actually it’s not just lazy it’s offensive.

    And that’s where the Times needs to get it’s shit together. By publishing this drivel they have offended a huge number of people … not just muslim New Zealanders but the their friends and families and workmates.

    The media has responsibilities. Do the editors of the Times really want to push for a society where my brother-not-in-law is harrased because of the actions of some extremists.? Does anyone want to actually live in a country like that?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Does anyone want to actually live in a country like that?

    Let's ask those clamouring for the return of 'wit' and 'commonsense' to NZ tv in the form of Mr Henry.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Sacha,

    Isn't just plain weird that, having failed, Henry's returning to NZ from Australia but Key's poster child is going the other way having been failed.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I’m not clear on what his contractual situation is with TV3, but I assume any buying out of his contract would be occasion for a shitstorm.

    I was tremendously happy that we'd exported him to Australia and they were paying for us to not see him being a dick. We could pass a hat around couldn't we for them to keep him?

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Scott Chris, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Stick a fork in Paul, folks, he’s done.

    Maybe but in spite of his redneckery, he’s not a stupid man. Perhaps he’ll return, suitably chastened and rehabilitated.

    I’m inclined to draw a distinction between the context of Paul’s and Cox’s utterances though, in that a state broadcaster has more incumbent responsibility to uphold ethical standards than does a privately owned regional newspaper.

    Auckland • Since Feb 2012 • 167 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    I was tremendously happy that we’d exported him to Australia and they were paying for us to not see him being a dick.

    +1 billion.

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Scott Chris,

    a state broadcaster has more incumbent responsibility to uphold ethical standards than does a privately owned regional newspaper

    Not under our current laws. Publishing is a privilege that brings responsibilities.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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