Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Press, Privacy and The Paps

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    I waver a bit about people who have deliberately used the chequebook system for profile and profit, and then don't want to be in the magazines.

    OK, I share your wobbling sympathies on that score but I think we both felt a wee bit ill at the sight of the salacious two-fer around Helen Clark and Don Brash's alleged sex-capades being justified with the old "they're public figures, therefore they've got to expect our noses in their underwear" tune. Just because they were stupid enough to let Paul Holmes into their houses (and Je Lin and Peter didn't welcome the toxic one with the business end of a lead pipe), that doesn't mean they asked for whatever else came crawling out of the sewer.

    In the end, if people get off on sceptic tank schadenfreude could they at least spare themselves -- and everyone else -- the hypocritical chuntering about the public interest? Lacking the courage of your nastiness does not make you nice.

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

  • Joanna,

    does using princess diana as example equate to something along the lines of godwins law?

    I'm not entirely sure but anyone saying something along the lines of "she was asking for it" makes me very uneasy.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report

  • ScottY,

    The most ghastly aspect of the Mau "outburst" was how Close Up did a story on it that night and invited Mike Hosking to comment. Talk about a news cycle. Getting TVNZ personalities to create the news, report the news, and interview other TVNZ personalities for comment about that news.

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report

  • Rich Lock,

    sceptic tank

    Is that something to do with the Fabians?

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report

  • recordari,

    Is that something to do with the Fabians?

    A socialist shrink tank?

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • stephen clover,

    You know how in the (Stateside ones in particular) gossip mags, much of the more 'speculative' material that purports to be gossip is in fact nothing like that, but rather carefully-orchestrated and scripted publicity exercises by "celebrities" and their PR/agents/so-on designed to get the "talent's" name in the public mind as a publicity tie-in to a new movie, a book, an award show, whatever...

    Anyone have any idea how much of the local stuff is like that?

    wgtn • Since Sep 2007 • 355 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    I'm not entirely sure but anyone saying something along the lines of "she was asking for it" makes me very uneasy.

    Hang on.

    She was paid an immense amount of money out of the pockets of the British taxpayer to be the royal family's glamour girl.

    She ran the equivalent of a political campaign to establish her brand in UK and world society. I'm not sure what the eventual aim was (William to be King ahead of his father? Personal glory? Just a symptom of her psychosis?) but the campaign was organised and unrelenting.

    Part of this is that she was in regular contact with journalists and papparazi to ensure her profile in the media. Pretending to hide from the media and be upset by it was all part of this game.

    On the night of her death, as Deborah states, she had the option of posing for a few photos and going back to sleep in the Ritz, or heading off to her lovers flat and being photographed doing so. She decided instead to take a risk and tear across town at high speed with a drunk, drugged driver.

    She was no more a victim than any kid who decides to go for a burn up and wipes out. Really.

    (Also, she's a historical figure now. I don't think non-denegration rules apply?)

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    Anyone have any idea how much of the local stuff is like that?

    Total guess, but I'd say not much. It doesn't really take much to get media attention here, you just have be semi-famous, and do something that isn't plain vanilla. Acting like a dick is a popular choice.

    You can understand it in the US, publicity is worth really big $, so having an orchestrated tabloid life makes sense for some stars. Here, the most people that will hear about it will be NZers, already a tiny pool, and notoriously stingy. I imagine the motivation would be the fame-in-NZ, rather than money.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    I'm not sure what the eventual aim was (William to be King ahead of his father? Personal glory? Just a symptom of her psychosis?) but the campaign was organised and unrelenting.

    I think her handlers would most likely have had that aim of raising the profile and popularity of the Royal family. It worked, for a while. If getting Harry to be King was a motivator for Diana (it seems far less likely than the appeal of being the Queen herself), then considering that he is also popular, the handlers might have also decided to run with that too. I don't know who these handlers are, although I'd imagine whoever the politicians in power at any given time are have a very large influence over the Royals. Sounds like Blair pretty much talked the Queen into the posthumous forgiving of Diana for all her sins, against all Her Majesty's personal feelings.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • philipmatthews,

    Anyone have any idea how much of the local stuff is like that?

    About three years ago, when I was at the Listener, I did a very in-house interview with Sido Kitchin, then newly appointed NZ Woman's Weekly editor. Sido had come back from Melbourne where she had been publicity manager for a TV network; at one point, she got Paris and Nicky Hilton over for the Melbourne Cup. This stuff about paparazzi was interesting:

    Usually, as a publicist, you protect their privacy to a certain extent. I hadn’t ever had the experience where I would take them out for a private dinner and the manager would say that they will be expecting paparazzi, so I was on the phone pulling in all the paparazzi. The Australian paparazzi weren’t used to it, either. These girls are alive once the camera’s on.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report

  • Alien Lizard (anag),

    taking the mickey...?
    meanwhile back at Bastion Point
    there is a memorial for an earlier
    Michael Savage

    Savage came to personify the Labour Party's commonsense humanitarian approach. He spoke with sincerity, eloquence and power, convincing many voters that he and his colleagues not only understood their problems but could be trusted to solve them.

    I just wish cloning was further along...
    maybe the gummint's sudden realisation that
    R&D and innovation is a good idea will help...

    The Arrrgh Complex • Since Jan 2010 • 158 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    but I'd say not much. It doesn't really take much to get media attention here, you just have be semi-famous, and do something that isn't plain vanilla. Acting like a dick is a popular choice.

    Here's a good example of orchestration. What was this guy actually doing with the schoolgirls again?
    Science!

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

  • Andre Alessi,

    My extremist idealism is probably showing through here, but whatever other considerations are in play, surely if someone says "I don't want you writing about my private life" to a journalist or publication, and they're not committing a crime, that should be the end of the matter, surely?

    I don't really see how someone's past history with the trash media abrogates that basic right to privacy.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    And don't call me Shirley.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Robbie Siataga,

    It doesn't really take much to get media attention here, you just have be semi-famous, and do something that isn't plain vanilla. Acting like a dick is a popular choice.

    but if that attention has the possibility to negatively impact on your career by way of a criminal conviction, then you can always apply for name supression as in, that fellow from a few months ago.

    in that case i'd say, trying to hide his shame by law has hindered his career more than if he'd outed himself, grovelled a bit and put the shame on the skuxx 16 yr olds trolling the streets at all all hours.

    Harpoons at the ready, it looks like we're heading into whale territory. :)

    Since Feb 2010 • 259 posts Report

  • Michael Savidge,

    That would be Michael Savidge. Real name.

    Hey, I didn't ask for this media intrusion y'know! :)

    Somewhere near Wellington… • Since Nov 2006 • 324 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Hey, I didn't ask for this media intrusion y'know! :)

    But we know you want it. Really ;)

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

  • Sam F,

    Perhaps on next week's show you can try and cover off what the hell is going on here?

    (Hat tip as ever to James Coe, Editing the Herald)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report

  • HORansome,

    These news stories about John Key are coming close to proving that, in contemporary journalism at least, correlation is causation.

    Tāmaki Makaurau • Since Sep 2008 • 441 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    And how about this one:

    Transtasman rower Shaun Quincey had drinking water and two copies of the Herald dropped to him yesterday.

    First he drank the water. Then he read the Herald and immediately turned the boat back.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • LegBreak,

    Shaun Quincey had drinking water and two copies of the Herald dropped to him yesterday

    Two? So he’s not doing this solo after all.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    The first copy always gets torn to shreds in anger. Everybody knows that.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • recordari,

    He was also low on toilet paper.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    That Key-makes-girls-swoon story is the logical conclusion of the Herald's ongoing handjob. I bloody hope that's where it ends, anyway.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Robbie Siataga,

    Without incurring the cross threading ire of your good selves. I'd like to see media 7 mention the current Kurariki affair with regards to the reporting of alleged events of a criminal act..ie the groping of journalists, in the media before it gets reported to police.

    It seems the police investigated after the "story" but the names of the reporters were withheld. If the crimes were serious enough to report then surely they'd be serious enough to warrant charges ? In which case their names should be reported and its not enough for them to say they would co operate with police after the fact.

    When the story becomes more about the journalists placing themselves in the story than the story or crime itself , then you know something somewhere is seriously fucked up and even more when they dont identify themselves.

    It may not be appropriate to say "Man up and grow a pair" to a woman, so what does one say instead ?..."oh you poor wee dears" ?

    And by not reporting anything Kurariki said, it conveniently covers their arse by not having him contravene his parole condition by speaking to media, which they should have known about, while effectively removing his right of reply.

    Makes me wonder if the intention was not just to entrap Bailey for the sake off good copy and rarking up right wing middle NZ with a another bit of sly brown yoof bashing.

    Since Feb 2010 • 259 posts Report

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