Posts by Public Servant on a tea-break.

  • Hard News: The Wellington Cables,

    @Public Servant, this is pretty common practise in journalism. Companies pay business/economics reporters to attend product launches around NZ and overseas.

    Thanks Danyl.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: The Wellington Cables,

    Thing is, we very probably did. As Danyl notes, his partner included a declaration with her stories and I strongly suspect the others did the same.

    In that case Russell, you follow journalists closer than I do, which is what I'd expect.

    While I do try to follow politicians, I don't follow journalists that closely. I didn't know about this trips. I'm pretty sure that on their broadcasts for TVNZ and 3 News Guy Espiner and Ali Ikram didn't mention it. I don’t recall Katherine Ryan mentioning it at all.

    And how does anyone declare that the specialist editors / or newsroom bosses such as Guy Espiner, Cliff Joiner, and Justin Short had accepted an invitation to the US? What influence over the news reports would editors have, don’t they pick what gets to be aired in the first place?

    I confess, I don’t know if the proper declarations were printed on the online article which accompanies news reports, but how many people actually go to the online article if they have already seen / heard a broadcasted item?

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: The Wellington Cables,

    The more interesting one would be whether any Sunday Star Times journalists have participated in the scheme.

    Espiner was a 'Sunday Star times' employee when he went.

    Other print reporters who went: Audry Young 'New Zealand herald', and Nicky Venter "Dominion post'.

    You are talking this down, but remember this aspect of the story is really the only one we didn't already know.

    Don Brash was pro Nuke ships, John Key is considered pro-American, Helen Clark a controlling manager with a funny and warm side. This stuff we all knew, if we were paying attention. The banner line, "Journalists targeted to promote US views" we didn't know - at least I didn't.

    Espiner claims his trip was career development, yet it was career development not paid for by his employers, but by a third party. That party being the US tax payer through the State department.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: The Wellington Cables,

    might be incompetence rather than conspiracy ....

    Undoubtedly, but it is unfortunate I couldn't link to the piece online to back my statement up.

    However, I have located a copy. 'Sunday Star-Times' page A5 lists the following journalists as having taken the free US trip offer.

    TVNZ’s political editor Guy Espiner
    Nine to Noon host Katherine Ryan
    TVNZ’s One News boss Cliff Joiner
    Garth Bray
    3 New’s Chief of Staff Justin Short
    and reporter Ali Ikram

    So, no reporting from TVNZ or 3 News then. I would be surprised if it turns up on Nine to Noon either.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: The Wellington Cables,

    Did either ONe News or 3 News cover this at all ?

    If they didn’t, it wouldn’t be that surprising.

    In the “Sunday Star-Times” article yesterday, a number of journalists were listed who were considered by the US to be “open-minded” and received free trips to the States, where I assume they were made more “open-minded”.

    This lot was reported by the “Sunday Star-Times” to include key people in the TVNZ and TV3 news rooms. Unfortunately, while the front page article is available online, yesterday’s page three expansion on that article naming the reporters isn’t. www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/4449679/WikiLeaks-Kiwi-leak/

    Would you want to run a story about your own reporters being subverted?

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

  • OnPoint: Did you know we're in a recession?,

    Excellent post Keith. Nice to see someone is actually checking the lines English is using against statistics.

    Of course Bill English should know every point you have made, or his time at Treasury was wasted. It is just a sign of how much the government needs good news in the current recession that Bill English is running these lines. I'm sure he would rather report good news, if there was some.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: The Whankernui Factor,

    I was really hoping for a good showing from Glibertarian.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Bill's Troubles,

    "the electorate has returned its National Party MP since the party came into existence in 1938"

    Actually, for most of that time the electorate was Wallace (which was the electorate English originally entered parliament for. I just can't have details wrong on the internet.

    "that's barely less than the minimum wage ($12.5*40*52=$26,000, against a standard MP's allowance of $24,500)."

    Isn't an allowance tax free, unlike wages?

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Bill's Troubles,

    "Having mitigation strategies such as insurance and trusts is not swindling, it is the only sane, rational approach."

    I quite agree with you Don, there is a place for this sort of thing. A division between business and your home.

    I can't see that place in relation to Bill English's house though, seriously he is the National Party MP for Clutha-Southland. That is a job for life, the electorate has returned its National Party MP since the party came into existence in 1938 with huge majorities. The National Party could stand a concrete block with a blue rosette, and if it didn't win over its nearest rival by over 10,000 votes there would be a re-count.

    What possible financial risk could Bill English be facing that needs his house to be in a trust?

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Bowie for the BDO?,

    “Would you like David Bowie headlining the Big Day Out next year?”

    Will he be singing the Concords' ‘Bowie'?

    That would be quite an incentive to get along.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2008 • 67 posts Report Reply

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