Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Cheers

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  • 81stcolumn,

    Cheers to you too RB. Not all wins are measured in cash, think of what a long way some of us have come since the start of system. Wish I had time to explain the scope of influence and goodness that comes from this.

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    This community is a taonga. Thank you all.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I should note that the above won't be the last Public Address post for the year. I'll start a Summer Reports thread and there'll be music posts because they're sponsored and it's a busy time for music.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • TracyMac,

    Thank you too, RB

    That's a damn shame about Amplifier, because I thought the way they sold music was great. High bitrates right from the start, simple downloads that didn't lock you into proprietary music players, and a good sampling scheme. I haven't been there for a while, because I loaded up on CDs last time I was in NZ. I'll have to get there in the next few days and plug some of my music library gaps.

    Canberra, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 701 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    The degree of enterprise required to stay airborne in this new world really bears noting. I met Peter Haynes, producer of the gaming web series AFK at a party last week, and the stuff he does just to keep getting noticed is remarkable.

    It used to be that whatever was in front of you was your world. I remember finishing school about 15 years ago, and it was whatever came across the radio or you could pick up in Real Groovy.

    It's now all accessible, and that is a very good thing. But we're still taken by the things that feel fresh, and come back to the places that feel like home and which sound like us.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to TracyMac,

    That’s a damn shame about Amplifier, because I thought the way they sold music was great.

    Yeah, it is – but it was a creature of its time, digital music retail is a vicious area now and Chris Hocquard et al have worked out that there's a more sustainable business in aggregating and managing music rights for independent artists, via DRM NZ.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Easterbrook,

    Cheers to you, Russell. Public Address has always been an island of refuge amongst the stress of life, and you and this community have always brought some measured, sane thought to balance my despair and frustration at many of the things that go on in this country.

    I’m eagerly awaiting your Metro feature on K Rd too; this street has featured in my life for 20 years, but the last two years it’s been the place I work from every day and it has been truly fascinating.

    Ever the optimist, I like to see the resurgent bFM, and the rise of The Spinoff, The Wireless, TransportBlog and others, as a natural reaction to the stifling of challenging voices by many of the big media powers and our politicians. The pressure’s been building for several years – sometime this year, I reckon something popped.

    Merry Christmas everyone!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 265 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Attachment

    Cheers Russell. Take a break, looking forward your print work.

    In Melbourne atm. Hot. Damn hot! Hot and dry, which great if you're at the beach and no good if you're downwind from a bush fire.

    Check out the red sky. That's in the North, not toward the setting sun, which is the pale part. You're seeing smoke there...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Mark Easterbrook,

    Ever the optimist, I like to see the resurgent bFM, and the rise of The Spinoff, The Wireless, TransportBlog and others, as a natural reaction to the stifling of challenging voices by many of the big media powers and our politicians. The pressure’s been building for several years – sometime this year, I reckon something popped.

    I've been thinking about this. Our traffic has been healthy for the past few months and I gather TransportBlog is the same. It does feel like something has popped or tipped or something.

    I need to have think over the break as to how best to respond.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Duncan Campbell,

    Thanks, Russ, for being an independent voice at a time when too many commentators are just following the path of least resistance. As one who spent 40+ years working in the MSM, I’m saddened by its steady decline. One has to go searching to find informed commentary and I believe the public is ill-served by media organisations that are focused almost exclusively on sound bites and click fodder. Keep up the good work, mate, and best to you and yours for the festive season.

    Since Nov 2014 • 4 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    Have a great break Russell. And thanks for everything.

    Looking back at the launch of *this* incarnation of your site (9 years ago), I see it worked on a Nokia 770. Which made me very happy at the time :-)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Duncan Campbell,

    One has to go searching to find informed commentary

    It’s the commentary that worries me. There’s some kickass news reporting been done this year, but the quality and insight of print column-writing seems worse than ever.

    Part of the problem is that it’s simply not valued – either in financial terms, or by editors who figure they’ll get more clicks out of celebrities and MSM trolls.

    I would not, of course, discount the idea that all these people writing commentary for free has contributed to that devaluation.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Don Christie,

    Looking back at the launch of *this* incarnation of your site (9 years ago), I see it worked on a Nokia 770. Which made me very happy at the time :-)

    Ha ha!

    And before iPhones and everything!

    ;-)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Attachment

    Journalistic decline solved. Not enough glitter.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Journalistic decline solved. Not enough glitter.

    A bunch of those turn up at your local $2 shop after Scout folded?

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    A bunch of those turn up at your local $2 shop after Scout folded?

    Popped up on the Horny-Handed Subs of Toil Facebook group.

    Subs were doing bleak career humour years before reporters.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Koha sent your way - keep on keeping on!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Koha sent your way – keep on keeping on!

    You're too kind. No, really, you are.

    Might I say Ian, that I take inspiration from the things you do.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    At least it feels like summer is nearly here . Across the straits fire is brewing. But here in the Pine Valley the grass is still growing. Looking forward to New Year at Castle Point. A merry Xmas and a substantial new year to you Russell.

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Freezing cold southerly and horizontal rain greeting shocked lightly clad visitors at Wellington airport tonight. Just a reminder I suppose to take nothing for granted, even summer.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    The thing that unnerves me about the impending demise of Amplifier is its video archive. It has a decent selection of New Zealand music videos, many of which can't be found online anywhere else.

    Amplifier uses a dated Windows Media format so it's complicated to watch on a Mac, but it can be done. But come 2016, at least 35 videos will be gone, with no other online source.

    I'm a little upset about this.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • chris, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    http://www.downloadhelper.net/install

    There's possibly a Mac equivalent also, I only test downloaded the one video. It was successful but at 8.7MB the res left a bit to the imagination.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Popped up on the Horny-Handed Subs of Toil Facebook group.

    Subs were doing bleak career humour years before reporters.

    The Mini Glitter Gel Pen is a particularly impressive touch.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    The thing that unnerves me about the impending demise of Amplifier is its video archive. It has a decent selection of New Zealand music videos, many of which can’t be found online anywhere else ...

    I’m a little upset about this.

    Thanks for the heads-up. I suppose the masters of those videos being around is too much to hope for, but I'll let NZOS/Audioculture know.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Katita,

    and next year will mark a scarcely-credible 25 years since Hard News was born as a weekly radio rant on 95bFM

    That can't be right ... I remember tuning in on the am/fm radio in my Mini. But if that was 25 years ago, then I'd be 48 now ... bloody hell.
    Merry Christmas Russell and the Public Address gang. Thanks for another great year.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 67 posts Report Reply

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