Hard News by Russell Brown

Given the bilingual intent, in practice, how will you say the title? the two co-hosts simultaneously using different pronunciations of “take”? or only use the te reo pronunciation?

at issue, at issue...

Given the bilingual intent ...

... and the various meanings of 'take'

4. (noun) base, foot (of a hill, etc.).
Tāpukea ngā take o ngā rākau ki te maniua, engari kia tūpato kei hutihutia ngā pakiaka / Cover round the bases of the trees with manure but be careful not to pull up the roots.

Hang on!
Isn't that the new description of journalism?
;- )

I'm really pleased at the way your show has evolved with changing circumstances. However, the site has the show's description as:

A media commentary show with Russell Brown and Toi Iti, who analyse the weekly news to determine a lack of balance, inaccuracies or lies plaguing the media world.

I'm sure you're much more than that. Congratulations again.

Toi Titi

Toi Iti :-)

Toi Titi

Toi Iti :-)

Worst typo ever. I'm operating somewhat over capacity at the moment.

Interesting that your 'Take' involves face to face discussions with the journalists and is not like the ABCs Media Watch, which doesnt require their participation, and in my opinion is able to offer a much more critical review.

Is there a problem in that your media review is partly like travel journalism which as we know is mostly sponsored by the places visited. Im not saying its the fawning kind but if your format requires 'guests' where you then take their head off, they sure arent coming back in the small pond of NZ journalism.

Interesting that your ‘Take’ involves face to face discussions with the journalists and is not like the ABCs Media Watch, which doesnt require their participation, and in my opinion is able to offer a much more critical review.

Well, that's certainly a much more comfortable platform from which to lecture, but that's not what our show is, or has ever been. We've always made a point of talking to media creators and decision-makers.

Looking forward to the show. Are you brushing up Maori language, btw?

Yeah, RB mentioned that when it was first announced the media show was moving to Māori.

We’ve always made a point of talking to media creators and decision-makers.

I note that Hiwi & Pat Tauroa’s guide to marae protocol puts the word in a highly relevant context:

The taki , the representative of Tane Mahuta, is placed before you, to invite you to come in peace, while recognising that you may have a take (a reason) for which harsh words may need to be spoken.

–Hiwi & Pat Tauroa (1986) Te Marae, a guide to customs & protocol. Auckland: Reed Methuen. Pp. 33-34.

Is there a problem in that your media review is partly like travel journalism which as we know is mostly sponsored by the places visited. Im not saying its the fawning kind but if your format requires ‘guests’ where you then take their head off, they sure arent coming back in the small pond of NZ journalism.

Yes, and Russell’s interviewing technique is somewhat in the mould of Geoff Robinson – very polite and courteous (which I personally prefer). But you’ll also notice that Russell gives his interviewees a lot of rope. Pretty often they’ll use this rope to hang themselves at some point during the interview; sometimes they don’t even notice that they’ve done it because it's all happened so subtly.

It’s pretty clever.

Well, that’s certainly a much more comfortable platform from which to lecture, but that’s not what our show is, or has ever been. We’ve always made a point of talking to media creators and decision-makers.

And frankly, you don’t have to be Andrew Bolt to find ABC’s Media Watch can be a little circle jerky and not particularly insightful into how and why things happen.

Yep, I'm a fan of the school of "let them hang them with their own rope". Interviewers don't have to indulge in Paxton-style rants to achieve very revealing insights. There is a difference between "let them talk" and the "soft soap" treatment.

Not to say a good berating isn't satisfying sometimes, but I don't think it's necessarily any better journalism.

As for pronouncing the programme name, I'm assuming it'll be bicultural as well, especially since "media" is an English-only word. Media Take.

May have to write ta-ke to get some folk reading it that way.
Or even tah-keh.

May have to write ta-ke to get some folk reading it that way.
Or even tah-keh.

It sounds the same in Japanese, too:

メディア丈

Or:

メディア長

Not to say a good berating isn’t satisfying sometimes, but I don’t think it’s necessarily any better journalism.

Sometimes it's appropriate to thump the desk, but not all the time.

...since “media” is an English-only word. Media Take.

can it take a macron? (as it were)
...only if you are Young Turks it seems
and ya wouldn't want that!

can it take a macron? (as it were)

Heh. That would open a right old can o’ worms, given the source of the show’s funding.

Tāke (or Taake) also means “tax” – as in the Department of Island Revenue’s Māori title, Te Tari Taake.

can it take a macron? (as it were)

I note that sprinkling words from one language into another is sometimes called macaronic...

Tāke (or Taake) also means “tax” – as in the Department of Island Revenue’s Māori title, Te Tari Taake.

Except that the "Taake" in Te Tari Taake is a transliteration, rather than a word that existed in Maori. A perfectly good way for words to come into a language, of course.

Show us your tithes!

Department of 'Island' (Inland) Revenue’s Māori title, Te Tari Taake.

Well, it is your job to be fair, too...

I understand Shane Jones is the head of 'Island Revenue' these days...
:- )

I note that sprinkling words from one language into another is sometimes called macaronic…

Might have to check that on Wikipedia.

Except that the “Taake” in Te Tari Taake is a transliteration, ..,

Because the Department of Inland Revenue taakes your money.

(Or should that be the Dept of Island Revenue, as Russell put it).

Because the Department of Inland Revenue taakes your money.

Which is exactly the spin we used to put on it, when I worked there.

Shit, did I say that out loud?