Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Mediaworks: The only horizon they see

101 Responses

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  • andin,

    TV3’s programming strategy

    Thats a euphemism for whatever they think their doing!

    Julie Christie’s actions ..... appointing herself to a new senior management position and then mouthing off

    Reminds me or a saying about leopards and their spots

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    So sad about this. I am not a great TV watcher but it was good to know that you could rely on Campbell Live to tell the stories of ‘real ordinary’ people. And you could tell he had a happy cohesive team, such a rare thing these days. So many issues wouldn’t have gained traction without his input and hundreds of thousands of eyes and ears, most recently zero hours contracts.

    I just hope he got a good payout, can de-stress and will pop up soon with a free rein on prime time TV1. Which will one day become our public broadcaster again.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • phplad,

    I'm fuming over this, Wheldon has a lot to answer for.
    Time to crowd fund a real news agency so we actually know what happening in what used to be our country.

    New Zealand • Since Aug 2014 • 17 posts Report Reply

  • Stewart,

    the people who watch it weren’t sticking around for the fare Mediaworks was choosing to screen after it.

    Which indicates they are screening stuff that people don't want to watch and axing the wrong show.

    Your 'exit play' scenario is depressing - the whole shebang is seen as a vehicle for a big pay-out rather than having any intrinsic worth.
    Total fucking sell-out by Christie et al. (Poor old al always get included in the blame.)

    Te Ika A Maui - Whakatane… • Since Oct 2008 • 577 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Broadcast TV's in a death spiral, right?

    Viewers are switching to TV on demand (etc), revenues are falling, quality is dropping,
    causing more viewers to cut the cord.

    The corollary to this is that the rump of viewers are people too <strike>old* or</strike> stupid to work computers, who will tend to be increasingly conservative, or at least grumpy.

    * Old people *can* work computers. Dad is 85 and has five Macs. But then he used to fly fighter planes and helicopters for a job.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    John Campbell is good and excellent at what he does/did - it doesn't seem to matter much in NZ

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    I won't be shedding any tears now for TV3 if it ever goes bankrupt again. Maybe RadioNZ could take Campbell on board again?

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

  • Jason Kemp,

    Broadcast TV’s in a death spiral, right?

    It was reported that John had a 3 year contract and only 1 year of that was tied to Campbell Live so it is probable he knew long ago likely scenarios and outcomes. Linda Clark will have been working hard and the upswing in audience numbers will hopefully have made some difference.

    The reality is that selective viewers of broadcast TV don’t pay the bills. TV3 has been bailed out at least twice before and the last reorganisation saw something like $500m written off by a consortium of banks and other owners.

    Campbell Live was the last watchable show on TV3 and that is a sad thing. Apart from a few selected shows no-one in my home has watched regular TV for years.

    With an unlimited data (connection) and a choice we are close to 100% online. Ironically we watch TV shows we missed on broadcast and some of them have 7+ years of series available – all with no ads or a handful like on Hulu.

    Occasionally we watch Maori TV – it seems strange that is the last local bastion of thoughtful TV in NZ. Al Jazeera is good – although a little unrelenting for longer viewing.

    Hopefully John will have a holiday and be successful somewhere else.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 368 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    Kathryn Ryan might be worried....

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Jason Kemp,

    The reality is that selective viewers of broadcast TV don’t pay the bills. TV3 has been bailed out at least twice before and the last reorganisation saw something like $500m written off by a consortium of banks and other owners.

    That debt was almost entirely loaded on Mediaworks by Ironbridge, the basket-case private equity firm that bought Mediaworks – it was the consequence of the leverage Ironbridge took on to make the acquisition, just before the GFC.

    Under its former management, Mediaworks (and even TV3) was making an operating profit, even while it was in receivership. It just couldn’t service the debt Ironbridge inflicted on it.

    One of the lessons of this saga is about the insanity of the private equity model.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Jason Kemp,

    It was reported that John had a 3 year contract

    I've seen/heard reported today that he was offered one and turned it down - presumably over some unpalatable aspects.

    What a bloody waste of talent.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Our friend Phil Wallington is really annoyed about this on RNZ.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Kathryn Ryan might be worried

    Jane Bowron echoes your thought on Stuff.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Jason Kemp,

    Here are the numbers for TV 3 from Brian Gaynor Big effort needed for MediaWorks bonuses

    An increase in MediaWorks' equity value from $207 million as at September 30, 2014 to $608 million, which was the company's value when it was acquired by Ironbridge Capital in 2007, would deliver a bonus of up to $40 million for directors and senior executives."

    TV3 with revenue of $250m is still a large business but in decline.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 368 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens, in reply to Sacha,

    Personally, I think the dog's breakfast that is RNZ afternoons could do with Campbell. Simon Mercep is OK, but to me his style is more after 10pm.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    he certainly induces sleep

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Personally, I think the dog’s breakfast that is RNZ afternoons could do with Campbell. Simon Mercep is OK, but to me his style is more after 10pm.

    Good call. He strikes me as a nice bloke, but I'd replace both him and Jim Mora from afternoons and drop Mora from Checkpoint entirely.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Yes, demonstrated by the way he was floundering around, not knowing what to say whilst Phil was ripping into TV3 this afternoon.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Amanda Wreckonwith, in reply to Grant McDougall,

    Mora won't be dropped. He's the National Party replacement for Sean Plunket.

    Since Sep 2012 • 171 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    Apparently TV3 staff have been gagged from publically commenting, but I'd pay good money to hear what the Campbell Live staff *really* think about the axing, Weldon, Christie, etc, etc.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Jim Tully nominates Native Affairs as the last bastion of current affairs.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    Too angry to say much coherent right now, but just wanted to acknowledge the classy way Campbell & co handled themselves tonight. Kept the focus on solid stories, albeit time-constrained.

    Although there is inevitably a political left/right dimension to this whole saga, in the end it is - or should be - simply about solid professional broadcasting. Trying to do the job well, to be more informed and informative, versus trying to be a dick (see assorted other TV "stars").

    New Zealand television needs a lot of things, but it doesn't need more dicks.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • kw,

    A few weeks ago, I was surveyed by NZME about their presenters. The format allowed me to identify which of their people I liked and why, and then who I didn't like and why. So I got to comment on the reason I really like John Campbell (even if he is a bit too Labrador for me) and really dislike Mike Hosking.

    May I just say, it was__ fun__(and I didn't even use rude words). Interesting that they were still asking - this was maybe a week or two after the announcement of the review.

    As for TV3: I watch The Nation and The Good Wife - ie nowhere near PrimeTime. Sometimes Seven Days, and probably Westside Story. But that's me done. I'll switch back to TV1 news (despite the excruciating weather gurning and for the rest watch Prime mostly (yeah, I'm getting old).

    It beggars belief that they won't admit that the reason people weren't staying on to watch their heinous 7.30pm shows was because those shows were gruesome. And how long will they persevere with Henry despite his ratings?

    I am looking forward to the QB honours list with unabashed cynicism.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2014 • 30 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to Sacha,

    I could've listened to Phil's rant all night :) And got the feeling he'd still be going strong come dawn.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to simon g,

    New Zealand television needs a lot of things, but it doesn't need more dicks.

    John Drinnan suggests re-using one of them.

    But Henry - unrestrained by scripts - would not need much work and he could easily riff off the day's events, creating controversy along the way. It's current affairs in 2015.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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