Hard News: Nothing important, just some tunes
51 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 2 3 Newer→ Last
-
I am stunned by the short sighted attitude of this Government… Actually I’m not.
This bunch of TwatCocks are by far and large the most heartless and stupid pile of dog doos we have had to put up with in years, you remember those Nine Long Years of sensible, sustainable policies that were delivered by Labour that left us in a position to survive the “Global Economic Downturn”.
With the decision to dump all the hard work by Kordia (an SOE that could have been the backbone of a reliable communications structure) we are seeing the last death throws of an infrastructure which the rest of the world regards as essential. After kicking Kordia and Woosh in the guts to hand Telecom and Vodafone the lions share of rural broadband (considering that Telecom already had the biggest slice of the urban fibre roll out handing then the RBI was the dumbest thing they could have done) we now hear that all the money that came from the public purse in setting up a national digital platform is to be tossed away to give Rupert Murdoch an almost total monopoly over this nations viewing. As if that were not bad enough, those that went out and bought Freeview boxes will soon have no use for the things other than watching the increasingly competitive, commercial driven TVNZ dumbing down our country with more and more “Reality TV” crap and more and more biased “News” coverage.
Let us hope that come November the people of New Zealand will give this bunch of money grabbing morons the kick in the balls they so certainly deserve. -
-
@Tony. I think the heat of February have ripened them early. We also have a second crop of strawberries. When we get sick of the feijoas I must start distributing them around, starting with boxes to friends in Chch.
@ Steve. I share your disgust of this current
Govt but wish we also had a more viable opposition (even though I am a LP member!) -
Steve Barnes, in reply to
wish we also had a more viable opposition
Anything, even a rancid wombat with herpes would be a vast improvement...
-
Stephen Judd, in reply to
wish we also had a more viable opposition (even though I am a LP member!)
Turn up to branch meetings. Donate modestly. Deliver pamphlets. Recruit new members. Agitate. None of us can do much on our own, but if we lose our cynicism we can do a lot together. There will never be better people in politics than we have now if we don't try to put them there (or keep them, as the case may be).
-
As if that were not bad enough, those that went out and bought Freeview boxes will soon have no use for the things other than watching the increasingly competitive, commercial driven TVNZ dumbing down our country with more and more “Reality TV” crap and more and more biased “News” coverage.
I'd imagine they'll find them more useful when analogue gets switched off in a few years and the only way they can get TV is through their freeview receiver.
-
Steve Barnes, in reply to
I'd imagine they'll find them more useful when analogue gets switched off in a few years and the only way they can get TV is through their freeview receiver.
But what will they get? by then, unless we get rid of these guys who think that New Zealand inc. is a great way to make some quick cash for their mates, they will have sold TVNZ to Murdoch and co and all our (transmitter) base are belong to (the) US (of eh?)
The fibre that we a re paying 1.5 billion for will be sold to Telecom and co as soon as they have a customer so nothing will come back to the Treasury, it will be a scandal you mark my words.
I mean, damn it, these guys think this is Enron and our National Parks are better suited to strip mining. Our Power Companies are just a way to turn a fast buck and who knows what their plan is for the armies of unemployed that will eventuate from the decimation of the welfare state?. Jailer or Inmate maybe your only choice.
Be afraid, be very afraid, I am. -
But what will they get?
About 10 tv channels, plus some radio stations. NZ has a pretty strong market for FTA tv, so I can't see them all disappearing in the next couple of years.
-
Most of the channels you can get on Freeview you can get on Sky. As Sky has almost all of the sports broadcasts anyone that is interested in sport (i.e. 250% of all people apparently which is why we a re hosting the RWC) will have Sky and not bother with Freeview, ask around your friends, very few people have Freeview because TVNZ and 3 went without a fight, Prime followed and now they are dumping 7 what is the point? As for radio, well need I say anything?.
-
There will never be better people in politics than we have now if we don't try to put them there (or keep them, as the case may be).
How democratic do you feel the Labour Party is?
I have in the past had the impression that being a member of that institution meant little when it came to actual political direction and reality (members being little more than free envelope-pushers), but I may have been mistaken, or things may have changed.
I don't want to judge from a point of historical prejudice.
-
Prime followed and now they are dumping 7 what is the point?
It doesn't cost $70/month to get your TV?
-
Stephen Judd, in reply to
How democratic do you feel the Labour Party is?
Seriously, ask me in a week. I will have acquired a lot more first-hand wotsit after a conference on Saturday.
In principle, though, it's easy to capture democratic structures when participation is low. So the challenge is to encourage participation.
-
Hi guys. I've written a little blog post on TVNZ 7's death sentence.
-
Steve Barnes, in reply to
True Kyle. I am seriously considering dumping Sky, let's face it, it's only TV and there are so many things you can do instead. When I first got Sky there were no ads and very little self promotion, it has become more ad ridden than any broadcast medium in the history of New Zealand. The thought of paying to watch advertising would have been laughed at twenty years ago, we complained about the TV licence back then, $110 seems like a bargain now.
If we all dumped Sky would that save our broadcast infrastructure, is it even worth saving?. If we look at how information was disseminated in Christchurch and about Christchurch, I think you will find that the "Official" and commercial channels were way behind "social" media and the web in general, even Txt seemed to be more useful than the constant regurgitation of the more sensational images and stories on TV news.
Hmmm, I just seem to be raising more questions. I think the whole thing needs a serious examination from a social perspective, rather than an economic one, something this government seems incapable of. -
Should we move this discussion over Here?
-
Sam F, in reply to
"And now they’re coming for your social security money. They want your fuckin’ retirement money. They want it back, so they can give it to their criminal friends on Wall Street. And you know something? They’ll get it. They’ll get it all from you, sooner or later."
Oh how I wish George Carlin had at least hung on to see the GFC and bailouts fulfil his prophecy.
-
Danielle, in reply to
The thought of paying to watch advertising would have been laughed at twenty years ago
Ah, but I pay to *not* watch any ads: MySky.
-
Danielle, in reply to
Oh how I wish George Carlin had at least hung on to see the GFC and bailouts fulfil his prophecy.
I often think these sorts of things about George and Bill Hicks. It's a bit disturbing how many of Bill's bits are still completely relevant.
-
Steve Barnes, in reply to
Ah, but I pay to *not* watch any ads: MySky.
Problem there, of course, is that by reducing the revenue stream and therefore profits, the TV industry may be forced into the same dilemma that the recording industry found itself in. The recording industry came down hard on those that interfered with its profitability claiming that those "pirates" were depriving the artists of their rightful income. The result of this diminishing income stream was for the artists to revert to live performance rather than relying on royalties from recordings. I, for one, dread the day that Hitler has to perform live again.
-
Rich Lock, in reply to
It's a bit disturbing how many of Bill's bits are still completely relevant.
Innit. But I've been reading a lot of history recently, and it's a bit disturbing how often the same shit keeps cropping up.
-
Sacha, in reply to
The recording industry came down hard on those that interfered with its profitability
You mean customers who decided not to continue buying albums? Mr Grigg has provided the supporting evidence here many times.
-
Steve Barnes, in reply to
You mean customers who decided not to continue buying albums?
If they did not continue to buy then they are not "customers" anymore, they are lost customers and I don't think prosecution has ever gained loyal customers..
Mr Grigg has provided the supporting evidence here many times.
Hmmm, what thread was that on again?.
I seem to remember there was more than one side to that argument. -
Sacha, in reply to
they are lost customers
No, it's not a zero-sum game; they just switched back to buying mainly singles. Performance and merchandise sales stay strong and licensing for soundtracks and suchlike grows.
The 'other side' of that story is the RIAA and their fellow travellers trying to persuade copyright legislators that the sky is falling and pulling figures out of their arses to do so.
-
nzlemming, in reply to
Must...not...get...involved...
-
PAS seems to have its own version of "Godwin's Law"
Should we call it "Copyright Threading"?
;-)
Getting coat, hat and hiking shoes.
Post your response…
This topic is closed.