Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Reading the Numbers

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  • Hilary Stace,

    Tom, you must have missed the great science programmes including those so full of explosions that they make Mythbusters look boring, the NZ teenagers doing work experience at a place of their choice (in the last one I saw a girl went to work at the V factory), even the Young Farmers competition. 7 is my default channel and I am rarely bored by what I find there.

    The Wellington protest meeting last week was packed, and it was full of older angry citizens. This is definitely not the end of public service television - just what form it will take is as yet unclear. But this is a powerful demographic that expects to watch intelligent television in real time, and not behind a paywall.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    this is a powerful demographic

    results on this matter suggest otherwise, to be fair

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to Sacha,

    Yes, I was not clear, I meant internally notified, written checks and measures, rules they must adhere to then answer to. Because the way this Govt. has been with the truth leaves me in no doubt that some very dubious decision making needs to be answered for, loan to Ironbridge being one, RONS another and in context, why do they feel they can just shutdown (and threaten) any media when they feel like it? Or do the charter school thing, or or or...for every back-peddle there are a welter of dodgy through-puts.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Brislen,

    Actually I heard from a number of disgruntled voters about the apps which seemed to forget all the standards around accessibility for disabled viewers. Much grumpiness.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    I have a son at high school and a daughter at university, and I hope with all my heart, this Govt's crass tinkering in those areas will ignite the spark that blows this bunch of self serving cretins off the levers of power for ever.
    There, my bias in full view. Oh my, just saw the back-peddle clip...it's all the teachers fault, all...how much longer?

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    The Wellington protest meeting last week was packed, and it was full of older angry citizens. This is definitely not the end of public service television – just what form it will take is as yet unclear. But this is a powerful demographic that expects to watch intelligent television in real time, and not behind a paywall.

    I was there too, and I have the video to show for it...

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

  • Sacha, in reply to Paul Brislen,

    the Budget app?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    Attachment

    PS. Here's just one of the SKYNET tees in the flesh...

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

  • merc, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    Thank you immensely for that clip.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to merc,

    I think I can write it here...smells of corruption to me.

    Has anyone else noticed that if you use that word in a Herald comment it gets censored?.
    Way to wipe out corruption eh? Just hide and deny.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Yes, I use the word very reluctantly, but a case can be built up and argued that the decisions round for example, making SKY a monopoly, see clip above - could lead one to conclusions that are not associated with the public good.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to merc,

    My logic leap is that they are not being stupid, they are intentionally obfuscating to further their own agendas, whatever they may be, and that is corrupt.

    The thing is that those hidden agenda are all the same “how much can I make out of it?”
    They are all too damned selfish to partake in a conspiracy. If you scratch the surface you will find no end of “Nest Feathering”. Corrupt indeed.

    I use the word very reluctantly,

    Yes, I wish it wasn't necessary too but with these mongrels at the helm we have little choice.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    great science programmes including those so full of explosions that they make Mythbusters look boring,

    Breaking news. Scientists find explosions boring.
    I would ponder the possibility that there are more scientist who were attracted to the discipline by explosions than not.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Ross Mason,

    How about we start a campaign
    and send Coleman 7 of things.

    Can I send Sven the Berserk?
    What's an 'e' between friends?
    ;- )

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

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

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Well, Tom--every time I have been along to Media 7 there have been a heap of young 'uns in the audiences, along with us of an older hue. When I have taken vanloads of my students along they have loved it.

    What I particularly enjoy about TVNZ7 is the element of surprise. Because there is no real schedule to consult, you stumble across the most interesting stuff. Certainly Maori Television is great (Native Affairs is tremendous) but it is not PSB in terms of serving a wide spectrum of interests.

    In respect of Coleman; maybe he needs to go back to intermediate school, to learn simple statistics.

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

  • Hilary Stace, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Tom Semmens, upthread, called TVNZ7 'earnest and dull'. I was suggesting that explosions linked to various scientific theories are neither. There are several wonderful science programmes on 7 and many feature explosions or one type or another, including the original big bang. (I'm going to particularly miss that handsome English academic who narrates various cosmological programmes). Whether scientists are themselves keen on explosions was not the point.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg, in reply to Russell Brown,

    FWIW, the people who come up and talk to me about Media7 (and it happens quite a lot now) are older New Zealanders -- they're the ones who'll lose most when the channel ends.

    From personal experience I'll agree with that. I've been on Russell's show twice and both times elderly relatives have contacted me afterwards to say they've seen me on television. It has, at least from my folk-level research, a large audience of those who feel they have less and less viewing options.

    My parents, in their 70s and 80s, watch the channel daily. Their TV habits are fairly restricted - they watch TV One, UK TV and TVNZ 7 only now, with less and less of the first, feeling, as they do, that the continued dumbing down of what was once 'their' channel has taken that away from them.

    I guess, coming from a generation where good, investigative, thinking television was a part of their world, they've grown used to having that as an option.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Tom Semmens, upthread, called TVNZ7 ‘earnest and dull’. I was suggesting that explosions linked to various scientific theories are neither. There are several wonderful science programmes on 7 and many feature explosions or one type or another, including the original big bang. (I’m going to particularly miss that handsome English academic who narrates various cosmological programmes). Whether scientists are themselves keen on explosions is not really the point – but I do enjoy seeing passionate scientists enthuse about their work.

    And if the government was sensible they would wholeheartedly support this too.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    . (I’m going to particularly miss that handsome English academic who narrates various cosmological programmes).

    I found him more than a little annoying, young upstart, how could he possibly know anything at his age? (or am I getting old)
    Michael Mosley's "The Story of Science" is well worth a watch too for its historical content and if the government was sensible they would watch and take note.

    I do enjoy seeing passionate scientists enthuse about their work.

    "Bang Goes the Theory" fits that bill nicely.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Thanks Steve - because I dip in and out of them only on the rare occasions when I have access to the remote, and the listings aren't in the Listener, I rarely catch their titles.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    I would ponder the possibility that there are more scientist who were attracted to the discipline by explosions than not.;-)

    New employees who turn up here always get the treat of a lunchtime demo of my lemon gun shooting tennis balls to unearthly heights.

    Not boring.

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    My pleasure Hilary. My reference to Scientists disliking explosions was more a reference to Sir Robert Winston, who at a Media 7 special voiced his disdain for such programming, especially Mythbusters and their "science warnings" when they deviated from blowing things up.
    He had equal disdain for a certain "rat like person" from Top Gear presenting a program entitled "Engineering Connections" this was based loosely on James Burke's excellent 1978 "Connections" series, without any of the technical foolishness but plenty of explosions. In the later series rat boy actually apologises for any hard science that slips into this celebration of ignorance.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    . (I’m going to particularly miss that handsome English academic who narrates various cosmological programmes).

    That's Brian Cox. He was in an actual pop band (D:Ream) as a young man.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Ross Mason,

    a lunchtime demo of my lemon gun shooting tennis balls to unearthly heights.

    Surely a lemon gun shoots lemons, not tennis balls?. or is it powered by lemons?.
    Like; C6H8O7 + NaHCO3 = piles of CO2 and a big mess stuff that tastes like lemonade.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

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