Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: What's on David Bain's iPod?

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  • 3410,

    BTW, DC, you're one of the good ones. :)

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    yeah, that stuff on open source software was great. Did you get my mash up? It had Mark Sainsbury taking all the credit for your good work but a least I made him look like he understood what he was on about.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • peter mclennan,

    >> If I sound a little defensive, I am. Just like everyone knows better than the All Black selectors, everyone in this country seems to be the new Current Affairs Genius/6pm Executive Producer in waiting.

    Damian, I think 3410 got it right - if that was the best your lot could come up with, then they ALL dropped the ball. You're just lucky that a picture is worth a thousand words - seeing Bain was of more interest to the public than hearing him.

    AK Central • Since Nov 2006 • 159 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    3410 - Yeah Emma's was a good question in the circumstances, and someone probably should have said it (jeez didn't he look uncomfortably squished at the end) but it would have only produced a laugh before the next reporter barged in with their question.

    Like I said, the barrage of "how do you feels" from what sounded like a bunch of different journos was cringeworthy, but to be fair he hadn't even reached the scrum so I guess they were just hoping that would be the first question he answered. Repeating the same question until you get an answer is pretty standard in those situations, because the other journos aren't going to stand back and say "oh excuse me, I think there's already been a question asked that you haven't answered, I'll wait before asking mine". As we've said, it's just disappointing (but completely unsurprising) this was the first question on the journos' collective lips.

    But god, please don't let me suggest that we (blogger speaking here) shouldn't give the MSM a good serve whenever it's deserved. All I'm saying is that it's not always as easy as you'd suspect, and the heat of a scrum (and pressure to nail it for your channel/station/paper, as opposed to working together to produce something of collective journalistic merit) can lead to some very odd results.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    I think Emma's nailed it for best question.

    I also once nailed an Investigate reporter...

    But it's what I was thinking when I was watching the media scrum. I wasn't thinking about what they were asking at all, I was thinking that if I'd been in the middle of all that I'd have been screaming for air. Focused on the process, because processes interest me, and I'd rather deconstruct the media response than the actual story they're responding to. But Che is right, most good, thoughtful questions aren't suited for standing in a pack screaming, and neither are most good, thoughtful answers.

    I didn't mind the 'how do you feel' questions in this case. It's when it's more like; "You've just found your daughter's bloodied corpse hacked to pieces in your living room HOW DO YOU FEEL?" That makes me sick.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    And Don, no I didn't, I haven't seen any mash-ups yet, where did you send it? I hope they haven't just been bouncing back. Send it to me personally if you want (firstname.surname at tvnz.co.nz)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • hamishm,

    Interesting question I would like answered by D. Blain:
    "Why is it a condition of your bail that you cannot be in the South Island"
    When he says the family don't want him there.
    "Why"

    Since Nov 2006 • 357 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    I think the most inappropriate use of a 'How do you feel?' was seeing a TV1 reporter asking that of a kid who had burned his face off with fireworks. Followed up by 'Will you do it again?'. The look of incredulity on the kid's burnt face sticks in my memory.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Rowe,

    I think the most inappropriate use of a 'How do you feel?'

    Mike Gatting was asked that question in an interview where he was sporting a mighty black eye. His only response was to laugh resignedly and point to his face.

    <sorry> tried to find a clip without suucess </sorry>

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report Reply

  • Sodium Hydroxide,

    Given that he made it clear he wasn't going to answer anything about the judicial process (and presumably therefore the case itself).

    someone should have challenged that presumption

    "why did your dad shoot the house up?"

    The desert of the real • Since May 2007 • 23 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    "why did your dad shoot the house up?"

    Yeah, see that's the stuff I think most people want answered, even if he's not going to. We want the tell-all tale. Tell us what the hell was going on in that apparently very messed-up household.

    I suspect we're not going to get it though, and if he is innocent, I don't believe he's under any moral obligation to do so.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Sodium Hydroxide,

    my personal fave of

    I think the most inappropriate use of a 'How do you feel?'

    is pretty much anything john campbell does to empathise with an interviewee (maybe he wants oprahs job?) or mark sainsbury interviewing the romanian boy who appeared to want to play with his steam train and not talk about his feelings.

    The desert of the real • Since May 2007 • 23 posts Report Reply

  • Alan Perrott,

    Couldn't let Damian take the bullets alone. Firstly, nice try Hayden, but any question that invites 'no' as an answer will only leave you with dead air. Second, this is his first public appearance, it comes with more restrictions than you probably realise - one step too far, his minders pull the plug and you have to explain to your editor why you got squat. Third, as a newspaper type, why would I ask anything interesting when his answer will appear on the telly before my yarn can run? Fourth, just attracting the subject's attention is a mission in itself, you have less than a second to blurt before it moves on. It's standard practice to open with a warm bath question to establish rapport, when everyone's shouting difficult questions are easily ignored, the only problem here is that you rarely get a second. Fifth, how do you feel has whiskers for good reason - the idea is obviously to get them talking and journos will continue banging away until he does, especially when he brickwalls with apparent calm. Once a crack appears everything else will follow but he did very well to speak carefully and avoid providing the money quote. Even then, not everyone there would have picked up his responses, so they have to repeat what was said to get something useable. Mass situations like that seen last night are a total waste of time if you're looking for in-depth comment - they are always the mad opening stanza of a test match before everyone settles down.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 438 posts Report Reply

  • Hayden Wilson,

    Not inappropriate but one of the Australian cricketers commented the other day on having "worked his nuts off" to recover from an injury.

    The next question was "How do you feel?" to which he replied...

    "Well, my groin's a bit sore..."

    Since Nov 2006 • 27 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    And Don, no I didn't, I haven't seen any mash-ups yet

    Sorry Damian, I was joking. My point was that you did such a good job that even Mark Sainsbury (whom I recognise as a good guy and streets ahead of Paul Holmes or that lady that followed him) seemed like he understood OSS. This is noteworthy as it is unusual - hence the comment that it must be a mash up by an advocate like myself.

    All lost in translation, I guess you had to be here, inside my head.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Sodium Hydroxide,

    DC: the "tell-all tale" should have come out in court, but there you go, and here we go

    Good points about "but it's pretty easy just to call someone "a dork" and sit smugly back in your office chair..." and "All I'm saying is that it's not always as easy as you'd suspect.."

    I think individually the nz audience know what they want, its the difference between interpreting that fragmented desire and commercial imperative that produces what we see.

    Although i remeber the last attempt of tvnz to work out what the population wants re simon dallow and wendy petries yes/no polls.

    So it seems achieving charter aims in a competitive market is a balancing act between the actualities of implementing noble ideals in a marketplace not known for such leniencies.

    Anyway its great you guys are taking the time to respond. Ahh armchair analysis, maybe i better get back to doing real work

    The desert of the real • Since May 2007 • 23 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    I didn't mind the 'how do you feel' questions in this case. It's when it's more like; "You've just found your daughter's bloodied corpse hacked to pieces in your living room HOW DO YOU FEEL?" That makes me sick.

    and

    "Well, my groin's a bit sore..."

    Go quite nicely with this story about dumb journo questions (present company excluded DC and Alan).

    After Game 1 of the [NBA finals] Spurs-Suns series, the sideline reporter asked Tim Duncan, 'In one word describe to me how important today's win was?' Duncan looked very confused as he uttered, 'Very ... important.'

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Actually given Alan's response, maybe the best question would be: "David, why did you do it?"

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Nobody Important,

    maybe the best question would be: "David, why did you do it?"

    That's what at least one reporter would have asked in Australia, USA, UK, ... anywhere else I guess ...

    expat • Since Mar 2007 • 319 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    But on those figures, isn't the Euro non-DRM price slightly cheaper than NZ?

    Oops, the percentages on the non-DRM were wrong:

    DRM, Local DRM, NZD Cheaper? Non-DRM, local Non-DRM, NZD Cheaper? Rate (16-05)
    US 0.99 1.35 24% 1.29 1.76 29% 0.7317
    EU 0.99 1.85 -3% 1.29 2.41 3% 0.5356
    UK 0.79 2.15 -20% 0.99 2.69 -8% 0.3679
    NZ 1.79 2.49
    non-DRM is a bit cheaper than NZ. US is quite a lot cheaper.

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

  • Damian Christie,

    All lost in translation, I guess you had to be here, inside my head.

    Ah stink buzz. I'd hoped for a second there was at least one person bored enough to mash up my open source story after I'd gone to the trouble of uploading all the component parts.

    Actually I can't blame anyone for not doing it, the only reason I offered the unedited parts was because it seemed like the right thing to do, in a story about Open Source 'n' all.

    NaOH: I think the gulf that's really interesting, and results in a lot of what we do end up seeing on TV is the difference between what people say the want, and what they actually want.

    People SAY they want long form current affairs interviews a la Kim Hill, but then they don't watch them (and it's not a question of whether KH is the right person for the job, because a) she's great, and b) it's been tried before with other people and the same result). They tell people they want to see long form current affairs interviews but secretly they watch America's Next Top Model.

    People SAY they listen to National Radio because they think it's what they should say when really they listen to ZM etc.

    People SAY they read the Economist/New Yorker/Time when really the unopened subscriptions sit guiltily on their desk...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    People SAY they listen to National Radio because they think it's what they should say when really they listen to ZM etc.

    Is that true? I would start watching TV again if TV1 ditched the ads. I cannot listen to commercial radio for the same reason.

    I know stacks of people from many walks of life who listen to Nat Radio - are their listening figures really that low?

    Apologies for not being a masher, BTW, just haven't got the talent.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • jon_knox,

    I imagine getting Tim Selwyn to sit down with David Bain would make a fascinating discussion, regardless of presumed innocence or guilt....but then again there are probably a great number of ex-prisoners who could articulately describe what it's like doing a long lag and adjusting to life on the outside. So perhaps if David is found "not guilty", then the right questions will be those inquiring about how we can prevent this happening again.

    Having read the Privy Council judgment I note that the decision is

    ...the appeal should be allowed, the convictions quashed and a retrial ordered. The appellant must remain in custody meanwhile.

    Belgium • Since Nov 2006 • 464 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    People SAY they want long form current affairs interviews a la Kim Hill, but then they don't watch it.

    Isn't it rather that the intelligensia say they want long-form current affairs, but the proles don't watch it? As for whether that equation should dictate content, I guess it depends on whether you think the dissemination of information (ie media in general) carries with it any responsibility to society, or whether it's just another revenue stream to exploit.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie,

    I'm not saying no-one listens to National Radio, just that it's fewer than one would think based on how many people say they do...

    I guess it depends on whether you think the dissemination of information ...carries with it any responsibility to society, or whether it's just another revenue stream to exploit.

    Remember that revenue in media is directly correlated to viewers. So the question is really whether we should make worthy programmes that only a few want to watch, or worthless programmes that appeal to everyone?

    I think most media these days tries to strike a balance between the two. The question is whether they've got that balance right and whether they can survive with the balance they've struck. Depending on your politics, you might also ask whether the state should prop up the less popular but more 'worthy' media.

    Similar arguments can be made about state funding of 'elitist' arts, such as the ballet, NZSO and Concert FM. But hey, with the amount of tax everyone pays these days, surely the elite should also be getting some bang for their buck...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

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