Posts by Myles Thomas
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I wear whatever I'm wearing already. Shorts, jeans, t-shirt or long sleeved collar shirt. I then sweat profusely and don't care about it (I would sweat profusely whatever I was wearing). It's not overly practical but I can't be bothered changing into special clothes just to go somewhere. And the lycra outfits look silly, nerdy, try-hard, wanna-be, pretentious and other things I hope I'm not.
But in the end, who cares? Obviously lots of people judging by your responses. Us cyclists are a funny lot.
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I can’t see why Hone and others don’t realise that prohibition isn’t effectively stopping marijuana’s availability. Just that you have to buy it from dodgy dealers (who may try to sell you P too) rather than licensed premises. Dope’s ubiquitous so while it may be ‘destroying lives’, the law is also destroying lives, in multiple ways.
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And also please ask him if he thinks the request for high dividends from the shareholder equates to editorial control of news and current affairs - no long form docos, entertaining current affairs etc.
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Please ask him what new digital initiatives TVNZ is planning.
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You're all right.
And we're all on the same page when it comes to public service TV. Though it doesn't have to be boring, I think Rob's point was more that it doesn't have to appeal to the youth market and rate it's socks off allowing it to be a bit more cerebral.
Making public service TV interesting is the same challenge faced by Media 3 and all the old TVNZ 7 programme makers. And the BBC, ABC, PBS, NHK, Al Jazeera etc etc on a daily basis. It's an unfortunate expectation that public service equals 'worthy' but 'entertaining' is a requirement too. How to do so is the age-old storytelling skill that can only be nurtured and developed with experience and continuity of work.
Here in NZ we don't always get it right, but the ratio of hits to misses is about the same as everywhere, we just never see the rest of the world's misses here in NZ (apart from NCIS).
In answer to Craig's question about how to commission quality - successful TV networks learn that creative decisions are often best made by a couple of individuals rather than a committee. The Board must support but never get involved - HBO to David Simon, Maori TV to Julian Wilcox and the BBC to Stephen Sackur.
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Maori TV is an outlyer as far as broadcasting policy goes. They had to go to the Privy Council and won on the basis of strengthening the language, nothing to do with public service television (according to Haunui Royal, MTS filled the void left by TVOne because they saw it as a way to attract viewers who were vaguely the same demographic). That means they are untouchable to mainstream politicians and SKY/TVNZ lobbyists.
MTS does a great job, is ambitious and secure. RNZ and an equivalent TV broadcaster (TVNZ?) need to be put into the same position - not prey to the whims of Treasury or seesawing governments.
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In response to Craig, it's unfair to slap down Labour. Maharey has said the plan was to explore alternate funding sources for TVNZ 6 & 7 in the Inquiry Russell alludes to, specifically a levy on commercial broadcasters such as Sky. This wouldn't have been popular with the powerful Sky/TVNZ lobby so better for Maharey to make the idea come from the inquiry rather than his office. Sky would've known what to expect from the Inquiry anyway, and surprise surprise, it was the first thing to go when Coleman came in, despite the cost of budget already allocated and much the work done. They did NOT want to hear the recommendations.
The govt's head is still in the sand as we come to switch over - regional broadcasters are struggling to manage it technically or financially, RNZ up against it, Kiwi FM going nowhere, Radio spectrum about to be sold off for the next 20 years, TVNZ current affairs in disarray, Freeview losing channels and now Sky in trouble. It is a disaster, and the chances of recovering are not certain.
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The pic of the stationwagon in the rain, says it is in Newton but I'm pretty sure it is Ponsonby Intermediate from Pompallier Terrace. It's not that I'm a savant or anything (or even really care) but I was riding past there today and noticed the unusual shape of the roofs and as coincidence has it, saw them again now. Great photos.
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That's great. Congratulations to you and the team. I think it shows that the potential audience for such 'worthy and intelligent' programming is larger than the programmers expected. Maybe there is hope for us yet!
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It's interesting to get an idea of the sort of people who read and respond to your blogs. My Waitangi Day involved sleeping in after many nights recently working late, tidying the house, rabbit-proofing our gate (to keep the thing IN), going to a friend's wine-tasting quiz party in Mangere Bridge where I remembered it was actually Waitangi Day by some of NZ History themed questions (This wine's vintage is the same year the NZ Govt cancelled Waitangi celebrations, was it 1988, 1993 or 1998?); then came home, ate fish'n'chips, tidied up the kids' mess, sprayed the fruit trees, showered and watched The Hangover for the first time.