Posts by simon g
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Current All Hacks selections:
First-five and goal-kicker: Audrey Young.
Try-scorer on the left-wing: Gordon Campbell.
Front row enforcer: Derek Fox.
Keep it up, team!
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The supposed coverage of MTV is a total red herring, I've never heard anyone complain about Sky's exclusivity.
Because they've never had it. The Rugby World Cup has always had a free-to-air broadcaster, TV3 or TVNZ.
This thread seems to consist of people who have access to coverage, or don't need it, airily dismissing the concerns of those who want to watch it, but won't be able to. No, it isn't a "human right" to watch the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup, but it is an expectation based on a clear promise, and people are entitled to ask how that promise will be kept.
"Let them eat satellite"?
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Ross, I think urban liberal Pakeha will be happy to watch the rugby on Maori TV. I certainly would be.
Rural Maori in Northland might not be so keen on missing out. Anyone heard from Hone Harawira on this? :)
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Key slapped the Maori TV bid down at his press conference this afternoon, albeit a trifle tautologically: "I expect my expectations to be met".
His expectation being, everyone can watch the All Blacks win in 2011, before they form a celebratory conga and head to the polling booths.
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But no - our public broadcaster let us down.
After the Boxing Day Tsunami, not one minute of TV coverage was added to the schedule. Not one programme was dumped or delayed.
The key word was not "Tsunami", but "Boxing Day". Hundreds of thousands of dead, but still - it was holiday time.
In possibly the most insensitive programming decision in history, TV3 continued with its scheduled feature film, shot and set in Thailand: "The Beach".
(on a more positive note, I agree with Andre about the radio coverage this time. Radio does live information so much better than television).
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But alternatively, if it was a Wild West party, and everyone turned up as "cowboys and Indians", not many people would care, and it certainly wouldn't be news. Despite the horrific acts carried out against native Americans by settlers and the colonial military in North America.
Or if they called the local rugby team Canterbury Blood-Soaked Murderers and Pillagers, as they have. Nobody objects to this (well I do, but I'm nobody).
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Raymond, you need to check some post-WW2 German history. Willy Brandt? President Weizacker in the 1980's (sorry for spelling)? Etc.
Apologies abound.
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New Zealanders generally have little contact with foreigners and know nothing about them. Their "knowledge" of Germany comes from war movies and Oktoberfest.
Germany and Japan have recently held elections. Two of the world's biggest economies, G8 members, significant countries by any measure. Both elections resulted in a change of government (albeit in different ways), with implications for the world, including New Zealand.
With one or two honourable exceptions, what we learned from the NZ media about these election campaigns was: the new Japanese Prime Minister's wife went to Venus.
TVNZ has a "Europe" correspondent, whose role seems to be interviewing NZers in London, and doing celeb stories. The Asia correspondent is no more (er, I mean the job not the reporter - Charlotte Glennie actually works for the ABC now).
WW2 Germans are on our screens every week. Today's Germans are invisible. Result: ignorance.
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Football is interesting, for the same simple reason that most Ranfurly Shield games, Black Caps opening partnerships and Arnold Schwarzenegger movies are not interesting.
You don't know the result.
The All Blacks pool games at the Rugby World Cup are not interesting. The All Blacks knockout games are far too interesting.
If you already know who is going to win, you are watching performance art, not sport. Hence, the global game is the greatest game. Fewer goals = more dreams. People dare to hope, and say "You never know ...". Because really, you don't. It could happen. It does happen.
Argentina, coached by Diego Maradona, could miss out on qualifying for the World Cup, while New Zealand, coached by somebody, could get there. In any other "world" sport, Argentina would have received a guaranteed invitation from the governing body as part of the TV sponsorship deal, and would win their first pool game 117-0.
As it is, one goal may take them to the World Cup. Or eliminate them. And yes, it will be orgasmic. It will cause more joy, or heartache (possibly a military coup) than any game with an endless supply of predictable points.
Less is so much more.
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Never mind alcohol or the Undie 500 or whatever. I blame the live cross.
Both TV 1 and 3 have featured, on successive days, the obligatory and pointless live cross to a reporter (generally looking harassed and embarrassed) standing in front of Dunedin students. And guess what? They were jumping around in the background, making various gestures to the camera, delighted to be the centre of attention. Didn't see that coming, eh?
A TV network meeting, today:
"OK, team, let me run this by you ... Celebrity Live Binge Drinking ... Fridays after Shortland Street? Ratings winner, yes?"