Comments on: TV flickers on tsunami cover

By: Gary C

Gary C — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:23:55 +0000

Brendon, please correct me if I’m mistaken but I thought the TVNZ Act forbids politicians from involving themselves in operational decisions at the State broadcaster?

Wasn’t this clause introduced to stop political meddling and agenda pushing particularly in the area of news?

That of course could mean you are breaking the law.

I suspect you will dismiss this by rambling on about expression of opinion being a cornerstone of democracy.

If so, then surely to protect your credibility the opinion you express should at the very least, be an informed one.

There is no doubt that, if TVNZ had gone to the lengths you and many of your readers have suggested instead of criticising them for not doing enough you would be lambasting them for scare mongering and creating unnecessary panic.

Here’s a thought – why don’t you leave them to broadcast a generally decent news package most of the time and you bust out the organic wool and needles and get on with your own knitting?

By: Tracey

Tracey — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:16:20 +0000

Andi

Perhaps in future run a permanent ticker along the bottom of the screen for those just tuning in…

By: Tim Watkin

Tim Watkin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:41:20 +0000

By tuning in just before 9am, you would have got a five minute news bulletin at 8.55am and then a three minute interview with Alan Walker some time before 9.10am. From my memory of the news and interview with Walker the message by that stage was that this was a marine warning and that someone like your daughter living near the waterfront would have been quite safe.

But quite understand your wider point about RNZ.

And glad to know you’re a regular viewer. It’s scientifically proven that watching Q+A makes you a better person!

Cheers.

By: Brendon Burns

Brendon Burns — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:38:36 +0000

Tim, normally your programme is compulsory viewing in our household – long may it be so – and it was on, but last Sunday I wanted as much info as possible from when I tuned in shortly before 9am. We have a daughter living on the waterfront in Auckland, another in Wellington. For quite some time, we were anxious about what was likely to happen. The point is that Radio NZ on Sunday gave by far the most comprehensive, continuous coverage when it was most needed when we simply didn’t know how bad it would be. And it’s why some of us are twitchy about Radio NZ being freeze-cut and/or commercialised.

By: Tim Watkin

Tim Watkin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:26:01 +0000

Brendon,
Not only did Q+A interview Alan Walker live in the CD bunker after the news bulletin just before 9am, we had another news bulletin in the middle of the programme and several times Paul Holmes urged viewers to stay informed by staying tuned to their TV or radio. Mate, you just need to watch more of the programme!

By: Brendon Burns

Brendon Burns — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:52:31 +0000

Thanks Andi, no doubt some TVNZ staff were/are committed and the short news bulletins were good to have. Point is, many people would still have missed the info TVNZ did provided.(And you did far better than the others.) I watched bits of Q and A but but missed the Beehive bunker cross; a ticker tape on-screen would have been one way to get the crucial message across that coastal regions were potentially at some real risk. Yep, a special bulletin at midday and big round-up at six pm were great but it was all over by then. It wasn’t just a news event it was a Civil Defence alert.

By: andi brotherston

andi brotherston — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:40:15 +0000

Hi Brendon
I would just like to detail the coverage TVNZ gave to the quake and tsunami on Sunday, for the record.

We began running half hourly updates on TV One from 6am, there were 12 bulletins before lunch.

At midday we put together an unscheduled half hour news bulletin.

We then continued with hourly updates for the rest of the afternoon.

The entire first break and much of the second break during the 6pm news hour was devoted to national and international coverage of the quake and tsunami.

TVNZ 7 covered the event extensively in their hourly bulletins from 6am as well.

Q+A interrupted its live political programme and crossed to the bunker at Parliament for an interview/update.

tvnz.co.nz covered the event from 3am and repeatedly beat stuff.co.nz and nzherald.co.nz with breaking news on the quake and its impact.

Numerous TVNZ journalists, producers, camera operators and senior news staff including One News Editor Paul Patrick and Senior Line Up Producer, Tati Urale came in to work the moment they heard about the quake. Tati arrived at 5am and worked through until 7pm Sunday night.

Some staff began arriving at TVNZ newsrooms around the country as early as 3am and worked through.

Many other staff phoned in throughout the day and offered to come in and work.

Brendon, if you or any of your readers would like to see the One News bulletin from Sunday night you can watch it on demand at tvnz.co.nz.

I would very much doubt that anyone would question TVNZ’s commitment to the story, after seeing it.

I hope this helps to clarify the confusion and gives some insight into just how dedicated our news guys are.

Kind regards
Andi Brotherston
News and Current Affairs Communications
TVNZ

By: A Mother

A Mother — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:36:11 +0000

I don’t watch much tv. Too busy.
I don’t have a radio and only have dial up so listening to it on over the net is just not going to work.

I must save to get a radio somehow after this. It would be nice to listen to something during the day anyway.

By: Spud

Spud — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:40:46 +0000

RNZ are great providing that information!

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:28:19 +0000

When watching I often think there is too many half hour updates that tell us the same as the last. I would rather see a ticker tape across the bottom so I could catch it if I happen to be channel surfing and pay attention if I want. In the early days the message needs to be short, simple and reach maximum people, not an in depth analysis of wave dynamics and getting scientists their moment in the sun.