Read this on The Standard today
There used to be a webcam in the Beehive Theatrette run by R2 that broadcast the PM’s Post-Cabinet press conference. Anyone who wanted to could go to the site and watch the press conference live and uncut. It was direct access for the public, the very model of digital democracy. Now, that service is gone. R2 was being asked to pay unaffordable ‘sponsorship’ to have the webcam and Parliament blocked access for maintenance. So much for transparency.
Why has this happened? Isn’t it in John Key’s and the government’s interests to have footage of his post -Cabinet media conference available to the public?
Maybe they’ve decided it’s not in their interests?
And doesn’t this decision smack of less transparency?
Not sure how it happened, so will favour the cock up rather than conspiracy theory until proven otherwsie.
Can someone tell us why? Cost cutting?
And what’s the deal with asking R2 to pay “sponsorship” to broadcast the Prime Minister’s press conference?
Do you actually believe what you read at the Standard? Most of us don’t even bother going there because of their fanciful distortions of the facts.
That sucks Clare
pdm
Kiwiblog had Dalziel removed from Cab for drink driving, when it was Dyson, claimed Key “sacked” Wong and so on…
the right and left are equally vile in their manipulation and distortion of so-called facts. I mean “no rise in gst” pre election… kiwibank etc… No high ground to be found on the “fanciful distortion of facts” front, all sides have to look up to see the gutter in this regard, including yours.
Fairfax are providing Jonkey all the live coverage and free publicity he needs, over at stuff.co.nz
Yesterday the public were treated to a live Q&A with Jonkey, selected questions only and the sound of violins playing in the background.
That was followed up with a page editorial today. Very glossy stuff, except for the policies they intended going to the polls with at the next election. Traditional right wing garble and no pseudo center posturing this time around. Its a fire sale on state assets and no holds barred attacks on beneficiaries. Even Fairfax couldn’t polish up that dirty bar of soap!
Why are Labour are so silent while Jonkey is rolling through the media like a rock star promoting a new album. The public need to know there’s a solid alternative to the current sitting Government. Labour are MIA when they can least afford to be.
@Ryansway – Who who pays the piper, calls the tune.
Sadly, it would seem journalistic integrity in NZ has become a relic from a different age.
The real story, if we had any credible, investigative journos, would be who’s paying? And for what reason?
@Ryansway –
Good point Al1ens
Slightly amused at the “Standard” calling for openness when they hide behind a screen of anonymity for their one eyed look at politics
One standard for them and a different one for everybody else apparently
OK Raymon, if you kick off the campaign to tax payer fund The Standard then I will back your calls for more transparency
Hi Raymon!
@Al1ens
Stuff are screening their public comments section too. So only those making favorable comments of Key get published. Hardly a “public comments section” if its only open to the section of the public that advocate the National party.
The Q&A was an obvious early kick off to next years electioneering. And this constant barrage of right wing drivel oozes of Australian meddling. Next they’ll be pounding us with images of “Santa Key”, riding a train of reindeers stealing lollipops from babies and handing out presents to the poor in Remuera!
The media are attempting to brainwash the public into accepting Key and “any” baggage he brings. This is spin doctoring at its finest, and a direct threat to this country’s democracy.
That Labour is sitting down taking all this makes me wonder, are they even aware of how much media exposure Key is getting? Australian owned websites viewed by a majority of New Zealanders can publish anything they like, and its evident they are liking to publish as much as they can to paint Key as a saint and savior.
I sincerely hope the driving forces behind the Labour party throw the stick into a higher gear. Christmas is upon us, and if John Key’s smiling face is the last thing voters see before they begin their Christmas festivities, then Labour will have a difficult time disconnecting the voters from John Key’s political incarnation of Steve Jobs reality distortion field.
If you are right and the media are in National’s pocket, then exactly how would Labour fight that?
I read the “highlights”, and it’s pretty syrupy stuff.
I mean his “prediction” as a former currency trader is the kiwi dollar will bounce between .68 and . 78
I have nt made anything like 50m in currency trading but could have picked that band myself.
The Left need to own a major MSM channel in NZ, and handpick excellent fair minded editors and journos.
NZ’ers would flock to this channel in droves.
Hmmmm as long as there was the occasional Justin Bieber special.
Typical National, they seem to excel at being evil, money grubbing, conniving slugs
I miss Anne
@ Colonial Viper says:
December 1, 2010 at 7:36 pm
The Left need to own a major MSM channel in NZ, and handpick excellent fair minded editors and journos.
They do CV – called National Radio. As a rightie, I am an avid listener of national radio. I think it is awesome. I can tell you though, it is rabidly left wing on the fast majority of subjects!
I think the media in general is centre left in NZ, rather than what you Guys postulate
“I think the media in general is centre left in NZ”
That’s going to have to be proved with recent examples, ‘cos I just don’t see it at all that way.
Infact I strongly disagree, and can cite the racist Paul Henry and the blonde woman on the breakfast show that’s always pregnant as being very pro government, the fossil that is Paul Holmes leaning so far to the right he’d fall over without his walking stick propping him up, the whole of the tv3 news room, especially the political dept, acting like the nats head cheerleading squad.
They should be broadcast over the Parliamentary TV network with options for leaders of other parties to utilise as well. Much better than the screen showing when Parliament is next sitting. Doesn’t need to be flash.
Brilliant idea!
It does seem strange to have so much empty time on a channel. Or even if they did some replays from previous sessions on the empty days it might be good!
@tracey
The problem with the NZ dollar has always been its predictability, and that its as good as a casino gambling chip in a room full of card cheats.
Shortly after the Christchurch EQ the NZ dollar went interstellar and the maths are simple. Carnage means money that NZ needs to borrow. And the more we borrow, the more inflated the currency becomes because of the pressure it creates on rising interest rates to attract it. Interest rates are a key variable in anticipating the NZ dollars movements, so the EQ was a sure bet the NZ dollar would appreciate.
Thats also why the Australian banks pound the media constantly with “positive” economic hype. Hype creates an illusion that the economy is set to overheat, and thats something the RB has to address by hiking interest rates.
Thats how Bollard got tricked into hiking rates shortly before real world economics kicked in and the hype could no longer mask the truth. He had egg on his face, but getting it so wrong doesn’t affect his pay packet and the public have a short memory.
And now Key has the RB in his pocket (see his statement that RB intervention will do nothing and he expects they will think that too) so his finance mates have one less meddling influence to worry about. But before National came to power the RB regularly intervened, and it made a good profit for NZ too. RB intervention does work, it “spooks” the card cheats and presents a variable they can’t anticipate – and Key of all people knows that.
A Prime Minister (especially a former currency trader) should “not” be making predictions on a currency that is under his sphere of influence. Even if he is completely squeaky clean (and we can believe he didn’t see a copy of the Exclusive Brethren’s email in 2005) the public still perceives the “possibility” of a conflict of interest that has the potential to mock our system of democracy. Mr Key should know better, but apparently his masters and spin doctors missed that one, and Labour missed it too.
Key is making plenty of mistakes and they are hard to see. But when someone points a mirror at your eyes to blind you with sunlight, wait until its dark to take a second look. And the same applies to the media that are emboldened by the prospects of a 2nd term National Government. They will be vulnerable to making mistakes, and Labour needs to be there when they do.
ryansway, thanks very much, fascinating post.
I agree @ national Radio. Often they lead a story with the govt X Y and Z and then the comment is from Labour.
Mind you this is the same key and speaker who said they couldnt comment on salaries for MPs and then said they would expect the higher salaries commission to not increase wages by $9k