Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Changing Times

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  • Russell Brown,

    Likwise, Russell. Sorry, I haven't got time it takes to engage you fully on the points you raised on digital content. One thing I will say, though, is the Culture and Heritage briefing to Jonathan Coleman is a tad old (12 years)

    Duh. My bad on the date, I fear.

    but the bit you quote mentions the trend of audience fragmentation.

    And I agree that's an issue.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The Tourettes interview from the Real Groove conversations.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • chris,

    Jeez, that interview started well and...

    It could be argued that there is a case to be made that the people who don't get any support could be competing with those who do.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    It could be argued that there is a case to be made that the people who don't get any support could be competing with those who do.

    Time to level the playing field then by introducing some kind of handicap scale to nobble the exceptionally talented.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Time to level the playing field then by introducing some kind of handicap scale to nobble the exceptionally talented.

    Outa-Tune?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • chris,

    Your Autotune line was funnier Sam. Why did you edit it?

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Don't know. Weakness for a bad pun?

    And what happened to that last version of your post? Bit confused for a moment there.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • chris,

    Sorry, I'd reached daily word limit.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I just saw previous posts about Broadcasting Act and NZ on Air mandates. I merely pointed out that there is nothing in the Act about how NZ on Air should act or what decisions it should make, or how it should make them because the Government (ie the Ministry for Culture and Heritage) is excluded from that in section 44. Sacha, if you want to disagree with my reading of the Act while not coming up with any interpretation of your own - that's fine.

    Your material was being quoted as saying the Act provided no mandate at all. I disagreed with that, because to me "mandate" does not mean detailed delegations or prescriptions about how to pursue a task - it just says which objectives are to be pursued and often what the structural arrangements are. The Act certainly does that.

    I believe my own interpretation of the issues is consistent enough if you have time to read what I've posted (though I'd rather you were busy working with culture in the studio than talking about it).

    audience fragmentation. This actually highlights how NZ on Air is so out of date with its thinking, and why there is a case to be made for pursuing smaller niche markets, not the mass market

    Totally agree - and have been doing so for many pages. And I agree that the direction in the Act about considering "audience" does not force NZ on Air to go for the biggest one or the blandest - but there are other pressures at play there.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Totally agree - and have been doing so for many pages. And I agree that the direction in the Act about considering "audience" does not force NZ on Air to go for the biggest one or the blandest - but there are other pressures at play there.

    It's a bit more stark than that. If they fund broadcast content that doesn't get broadcast, or is seen or heard by almost no one, they're eventually going to be asked to account for their use of taxpayers' money. And saying "but the Feelers are shit!" probably won't do it.

    I think it would be more sensible to seek another basis for delivering some of the funding than to stretch NZOA's brief even further than it's already stretched.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Herc/Xena is a great example. While the marvellous Ngila is the shining star of that show's alumni, the flow-on boost to industry skill levels in general was immeasurable.

    Notably many of the stunt performers, who made up much of the LOTR crew.

    This is actually getting boring.

    I've read it all and it does feel like it's going the same way as the Other NZ On Air Thread. I'm filing it under 'discussions that need to be had with this list of people not in the room'.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    If they fund broadcast content that doesn't get broadcast, or is seen or heard by almost no one

    Could be the "broad" in broad-casting that's the issue?

    And that distinction between a development role and a distribution one, if I'm reading this correctly. Maybe some funding responsibility needs to be transferred to the MIC (which might also keep some mainlanders happy).

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • chris,

    Given the almost total lack of international return for that $60mill, If all that's required is some NZ produced sound alike pap to slot between advertisements on radio and TV, what not just hire a liaiason guy to deal with the requirements of the broadcasters, hire a couple of song writers, fire the board, and keep a New Zealand On Air House band on the payroll. Would the results be markedly different?

    you're never going to

    (a) to reflect and develop New Zealand identity and culture by—

    ..while a select few broadcasters are making the choices. If they were serious about reflecting New Zealand's identity, they'd randomly allocate the grants.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I'm filing it under 'discussions that need to be had with this list of people not in the room'.

    Tell me about it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • brownthenose,

    If they were serious about reflecting New Zealand's identity, they'd randomly allocate the grants.

    or consult with people who had a concept of it.

    This is the present board of Nz on Air, not specifically the music division.

    The NZ on Air Board

    Neil Walter CNZM - Chair
    Appointed in November 2006
    Reappointed in November 2009
    Neil Walter is a former Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade and diplomat, serving as New Zealand Ambassador to Japan and Indonesia. He undertakes consulting projects for various entities and is a member of several government committees and review teams.

    Edie Moke - Deputy Chair
    Appointed in April 2004
    Edie Moke is a company director and accountant. She chairs the Board's Maori Strategy Committee and leads a documentary working group, responsible for selecting titles for strands.

    Nicole Hoey
    Appointed in September 2006
    Reappointed in November 2009
    Nicole is the managing director of television production company Cinco Cine and a member of the Board's Audit and Risk Committee.

    Michael Glading
    Appointed in December 2007
    Michael is the Chief Executive of NZ Football and is a 26 year veteran of the music industry.

    Murray Shaw
    Appointed in August 2008
    Murray is a consultant, company director and former arts administrator. Murray leads a documentary working group, responsible for selecting titles within strands.

    Stephen McElrea
    Appointed in December 2009
    Stephen is a corporate business broker and former television executive, having served 22 years with TVNZ. Stephen is a member of the Board's Audit and Risk Committee and leads a documentary working group responsible for selecting titles within strands.

    That lot and Brendan Smyth and his helpers. No wonder their music strategy is so messed up. To be fair this lot is relatively recent, ie post the 1998 change in direction, but as has been pointed out none of them appear to be up for correcting the course.

    Napier via UK • Since May 2010 • 19 posts Report Reply

  • chris,

    It's a bit more stark than that. If they fund broadcast content that doesn't get broadcast, or is seen or heard by almost no one, they're eventually going to be asked to account for their use of taxpayers' money. And saying "but the Feelers are shit!" probably won't do it.

    Well lets hope they archive of all that they fund, it can be guaranteed that at some point in the future, all of this stuff will be seen and heard if it is, just as the work of the Mobile Recording Unit provides a fascinating slice of NZ music/ history from the post war age.

    Assuming everything is archived and would most likely get broadcast at some point in say the next 5000 years of New Zealand history, then why measure the work of the agency on whether things are an immediate hit or not?

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report Reply

  • Robbie Siataga,

    I'm filing it under 'discussions that need to be had with this list of people not in the room'.

    Well if you haven't got anything to contribute and you're gonna get smarmy about it, then just run along eh ?...there's a good lad.

    So lets just re-cap shall we...

    Apart from Simon Grigg who has got something nice to say about Brendan personally and his past but not about his present and future.

    And Russell bangin on about being bored while avoiding the finer points of some decent arguments and chiding us like errant children squatting in his sandpit.

    Theres only the chorus of rejects, failures, whingers, artists, label owners, industry experts and the odd journo criticizing the system and by inference the personell running it.

    sweet.. lets just carry on with the status quo then cos its obvious we dont know what the fuck we're talking about eh ?

    Since Feb 2010 • 259 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    Hope you post back what Brendan says bout my idea Russ,

    Ever get the feeling you been used.

    If not, I'll just stick to saying glad NZ's answer to Dire Straits(FFD) didnt get much funding ....or did they?

    Or would RS be any different?... he likes to think he would be.
    Why don't I buy that?.... must just be cynical.
    Meh

    Why didn't this man become the Van Morrison of a generation of migrants. With songs like this I dont care how much he pissed up against a wall, or wasted on excess. No reason to turn your back on a guy.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    That lot and Brendan Smyth and his helpers. No wonder their music strategy is so messed up.

    It was Glading who was Mike Bradshaw's immediate predecessor, and who hired Mike in the late 80s. He also signed Bic Runga. So he wouldn't seem to be entirely clueless. And neither, I would submit, are any of the other board members, about whom you presumably know even less.

    To be fair this lot is relatively recent, ie post the 1998 change in direction

    There wasn't a change in direction. There was certainly more funding in Labour's first budget in 2000, as part of a package that included PACE and the Music Industry Commission.

    I've read that interview three times, and I'm still struggling to see what he's talking about. But it does seem worth noting that NZOA helped fund Bic Runga's Beautiful Collision , on Sony, in 2000, which became one of the most successful albums in the history of New Zealand popular music.

    To be fair, he does confess that he has "no idea" what should be done and hasn't really thought about it, but does say that independent labels should be part of the process -- which I don't think anyone would disagree with, especially now when indies (in dirty old Auckland) are making so much of the play.

    Look, what do you want? Take a break from casting aspersions on people you don't know, and suggest a practical idea.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • chris,

    Focus the money into an industry where New Zealand shows more promise internationally, such as software development.

    Put the music grant money exclusively into documentaries about New Zealannd music scenes

    produce a New Zealand weekly multi act live gig show

    More New Zealand break dancing shows

    Make gear accessible to everyone

    Less seminars, more music.

    better music education in schools

    randomly allocate singles/ video grants

    stop $50,000 giveaways to groups who aren't really matching the figure but are profiting from the grant

    regular hearing and eyesight tests for the NZOA committee, a benchmarked minimum standard for board members. IQ tests.

    regular rotation of board members

    Personally I don't think there's any shortage of ideas in this thread Russell, they just don't seem to suit the brief.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    And Russell bangin on about being bored while avoiding the finer points of some decent arguments and chiding us like errant children squatting in his sandpit.

    Robbie, fuck off. Really.

    I've spent my weekend trying to do my bit for a serious and useful discussion about a system I think needs to change. I've been prepared to put up with baiting in the hope it would go somewhere.

    Instead, yet another discussion about this issue has become personalised and crappy. Simon emailed me last night to explain that he just doesn't want to participate in this kind of thread, and I know he's not the only one. Bye.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Robbie Siataga,

    Fair enough, sorry. I'll try to stay on point.

    So what indies would these be Russell ? I been out of the loop for ages but wouldn' t mind knowing whos who and whos making plays.

    and what's your take on this ?

    if you've got major label distro you're more like an imprint than an indie.

    Since Feb 2010 • 259 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    What indies would these be Russell ?

    Just saying because if you've got major label distro you're more like an imprint than an indie.

    What's your take on it ?

    I re-opened the thread to answer this.

    An independent company is an independent company, no matter who it does a P&D deal with.

    And Rhythmethod, who distribute Arch Hill Recordings, Fat Freddys Drop, Shapeshifter, Op Shop, Cornerstone Roots, Little Bushman, etc., have changed the industry. The first Freddies album sold 120,000 copies, via an indie distributor, without even a contract being signed; Shapeshifter have delivered three platinum albums the same way. Peter Baker, who owns Rhythmethod, is a remarkable guy with lots of ideas.

    I'd rather listen to him than to you.

    Thread closed.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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