Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: I've been hybridising for a while now ...

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    If a politician, be he Winston Peters or anyone else, is going to walk away from questions (quite valid ones in Winston's case), simply because they're not happy where I'm standing then I'm going to mention it in dispatches. It gives people an idea of what's happening and how someone is responding - answers are important. But so too are the manner in which they answer them (or not answer them as the case may be).

    Thanks for that piece of context, Felix. I think it's also worth nothing that it was at a time Peters had repeatedly -- and wildly -- accused various members of the Press Gallery of forgery, fabricating quotes, stalking and (not to put too fine a point on it) outright deception in pursuit of a vendetta with the sole purpose of brining him down.

    With all due and sincere respect, Russell, given his form I think people like Felix and Guyon were perfectly entitled to defend themselves against another round of Winston's habitual 'fling enough crap and hope it buries the story' tactics.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    the hybridisation is becoming riskily confusing to the voter

    No it isn't. Folks who care enough to seek more information, analysis and discussion already know they've been shortchanged by trad media, mostly by the art of omission.

    What i value about PA, is the collaborative nature of it. And the self-regulation - no-one gets away with making unsubstantiated, contestable comments. It's also a much quicker way to get a better grip on issues than trawling thru all the sources yourself and hoping for the best.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    What i value about PA, is the collaborative nature of it. And the self-regulation - no-one gets away with making unsubstantiated, contestable comments.

    And I can't speak for anyone else, but even if the discussion on an issue doesn't change my mind, it sure doesn't hurt to be reminded of Edmund Burke's belief that:

    Adversity is a severe instructor, set over us by one who knows us better than we do ourselves, as he loves us better too. He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper. This conflict with difficulty makes us acquainted with our object, and compels us to consider it in all its relations. It will not suffer us to be superficial.

    Or to put it a little less elegantly, when so much political discourse is either a circle jerk or a hysterical screaming match, I'll grab anything else with both hands. The medium is not the message.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    @Felix:

    Did what I wrote translate to print? Well I'll let others be the judge of that. However the piece I filed on that was one of several I wrote on the Peters' issue that day and was designed to form part of a bigger picture.

    Fair enough; that puts it in context. For me, seeing this as the intro of the afternoon lead on the Herald website ...

    The relationship between the media and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit a new low.

    ... made me think for goodness sake, it's not all about you guys and your relationship with Peters.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Sorry, Craig, I think you missed a bit in the Burke quote. Allow me to complete:

    Adversity is a severe instructor, set over us by one who knows us better than we do ourselves, as he loves us better too. He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper. But whatever you do, please don't waste your time arguing with that Grant Dexter - that's like boxing with a mosquito.

    Later, after a couple of brandies, he concluded: "That Grant Dexter, he sure is a dick".

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Adversity is a severe instructor, set over us by one who knows us better than we do ourselves, as he loves us better too.

    Would that be Russell then?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Hosking,

    This conflict with difficulty makes us acquainted with our object, and compels us to consider it in all its relations. It will not suffer us to be superficial

    Burke is my favourite political philosopher, (although he wouldn't like being called that) but I hadn't noticed this Presbyterian strand in his thought before.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Burke is my favourite political philosopher, (although he wouldn't like being called that) but I hadn't noticed this Presbyterian strand in his thought before.

    What really amazes me about the famous Speech to the Electors of Bristol is that it was just that. A stump speech that actually assumed the audience had an attention span longer than a nano-second, and was interested in a serious and complex answer to serious and complex questions. (Even more frightening, compared to - say - Gladstone and Disraeli at full stretch, Burke was positively laconic! Did politicians in 18th and 19th century England have gills?)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Hosking,

    Just a wee note on the theme of media and blogging etc...didn't catch the time, or who is talking, but there's a piece on Kathryn Ryan's Nine to Noon addressing this issue later this morning.

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report Reply

  • David Slack,

    Denis Welch, at the start of the last hour. Eminently qualified.

    Devonport • Since Nov 2006 • 599 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Well, Daivd, I've heard Denis Welch say David Farrar "works for the National Party". Which isn't actually true, but never mind. Just points up that commentators -- whether blogging or trad -- just need to be rather scrupulous on matters of fact, doesn't it?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • David Slack,

    Depends what you mean by 'works', I suppose, but doesn't Curia do a lot of polling work for the National Party? For someone so voluble about all and everything he's been suprisingly reticent to comment on the validity of claims some bloggers (The Standard, from memory?) have been making in that respect.

    Devonport • Since Nov 2006 • 599 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    But the Turnbull Library's collection of those journals is awesome

    Hocken Collections (courtesy of the foresight and generosity of the good doctor Hocken) has a good collection as well.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Depends what you mean by 'works', I suppose

    More to the point, what did Welch mean?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    Well, Daivd, I've heard Denis Welch say David Farrar "works for the National Party". Which isn't actually true, but never mind.

    It's no longer true, but it certainly used to be. And I believe the change in situation is fairly recent. Last election? So while it's not accurate now, it has been accurate.
    Which would contrast with the various implications I've seen (not from you) that RB is somehow affiliated with Labour other than by simple alignment of political views.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

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