Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Some reprehensible bullshit

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  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Sacha,

    in far too short a supply inside their newsrooms nowadays, perhaps.

    No, the problem is the Herald does far too much "moralising" without drawing that tiresome distinction between editorial opinion and hard news.

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

  • Sam Bradford,

    The New Zealand Herald is a bad fucking joke, and the more often people say that out loud, the better. The editorial team need to be embarrassed into upping their game.

    New Zealand • Since Jul 2014 • 30 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sam Bradford,

    The editorial team need to be embarrassed into upping their game.

    And that might mean something like a Chasers or Borat-grade hoax.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Karen Adams, in reply to Richard Wain,

    Refer to comment below by Craig R

    Under your bed • Since Oct 2012 • 16 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Fiasco,

    I once heard Cameron Brewer brag that he purposely says the most contrarian view in order to get in the paper. He seemed to think this was impressive rather than morally bankrupt.

    Auckland • Since Dec 2014 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Mark Fiasco,

    Oh, interesting. Where was that?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Inside their newsroom, not inside their pages. Some basic ethics reflection wouldn't go astray. They seem to have forgotten whatever their parents taught them about right and wrong.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Sam Bradford,

    The editorial team need to be embarrassed into upping their game.

    That would be nice, Sam. But remember when the British press were piously intoning they were going to clean up their act after Diana died? I sincerely take no pleasure in saying this, but I think the only things that will prompt The Herald to tune up is someone with very deep pockets and ironcast will taking them to the cleaners in a defamation suit with a substantial order for costs attached.

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

  • Tom Semmens,

    The so-called Taxpayers Union calling for recall elections is hardly surprising given that the Auckland political right – an odious assorted bunch of creeps that includes the core of the dirty politics brigade with the likes of Cameron Slater, Dick Quax, Cameron Brewer, and Carrick Graham, plus most of the right wing business establishment and a pile of fellow travelers at the Herald – have never accepted Len Brown as mayor and have considered him an unsuitable upstart from the third world of Manakau from day one of his mayoralty. The whole Palino sponsored Bevan Chaung “scandal” was a straight-out attempt to subvert the last election result, which should show how short the right’s patience is becoming.

    Eventually, if the Auckland right can’t win an election they will try and engineer a “crisis” and get their National party mates in Wellington to appoint a commission to run the city. I guess this sort of beat-up story is part of the building blocks of that sort of campaign to create an atmosphere of crisis and financial mismanagement. It also means Len Brown cannot run again. If he did, the vileness, hysteria and character assassination of the man would reach unbelievable heights, and if he still managed to win, the Auckland right would try and make the city ungovernable to provoke a “crisis” that would “require” Brown’s removal by by John Key.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Sam Bradford, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Oh, I'm not optimistic! It's actually hard for me to imagine how pointless or ill-informed a story would have to be before they'd apologise for running it. The problem is that people still take it seriously. (OK, the bigger problem is lack of an alternative.)

    I'd consider making a line of T-shirts bearing 'the NZ Herald is a bucket of piss' or similar. Or maybe just the Herald masthead and 'Len Brown: Hero'.

    New Zealand • Since Jul 2014 • 30 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Sam Bradford,

    I’d consider making a line of T-shirts bearing ‘the NZ Herald is a bucket of piss’ or similar.

    I'd buy one of those, except urine never did anything to deserve such a horrible diss. :)

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

  • bob daktari, in reply to Sam Bradford,

    the bigger problem is lack of an alternative

    plenty of alternatives... we're at one now... for those looking

    Big media is what it is, sad and morally bankrupt, and this won't change its only going to get worse cause truth is a virtue big business and those in power cannot abide unless it sits in with their perceived view of the world

    thankfully those who care enough to look for truth and intelligent views are well catered to

    auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 540 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    That would be nice, Sam. But remember when the British press were piously intoning they were going to clean up their act after Diana died?

    It took a major scandal like Hackgate to get to that point in Britain, and even then it's still largely business as usual. The News of the World may have shut down, but many of its former staff were merely side-stepped into the Sun on Sunday.

    I sincerely take no pleasure in saying this, but I think the only things that will prompt The Herald to tune up is someone with very deep pockets and ironcast will taking them to the cleaners in a defamation suit with a substantial order for costs attached.

    The only name I can come up with is Graham McCready, and even then he only fits half the bill.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Julie Fairey,

    ASB ... included a rather luscious executive suite on the top floor I believe

    You believe correctly. Having been there in a former employment life, I can attest to the opulent nature of its (former) fit-out. Not to mention the sweeping harbour views all the way north-to-south. Oh and the restricted-access lift that only serviced the top floor and required a key-card. It was the floor on which the Board met, and configured in keeping with appropriate uber-capitalist norms. Lots of wood panelling, thick carpet, etc.

    A very nice space, but woe betide the Council if it had been retained intact. If we think the invective about Len's sex-den en-suite is OTT, it takes little imagination to conjure up the fevered words that would have been bandied about to describe the "Mayor's luxurious penthouse suite".

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Dave Waugh,

    Maybe they should just get Taito Phillip Field in to see if he can get the cost of the tiling down some more?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 98 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Sam Bradford,

    It’s actually hard for me to imagine how pointless or ill-informed a story would have to be before they’d apologise for running it.

    Based on the total lack of contrition for Wine-bottle-that-didn’t-exist Gate, I don’t think such a story exists. The editorial staff would probably offer trite platitudes in the face of a well-heeled litigator who was determined to extract their pound of flesh, but that’s about it.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Stanley Pointen,

    It is now fairly obvious that the Herald has become embedded within the Auckland right-wing black ops political apparatus, which is cause for very serious concern, and will have consequences.

    Auckland • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Ah. Here's a story on the design company that did the sex dungeon^H^H^H fitout for 135 Albert Street. Something about "bump spaces" and "casual meetings". Ooo-er.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Russell Brown,

    casual meetings

    As opposed to the "casual meatings" that el Granny would have us believe will be going on in Len's sex dungeon?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Russell Brown,

    the HACK Cheryl Howie

    fixed for you

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Matt Fairhurst,

    like a door.

    But it *is* a door.

    No it's a dual function door - saving valuable floor space (and hence ratepayers dollars) by combining bookshelves with door functionality.

    Truly forward thinking.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    No it’s a dual function door – saving valuable floor space (and hence ratepayers dollars) by combining bookshelves with door functionality.

    In addition to hiding the mayoral sex dungeon. Is that what they refer to as "nailing it"? Or is that used to talk about something else to do with the sex dungeon?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Russell Brown,

    And from her former colleague, Tony Wall, also to me:

    “oh for god’s sake enough of the moralising – it was just a good old fashioned yarn !”

    It was only a joke and a hug ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    more selective moralising?
    re the Pastor praying for someone to commit suicide:

    I note that Stuff has a screen shot of the email which ends:
    "I pray that you will commit suicide, you filthy child molesting fag."
    which is a bit different to their headline:
    "Pastor told gay Christian: Go kill yourself"

    Meanwhile The NZ Herald presents a quote - as if it were verbatim:
    "I pray that you will commit suicide, you filthy fag."
    so they edited some of the egregious material out without indicating that they had.
    Were they trying to water it down or what?

    Not good journalistic practice or integrity on both papers part.

    (I also posted this on the 'same sex marriage in churches' thread)

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Myles Thomas,

    What is most galling is that HOS readership is over 300,000 while Public Address is a bit less. And you know that any apology, correction or balance (if it were to come) would be buried inside the later pages.

    I don't think people would care so much what a newspaper puts on its front page if we didn't all instinctively KNOW that this is how public opinion is shaped and elections won.

    Auckland • Since Apr 2011 • 130 posts Report Reply

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