OnPoint by Keith Ng

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OnPoint: Astrotobacco

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  • Kumara Republic,

    I remember earlier in this millennium, there was a propaganda exercise on radio called "More Radio Choice" which attacked the Clark-Anderton Govt's proposal for a youth radio station, using university-age voice-overs to target a specific demographic. The contact address was given as a Hotmail account, which was later revealed to be a front for the Radio Broadcasters Association.

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

  • Stephen Judd,

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Beard,

    can I perhaps controversially ask what aged care has in common with tobacco, whaling and shonky finance companies?

    Partaking in any of the last three will prematurely age you, making you a prime candidate for the first.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Feeling left out of the stalking love, can I perhaps controversially ask what aged care has in common with tobacco, whaling and shonky finance companies?

    Well, Te Ohu Kaimoana are in there as well. I certainly hope they're not looking to make use of Inglewood's pro-whaling PR.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    take a gander at what they issue press releases about.

    Oh, I've been aware of NZACA under their previous name HCPNZ though I didn't know what company they were keeping. They're not at all shy about speaking on behalf of the elderly, though I have no problem with them addressing industry issues. I also sympathise with their position on the relationship between govt funding and decent pay for their staff, though of course the broader question of whether institutional arrangements provide best value and results is not something they're likely to address.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Oh look you made the Herald, media blogger Keith Ng.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    Thanks for the good work, Keith. Genuinely grateful you are shining some light into these dark corners- :)

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • nz native,

    Now could some-one drag Peter Dunne into the story to start rounding it out even more .......

    Dunny boy was once wined and dined by Lord Rothmans over in england, a cheque was given to Dunny ............ British Imperial I presume ;-) .

    You've gota pick which drugs are about common sense and family values ..............

    Nicky Hagar has good info on the sly dealings of spin doctors and PR subterfuge http://www.nickyhager.info/category/public-relations/

    Since May 2007 • 60 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Robeson,

    Why don't you run a major daily?

    Since Feb 2008 • 87 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    you made the Herald

    Another NZPA story sourced from blogs, bless them.

    Green said the sole funding so far came from its members. It had employed two part time coordinators but it had yet to figure out how they would be funded, as it was still early days.

    "I would love to get funding from the tobacco industry," he said.

    And Inwood firmly maintained ACR received no funding from tobacco companies or himself but purely from members' subscriptions.

    "It's running off the smell of an oily rag."

    Employ people and then figure out to pay them? Yeah right.

    None of the Auckland shops listed as "members" on ACR's website said they were in fact paying members. All but one said they had never even heard of the association.

    Ouch

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    "Carrick Graham is now following you on Twitter!"

    lol.

    And me.

    I'm a total follower-whore, but sorry, I don't want the eyeballs of scumbag tobacco company mouthpieces. This is what the "block" buttom was invented for.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    And me.

    yet I have to settle for Cameron Brewer - ok, know my place

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    Quite a slick website, ACR. Any estimate on what it might have cost?
    Mr Inwood reckons ACR is "... running off the smell of an oily rag".
    How oily?
    The website seems to have been registered by Dan Brown at Sol media.
    If that's so, it's very very generous of Sol Media to do this for a sniff on an oleaginous scrap of cloth.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Keith Ng,

    Quite a slick website, ACR. Any estimate on what it might have cost?

    Hur? I assumed that the website was deliberately designed to look like it came out of the 80s, you know, as part of the astroturfing.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 543 posts Report Reply

  • Greg Dawson,

    teehee you said buttom button.
    lets face it, we're lost in Astroturf, and good luck to you if you can find a way to save sensible argument from this marshmallow melodrama.

    As billie the vision would say, i learned some swear words, i learned to use them And i stopped thinking that things can be both black and white...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 294 posts Report Reply

  • underscore_b,

    Hur? I assumed that the website was deliberately designed to look like it came out of the 80s, you know, as part of the astroturfing.

    No doubt, but look at the actual functionality. The colour scheme is the only thing retro about it.

    Since Jun 2007 • 18 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    And what's telling is that the article states:

    None of the Auckland shops listed as "members" on ACR's website said they were in fact paying members. All but one said they had never even heard of the association.

    That reminds me of the Generation Lost astroturf job some 10 years earlier. A great many of the people listed on the poster later came out saying their names were used without authorisation, and more of them weren't even 'young New Zealanders' but rather middle-aged grumps with an axe to grind. The shark truly jumped when the majority sponsor turned out to be our old friends at the Business Roundtable. That's when Commando Clark brought out the political anti-ballistic missiles.

    I also vividly recall on the Holmes show back then, one expat living in London was blow-hardily gloating he could spend as much as he liked on expensive brands like Gucci.

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

  • Shona Sangster,

    As someone whose mother works in one of rest homes listed on the Aged Care Association website, I reckon they'd feel quite comfortable in this company. She's a care giver in a closed Dementia ward where the (slightly above minimum wage) care givers have recently been told they now have to do all the cleaning of the unit as well. I know it's a limited funding environment but I reckon that's just disgraceful!

    Since Apr 2010 • 5 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    It's hardly a good sign when their wages are so low it makes sense to deploy them as cleaners

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Brian Murphy,

    Score Keith!!!! ^5

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10647023

    Looks like the chickens are home!

    From the article

    But Imperial Tobacco's New Zealand sales and marketing director, Tony Meirs, last week told a Maori Affairs select committee the company was providing the ACR with public relations resources through Omeka Public Relations.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 48 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    And page 2 of the DomPost.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Now could some-one drag Peter Dunne into the story to start rounding it out even more .......

    Dunny boy was once wined and dined by Lord Rothmans over in england, a cheque was given to Dunny ............ British Imperial I presume ;-) .

    nz native: Serious point -- you might want to be very careful about accusing any Minister of the Crown (past or present) of selling policy or legislation. Or at least make sure you're the only one who will be wearing any legal or financial blowback.

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

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Isn't truth a defence anymore? The letter to Dunne inviting him to put his "expense claim" in is widely available.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Isn't truth a defence anymore? The letter to Dunne inviting him to put his "expense claim" in is widely available.

    Might well be -- but I don't think it's presumptuous to say Russell might prefer not having to justify the very big leap you've made in a defamation or contempt of Parliament action. (For some reason, Dunne has a track record of getting a tad pissy about insinuations he, in effect, takes bribes from tobacco companies. Can't for the life of me see why...)

    Or to put it more idiomatically, don't let your mouth write a check your ass can't cash -- especially if someone else ends up picking up the tab.

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

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