Posts by Holly Johnson

  • Hard News: Monday Music! Outrageously right,

    Glastonbury fans voted Leave:

    Auckland • Since Jun 2008 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: The media awards are dead –…, in reply to Russell Brown,

    A very positive evening, for old media and new … great to see that The Wireless has its moment in the sun. Paul Cavanagh, the former Radio New Zealand CEO who founded it, can take a bow.

    Auckland • Since Jun 2008 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Playing the Man,

    Auckland • Since Jun 2008 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Random Play: Following The Songlines,

    Hey - an intelligent review of a gig, and one that mentions the music! Why don't we see that in the Herald any more? Their reviews now seem to be a place for cub reporters or sports reporters on their night off to display their ignorance.

    Auckland • Since Jun 2008 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Granny for Sale,

    APN selling the Herald is big news, but hardly anyone has mentioned this in the discussion. Is this an indication of how few web-savvy people - especially of a certain age - care about mainstream media? Or about the Herald?
    Does it mean the Listener is being sold as well? It could be said that someone actually buying it would be news in itself. But I can imagine an overseas buyer just kissing goodbye to a once important national outlet that still has the potential to be brought back to life.

    Auckland • Since Jun 2008 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Something odd and unresolved,

    Was it just me, or did the whole thing seem like it was written with a crayon? It was a long way from an incisive, articulate and ... accuse me of elitism ... intelligent profile. It read like a children's book, and the anecdotes were (appropriately?) banal.
    I found it a struggle to get through, it was like I was getting over a sleeping pill.
    Still, good on the Herald for devoting so many resources to it, a story that desperately needs telling (as last weekend's SST article showed, with the woman they found who'd moved from the city to small-town Geraldine, never normally voted, but would this time, and for Key: though "she didn't know why").
    I just wish some of the senior Herald journalists who have now left - Peter Calder, Graham Reid, say - were on hand to do something insightful with what the reporters came up with.

    Auckland • Since Jun 2008 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Improving quality by cutting service,

    "PM blocks pensioner's parking ..." You're exactly right, Stanley Pointen, that was an outrageously misleading and mischievous headline from the Herald. The Stuff site had an identical headline. I was going to mention them, but they disappeared quickly.
    And today, on Stuff, is this:

    Former RNZ boss admits using forged documents

    I'm sure I'm not the only person who thought this meant Radio New Zealand. Perhaps, like No Idea and other trash mags, this was their plan: to mislead, to get more readers. After all how newsworthy is this:

    Former Rowing boss admits using forged documents

    Just another sports administrator with fingers in the till, and just another case of journalism misleading intentionally, rather than just informing.

    Auckland • Since Jun 2008 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Improving quality by cutting service,

    Whoops. "New era" shouldn't have a hyphen. It just confirms that everyone needs a sub-editor.

    Auckland • Since Jun 2008 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Improving quality by cutting service,

    Here's an example of APN's new-era of sub-editing, from the lead story on the current front page of the Herald's website. A full-stop and a comma would make a big difference, plus there's a "who" missing as well:

    Mr Bolger also chairs Kiwibank and New Zealand Post Finance Minister Michael Cullen said the country was lucky to have Mr Bolger had played a major role in success stories of State Owned Enterprises.

    Auckland • Since Jun 2008 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: "Evil called: Can you make a…,

    As I lay awake contemplating the likelihood of a Key government, I thought of who would be in the cabinet. Fresh faces such as McCully, Nick Smith, English, Williamson, Lockwood Home. The 90s called, they want their CR limos back.
    Same old, same old, with just Key as the figurehead ostensibly in charge. Then I thought of the word 'puppet', and the great tune "I'm Your Puppet" came to me. Would work well on YouTube as a viral video with images of Key prevaricating, Williamson on his shoe phone, etc.

    Auckland • Since Jun 2008 • 10 posts Report Reply