Cracker by Damian Christie

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Cracker: A Whale of a Tale

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  • Russell Brown,

    To me this thread is just the usual suspects throwing around some ideas and you and Damian taking the usual flow of banter very personally.

    Er, I think we were entitled to take some of it personally.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    That was what I talk from all that "autocue reader" stuff, and various other comments in this thread.

    Fair enough. It felt like it was aimed at me (although I have not claimed that any television worker works less hard than any other New Zealander).

    However, I want to feel like I'm disagreeing respectfully. I'll tone down a little.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    "autocue reader" - my bad. I'm not saying its easy, i'm just asking why the output is so poor.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • Damian Christie,

    But porn? Come on -- on what Bizarro World would a sane person think that's a reasonable use of public money?

    Exactly. Doesn't he have a laptop?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    Which points did you take personally by the way Russell because I can't believe anyone here would willingly attack you ?

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • George Darroch,

    i'm just asking why the output is so poor.

    Because that's what his producers want. If they didn't like it they'd have someone else.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    It's a bad look for Shane, it was very poor judgement.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    Because that's what his producers want. If they didn't like it they'd have someone else.

    How are T.V ratings done anyway?

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    How are T.V ratings done anyway?

    I believe it involved chicken entrails and a freshly whitewashed wall. :)

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

  • Paul Williams,

    But never to someone *like you*. Paul Henry consistently picks on only marginalised social groups – just like other bullies do. You won’t see him putting down white business men or sports people – or anyone who he suspects could hand him his arse on a plate.

    Well put Sacha, thanks.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Cecelia,

    Does it mean that they had dumbed the product down enough that the face presenting it had become the only value added, the only recognisable difference? How bloody insecure is that?)

    I like that point. Shallow and shallower - our main channel.

    Meanwhile, on a more cerebral note, Coro is on in less than an hour. The revered Paul Henry wondered last week how a show about "ugly poor people" could do so well. There are probably a few "retarded people" , "schizos" and "ladies with moustaches" on it too. Ain't he a lovely guy?

    Hibiscus Coast • Since Apr 2008 • 559 posts Report

  • Paul Williams,

    Oh, bullshit. If Ministers of the Crown want to exercise themselves with grossly over-priced PPV porn that's their affair. But surely they can easily afford to self-finance their masturbation-fodder from their own far from niggardly salaries?

    I generally agree. I've travelled lots for work and charged meals etc when I've been entitled too but I always paid cash for any movie I watched, not 'cause I cared about what I watched being known by others, but because I'd not have bothered to keep the receipt and claim had I walked a couple of blocks to the local theatre.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Do news programmes ever make a profit?

    I believe 6pm news helps fund lots of stuff that follows. Always highly rating.

    @Giovanni - I also take objection to this. I know what at least one of the top anchors gets paid, and it's about the same as various salespeople I know, less than ad people and lawyers I know. It certainly ain't the grand old days of Judy Bailey.

    And in return for that sum, you get to have papparazzi follow you around whether you want it or not, your children are targets too, your ability to quietly enjoy a social life is seriously diminished, your sex life (and sexuality) is fodder every weekend, everyone thinks they can approach you randomly to tell you what's wrong with the news, and as this blog has illustrated, everyone thinks it's okay to kick you.

    My understanding is that the papparazzi and the womens mag covers etc were all part of a plan by TVNZ about 20 years ago to promote the newsreaders/reporters as part of the TV news brand.

    On that basis, it's a a bit of horse now bolted, difficult to get get it back surely.

    Point of information: RNZ ratings, coming in at number 2 nationwide, pretty awesome for an underresourced outfit doing boring worthy news.

    I don't think that's a fair comparison. RNZ doesn't have much competition in the serious end of the radio game, other radio stations might have a half a dozen stations doing a similar thing to them.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    News makes money.The ad before the six o'clock news is the front cover if you like of tvnz. It would be their most expensive ad I would think. News is very popular funnily enough, always has been.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    But surely they can easily afford to self-finance their masturbation-fodder from their own far from niggardly salaries?

    It's hardly the great bank robbery though, these guys are travelling,
    away from home, their union look after them, fair enough...use the minibar,what a crime.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    Hotel Travelling is mind numbling boring.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • recordari,

    Hotel Travelling is mind numbing boring.

    Yes but when he was trying to decide who he'd rather have know he rented pr0n, it does speak volumes that he chose his employer (who happens to be the government, and taxpayer funded) over his wife.

    Hello?

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Anyway ... a not un-useful discussion, but do bear in mind that any TV topic in his blog inevitably being followed by a thread about how shit TV/TV News/TVNZ/Paul Henry/Paul Holmes/The NZ Media/Others are might get frustrating for Damian.

    I'm glad Philip noted that the original post made some useful points.

    FWIW, I appreciate the fact that a Breakfast-type show means finding and pulling in people with stories every morning, and that you're not always going to be fully-researched.

    But for something like the whaling story, typing the man's name into Google should have been a basic step, given the controversial topic. He might have been an Act On Campus member, serious, or whatever. It's just basic.

    Once Williams got there, he failed. It was dull.

    And Gio, before I go and watch something on television, I'm still a bit annoyed about your challenge as to whether I'd do anything like Jon Stewart had done on Crossfire panel ("why are you hurting us?").

    Well, not on my TV show. And neither would Stewart. Ever. Ever, ever, ever. Indeed, while he will ask hard questions, he is frequently exaggeratedly nice to some beastly people in a way I don't think I'd be comfortable with.

    The bottom line is that informing people they're evil isn't a good interviewing strategy. You'll also find that no one comes on your show.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    Apparently Shane paid it back, he travelled then paid it back. Surely it's porn that's gonna bring him down , they are going to try and shame him, there's a real meaness to that. ...because he watched a porno in a hotel, it's not really the amount , it's the naughtiness of men we all get giggly about.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    and I think on reflection I understand Russells and Damians points.Making television news is rocket science, a lot of skills have to come together fast and the guy in front of the camera has to have some ultra unique skills.

    Paul Holmes and Paul Henry are talented, very talented in that regard, it’s just disappointing what they say a lot of the times, with all that talent :)

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

  • recordari,

    I don't really give a toss (ahem) about what he watches. In fact I'm sort of over this before it has even fully got going.

    As to this thread, it bothered/surprised me that it become inwardly focused at our hosts, even if a little indirectly. Having found most mainstream media and commentary severely lacking in recent years, the stuff that goes on here is quite refreshing.

    But if you ever throw a mock party in the Media 7 studio to demonstrate what our politicians spend our taxpayer money on, I'm outta here. Take it from me, most people can imagine quite successfully what 3 bottles of blanc and 19 DVDs look like without visual aids. 'Ratings dear'. Yeah, whatever.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report

  • andin,

    @Andin - no I'm not linking lowest common denominator programming to poverty, and I think it's vaguely offensive you'd even assume I'd make that link.

    Sorry mate wasn't saying you were doing that. I just took the opportunity to make that point. I respect your work as an even handed, hard working broadcaster. Been on the job today otherwise I would have replied earlier.
    While any connection between poverty and teh stupid is fallacious, there is a very real connection between poverty and ignorance which can be addressed by education.

    I was hoping to upset any viewing libertarians, not you.


    To the other person who didnt like my opinion of Boy. It was just my opinion. I guess it was supposed to be a comedy although I hardly laughed at all.
    I wonder if I'll upset anyone if I say Whalerider (IMO) was a loathsome movie.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report

  • Felix Marwick,

    Wow - this is a bad thread to be a journo' in isn't it?

    My 2 cents worth is this; sure there's probably a lot of stuff on TV and Radio that a lot of people here don't like. That's understandable. But I could almost 100 percent guarantee if the set up was in line with your desires/aspirations etc there'd be someone else bitching about it.

    People harp on about the quality of Close Up, Campbell Live and Breakfast. There are all sorts of accusations of dumbing down and trivialising the news

    On the flip side there are others who castigate RNZ for being too pointy headed, wooly minded, PC, and having delusions of intellectual grandeur.

    (BTW those are just observations, not a personal opinion)

    Basically in our game it doesn't matter who you work for or what product you put out - there'll always be someone who thinks you are a pile of shit.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 200 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Well, not on my TV show. And neither would Stewart. Ever. Ever, ever, ever..

    He has. The business guy springs to mind, whatshisname? That was pretty devastating, both in the edited version that went to air and in the unedited version that you could watch on the website. "Roll 2-12" is a moment that will stay with me.

    That was far worse than the Crossfire interview. And he's had Crossfire-like moments with a lot of people, although mostly it didn't look like they started that way - in other words, he was playing good host and things just became adversarial.

    However, I also said I understand why you can't as that question. What I am asking is if you think there is a space in New Zealand for that sort of thing. And if not, why not? And if yes, why is nobody doing it - is it simply because nobody is hurting New Zealand that bad? Or is it because you invariably know not just the game but also the player, and you know that they're not that demonic in real life? (which I'm sure they aren't, nobody is.)

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Jeremy Eade,

    Basically in our game it doesn't matter who you work for or what product you put out - there'll always be someone who thinks you are a pile of shit.

    That's not a unique problem to your game, that's the challenge of a marketplace.

    auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 1112 posts Report

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