Cracker by Damian Christie

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Cracker: See More on 3

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  • johnno,

    Get ya local news where you can - pictures and sound from the telly, and analysis and comments from the papers and PAS. There are plenty of half decent outlets out there. Just don't rely on any one source.

    I was a little disappointed to see TV3 waste seven minutes of their Sunday 6.00pm bulletin on an "advertorial" for the rugby World Cup. This seems to be a thing with TV3. Anyone remember the PR puff piece Campbell Live did for Vodaphone's new cell phones?

    TVNZ seems to have got it's house in order a little bit recently. It still has a hell of a way to go - losing the muppets who read their 6.00 show would be a great start. The TV3 lot seem to just have a much more relaxed, informal, low-key delivery. But 3 have to do something about the children they have reporting. When a child like Libby Middlebrook is considered experienced enough to end up on CL, then they have some serious credibility problems.

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 111 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    Maori TV & Native Affairs is good TV.
    In defense of insults to Maori Franks is repeating the insults to Catholics in Southpark (but not claiming any religion himself) - it's ok as long as its not him?

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • Sue,

    <i> but really maybe one of those girls will become NZs next jude dobson, didn't she start as a game show girl?

    When you say "start" there seems to be some sort of implication that she went somewhere. Isn't she the host of Family Health Diaries? </i>

    well family heath diary is educational
    ;)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 527 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    __Good old Lauwaly is now the science/tech reporter & she still claims ignorance on the subject__

    Health actually, but don't let the facts get in the way.

    And she's been that for quite a while, IIRC. I'd be much more inclined to applaud that than mock. One of of the great weaknesses of TV news reporting is that there are so many generalists who need the story explained to them.

    3410 In 20 years time? I'll undoubtedly have sold out to some high paying PR/Comms job. Would you expect any less?

    I'll either be a successful media entrepreneur or a very bitter freelance journalist. Either way, lunch is on you.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Leopold,

    The more I read these comments the happier I am that at 6 to 7PM I'm listening to Radio NZ news and commentary...

    Since Jan 2007 • 153 posts Report Reply

  • Nobody Important,

    I'll either be a successful media entrepreneur or a very bitter freelance journalist.

    Ah yes, winning awards is nice ... but somehow the mind always drifts to "but it would be nice to be paid too"

    expat • Since Mar 2007 • 319 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    Russell

    Point taken - consistency is the c-word that does seem more unacceptable around board tables than any other. I'll conceed I don't watch enough to judge her performance - just laugh and snigger from a distance.

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    What is all the pissing and moaning about? You want to know what happens in the world every day you have the telly, the papers, the radio, the internet - all complementary surely? I know people carry on about the fact that we have hardly any world news on our TVs. I, for one, think there's too much, quite frankly. It's a big old bleak world out there, and I, for one, like living in a little cocoon of ignorance.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • AndrewD,

    You want to know what happens in the world every day you have the telly, the papers, the radio, the internet - all complementary surely?

    Simple really

    Radio for speed and initial reactions. TV for pictures. Newspapers for detail. Internet for opinion.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 54 posts Report Reply

  • AndrewD,

    ps Lauwaly is one of the few TV reporters to still have a "ROUND".

    That old fashioned term that meant reporters studied their subject and knew what they were talking about.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 54 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Radio for speed and initial reactions. TV for pictures. Newspapers for detail. Internet for opinion.

    To use a sports for an example, the best thing to do when watching live sport is to turn on the TV, turn off the sound and replace it with the radio commentary of your choice.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Also, the best news show I have ever seen is ESPN's Sportscentre. If they could somehow map that format onto important* news we'd be set. CurrentEventsCentre

    *Sports is not that important really.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    To use a sports for an example, the best thing to do when watching live sport is to turn on the TV, turn off the sound and replace it with the radio commentary of your choice.

    The great thing about doing this is that you can hear a cracking shot or the ball hitting the wickets and turn around in time to see on TV. Otherwise, the slight delay between sound and vision is kind of annoying. Worth it, though, to not have to listen to Martin Crowe.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • rodgerd,

    And then she placed her hand on my knee

    This is the sound of me rolling my eyes at a muppet.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report Reply

  • Nobody Important,

    so I should lay off the Mills & Boon then?
    ;D

    expat • Since Mar 2007 • 319 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Sorry to come back to this but... I just came across this piece (via Pharyngula)

    Which do you think was his better photo? There is the obvious answer and then there is the answer that discusses what this juxtaposition says about our current culture.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    Didn't the victim (naked brutalised veitnamese girl) in that photo request it not to be shown again?
    This is a continual form of abuse.
    To compare to Paris Hilton, well ...

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • Nobody Important,

    Wow, that's pretty weird. How can you judge what is the 'better' photo - they're from two disparate events. Each photo should stand on its own merits, and unarguably the first one has longevity. I doubt the second one will get much screentime in 35 years.

    For me what is more interesting is the reaction from those commenting on your linked site.

    Whatever it says, it’s not good…

    can't argue with that. From the killing fields to Beverly Hills ...

    it makes me sick to see Paris Hilton’s face contorted with the same despair and anguish as those kids in the first photo. She does not know what disaster is.

    Yes she does, it's just that her disaster is more personal/self-centred. I have no doubt she had to go to jail but I don't doubt for a minute it's going to be devastating to her. That photo of her bawling her eyes out shows real raw emotion. It provides some hope that she may learn from this experience - maybe she won't drive drunk in the future?! We all know she can afford a driver.

    expat • Since Mar 2007 • 319 posts Report Reply

  • Nobody Important,

    actually, what Hayden has brought up goes back to Damian's disparaging comments about Jude Dobson on Page 2 (and my reply of 'what will you be doing in 20 years time Damian?'). Huynh Cong Ut was much acclaimed with that photo he took in Vietnam. What's he 'reduced' to now? Taking paparazzi pics of Paris Hilton.
    And no, I'm not equating Ms Dobson's beginnings with that of Huynh Cong Ut; I'm just pointing out that we all end up doing what we can to make ends meet. Hopefully Huynh Cong Ut is not sitting forlornly in a bar telling anyone who'll listen: "I won a Pulitzer once y'know"

    expat • Since Mar 2007 • 319 posts Report Reply

  • Lee Wilkinson,

    I heard one of the most amazing interviews, ever, of the girl in the photo, Kim Phuc, I think her name was (she now lives in Canada.) She was still having plastic surgery into her early 20's, the napalm had burnt all the way to her internal organs.
    On air live, she met the pilot of the F4 phantom who dropped the napalm on her village and wasted her extended family.
    She implicitly forgave him, he was weeping and sobbing.

    IMHO that was news but did we see it in NZ?

    BTW That image significantly seared itself into my child brain and formed part of my character that says "NO" loudly, to wars of colonial oppression.

    Whangarei Heads • Since Nov 2006 • 45 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    We had a book of 20th Century images* at home when i was a kid. The image of the vietnamese girl burned itself into my brain. My mum told me about the when she first saw it on TV here in NZ and how it made nearly everyone she knew take a step back from their ideas about war.
    *(ironically released before the century ended)

    I'm not sure how I view the Paris Hilton photo. I agree with NI:

    it's just that her disaster is more personal/self-centred. I have no doubt she had to go to jail but I don't doubt for a minute it's going to be devastating to her

    For me it does typify our culture. It's not a paparazzi shot really. And it's possibly much nicer than those helicopter shots we've seen recently. But it is pure human emotion, ironically, this is reality TV.

    ps. here is a post closer to the source which shows the uncropped photo, read down to the "featured comment"

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Lee Wilkinson,

    Nice bit of googling Haydn,
    Its weird but I can still remember that day I first saw it, it was cold and raining. The coverage at the time included film of a multiple plane airstrike and several other photos with dead-ish looking people lying around what looked like village remnants. From memory My Lai and those photos were several months after.
    A coming of age thing but this was the year I worked out what MAD really meant and later that year I participated in my first protest march around central Christchurch. We really thought we could ban the bomb by chanting.

    Whangarei Heads • Since Nov 2006 • 45 posts Report Reply

  • Michael Fitzgerald,

    That photo and other 'great' media moments like Beslan are War Porn (for want of a greater examination & explanation). Enough.

    Lee - take a wee bow we have banned the bomb - at least here. Depleted Uranium and sub-nuclear weapons are thew new front.

    Since May 2007 • 631 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    Damian, can you explain for us ignorami what the thinking/motive (from a jornalists POV) is behind what we saw on TV3's 60 Minutes the other night?
    The situation was a young mum who was raped at 14 by her Mum's boyfriend, a convicted murderer/sexual predator out on parole. When it happened Mum didn't believe daughter, and sided with BF, and chucked daughter out. At trial the DNA said it wasn't him, validating mother. Years later new DNA technology proved it was him, but you can't be tried twice if you've been acquitted already, so he remained free (altho' not really since he's inside indefinitely for other heinous crimes)
    ANYHOW as befits modern TV journalism 60 Minutes thought it would be great TV to re-unite mother and daughter so they could rake over old coals ie "Mum, how come you never believed me?". Okay, so far so predictable.
    BUT 60 Minutes also thought it would be a good idea to bring along the raped woman's 4 year old son so he could meet Grandma for the first time. Result being that boy gets to meet and hug Grandma before Grandma gets defensive and starts spewing abuse at daughter, before storming off - presumably never to be seen again. Very nice for the lad, and also soooo predictable.
    So, are 60 Minutes guilty of child abuse?

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell,

    Yep. And they did it for money.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

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