Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: Campbell interviewed

Steve Barnes

Fri, 26 Jun 2015 12:55:53 +1200

I just discovered this little site that will be so useful to "churnalists" of the calibre that are being foisted on us at an alarming rate. It is, aptly, called... wait for it...
Muck Rack.... I kid you not.
How long before we see the headline... "Rachel Glucoma,…

Rob S

Thu, 25 Jun 2015 14:22:54 +1200

Oh to be a fly on the wall at TV3.
Hunter S Thompson comes to mind,
" a cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason".…

linger

Thu, 25 Jun 2015 12:50:48 +1200

the new current affairs show called StoryA title not necessarily prioritising fact over fiction.

Sacha

Thu, 25 Jun 2015 10:46:36 +1200

Regan Cunliffe argues cogently that Garner is a strange choice given his previous performance for TV3.

Alfie

Thu, 25 Jun 2015 10:32:03 +1200

In today's Herald, John Drinnan sums up TV3's 7pm ballsup and their latest bright idea to use Heather du Plessis-Allan and Duncan Garner in that slot.

More interesting to me is the Herald poll running alongside that story. At the time of writing the most popular option by a long way…

Hilary Stace

Tue, 23 Jun 2015 21:27:18 +1200

John Campbell is going to commentate the All Blacks v Samoa game in Apia next month for Sky Sport.

Joe Wylie

Sun, 21 Jun 2015 19:00:29 +1200

...light and shade.
That beloved cliche of TV talent show judges of yesteryear. Then again, it may well be a phrase that Gavin Ellis honed to a fine edge in his time as editor-in-chief at the Herald.

Ian Dalziel

Sun, 21 Jun 2015 17:11:59 +1200

hire jinx?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/69563390/radio-host-duncan-garner-to-take-campbell-live-timeslot

Du Plessis-Allan met with Jennings at a Wellington hotel this week to discuss the role.
In an awkward twist, her One News boss Phil O'Sullivan walked in on the discussions after accidentally being given the hotel room key.
Adding to the sensitive situation, O'Sullivan is said to…

Rich of Observationz

Fri, 19 Jun 2015 09:44:14 +1200

there is a gap in the New Zealand market in this area

Well, Slater allegedly makes enough money from clickbait and clickfraud to keep himself in pies, with a bit of help from his dad and Winz.

I'm not sure how they plan to extend this to support several hundred…

Brent Jackson

Thu, 18 Jun 2015 13:31:45 +1200

...is actually just focused on two positions, including that of John Hale, the most senior producer of TV3’s 6pm bulletin.

So two more constructive dismissal lawsuits on the way then ...

Alfie

Thu, 18 Jun 2015 09:43:18 +1200

The NBR Glucina story has been updated to include Weldon's vision for Mediaworks.
“Digital entertainment brands featuring snackable, shareable content [especially video] are the fastest growing part of the media landscape, and there is a gap in the New Zealand market in this area,” Mr Weldon says.
As a lifelong…

Alfie

Wed, 17 Jun 2015 18:43:34 +1200

Run for the hills! Glucina ditches sinking Herald for burning Mediaworks.

That's wonderful news. I've lost track of the number of times I've fallen for a Herald headline, only to find it was a Glucina story. They really should've prefaced them with Warning: psuedo-journalism – don't waste your time.

This…

Sacha

Wed, 17 Jun 2015 17:02:26 +1200

And veteran 3news boss John Hale resigns, tweets John Drinnan. Bring on the stoopid.

Rob Stowell

Wed, 17 Jun 2015 16:39:01 +1200

Run for the hills! Glucina ditches sinking Herald for burning Mediaworks.
Nowhere in the release is it mentioned that MediaWorks staff were today surprised by an announcement that the newsroom operation is now officially under review.

Last week staff were reportedly given a stern talking to by the company’s HR…

Alfie

Tue, 16 Jun 2015 18:44:35 +1200

On the topic of quality journalism, I can recommend Mihingarangi Forbes' final (?) piece for Maori Affairs, another investigation into the Te Kohanga Reo National Trust board with yet more tales of corruption and blatant misuse of public money.

It's good to see there's at least one journalist prepared to…

Joe Wylie

Sat, 13 Jun 2015 15:06:54 +1200

'Federated Farmers South Canterbury president Mark Adams, who has sheep on the ship... "There is a lot of speculation on the welfare of the animals; it's very emotive," Adams said.
"Mexico is paying a huge amount of money and will want the animals turning up in good condition."'

izogi

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 23:40:22 +1200

National Radio was also covering it earlier today.

I'm having trouble digging up 8 year old coverage on this, but was the main driving motivation for this Order all about transport issues? Most of what I've found (example SAFE press release) seems to blame it on a 2004 Australian shipment…

Sofie Bribiesca

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 10:52:09 +1200

Ta, so they are lazy behind the 8 ball then ;)

Kumara Republic

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 10:50:35 +1200

I noticed the lack of Herald coverage too. I guess it is now officially a propaganda paper for National Press releases. Otherwise their journalists are incompetent or lazy. Fisher keeps plugging away tho’ and I like Dita, that’s it.
I emailed Jo Goodhew, her area of portfolio and her area,…

Sofie Bribiesca

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 10:23:18 +1200

Why all the secrecy surrounding this shipment? Are the Nats bribing a Mexican billionaire this time?

Speaking of secrecy, I note that the Herald has yet to run the story, even though it's been on the front page of Stuff all afternoon.

I noticed the lack of Herald coverage too.…

Jack Harrison

Wed, 10 Jun 2015 18:03:25 +1200

Not the Nine O'Clock News made a spoof apology to the Saudis on their television series . They apologised for BBC reporting on their killing of a woman for laws of dis respect. They noted the Saudis had lots of money and who were they to judge. No one judges…

Alfie

Wed, 10 Jun 2015 17:47:55 +1200

Don't we have a law against this?
Yep... there's been a Customs export prohibition since 2007. It looks like MPI are prepared to turn a blind eye when certain people are involved. Why all the secrecy surrounding this shipment? Are the Nats bribing a Mexican billionaire this time?

Speaking of…

Sofie Bribiesca

Wed, 10 Jun 2015 17:19:14 +1200

I bet if Campbell live still existed we would hear about this shipment of live sheep and cows
Don't we have a law against this? It would seem if MPI slap the word "breeding" before sheep, then they can circumvent the law . 3 times ,we know of. :(

Alfie

Wed, 10 Jun 2015 10:48:37 +1200

It seems that reruns of Road Cops wasn't working for TV3. From Monday they'll screen Come Dine With Me – a local adaptation of yet another cheap reality show out of the UK.
TV3 says Come Dine With Me is an interim measure while a new 7pm current affairs show is…

Kumara Republic

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 23:26:01 +1200

The boycott of TV3 is obviously hurting. This was just posted on Facebook – I think originally by David Farrier (from the new late show Newsworthy)

What chance of the boycott keeping Paddy Gower honest?

linger

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 22:52:02 +1200

Pffft.
As if ratings would actually kill off 3 News.
As if ratings were what killed off Campbell Live.

Hilary Stace

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 22:06:48 +1200

The boycott of TV3 is obviously hurting. This was just posted on Facebook – I think originally by David Farrier (from the new late show Newsworthy)

"To all those 3 News viewers who now want to boycott TV3: I can't see how killing off 3News could ever improve news and…

nzlemming

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 19:23:04 +1200

At least it's not more cop shows, but really, WTF??
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/69241237/come-dine-with-me-to-replace-campbell-live

Geoff Lealand

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 15:06:22 +1200

My take on the Campbell affair, on the UK site cstonline.tv
http://cstonline.tv/private-equity-and-peoplemeters

Sacha

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 11:00:13 +1200

dancing with the D-list

nice turn of phrase

izogi

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 10:06:07 +1200

And sadly this is across the whole media scape, not just television.

This morning Fairfax has been making a massive deal about “corporate welfare" courtesy of the Taxpayer’s Union’s latest project, parroting that KiwiRail is a massive drain on taxpayers but without showing any sign that anyone from Fairfax with…

simon g

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 09:43:32 +1200

No, I’d say Gower and Dann are quite different, and reflect their respective networks. Dann is tame, Gower is feral. Unfortunately Gower is more likely to hunt a credit card overspender than a Minister who misplaces the odd billion. Neither serves the public well, though.

TV3 news has, under Mark…

Sofie Bribiesca

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 09:38:00 +1200

TV3 has made it's own bed. They will have to do a little more than advertise 'dancing with the stars' or Paul Henry to prove their worthiness to me. We have been fed a diet of PR dressed up as journalism for so long now ,I could blame that for…

Bart Janssen

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 09:15:42 +1200

If TV3 news struggles, we all suffer the consequences.

Classic example tonight: Corin Dann

Two things: TV3 news is already dead. It is now controlled by Weldon and Christie and only exists to advertise shows like dancing with the D-list.

Patrick Gower is as bad as Corin Dann. Political reporting…

simon g

Mon, 08 Jun 2015 19:15:57 +1200

If TV3 news struggles, we all suffer the consequences.

Classic example tonight: Corin Dann has an "exclusive". In other words, a story given to him by the government. They know he's happy to be the mouthpiece, to disguise (poorly) their PR as his journalism, so they get a good spin…

Rob Stowell

Mon, 08 Jun 2015 17:33:24 +1200

I feel for Mark Jennings. Good journo and generally straight shooter. But between the rack and two hard people.

Sofie Bribiesca

Mon, 08 Jun 2015 17:08:09 +1200

Oh, some justice is served. Fuck Mediaworks and it's ass.

Bart Janssen

Fri, 05 Jun 2015 10:07:42 +1200

It does seem as though we have some really good journalists underused at the moment who if they got together would make for a really nice entity that I'd love to help fund. Perhaps using something like https://www.patreon.com/Patreon

Bart Janssen

Fri, 05 Jun 2015 10:05:06 +1200

As I recall that didn’t go down well with station execs who didn’t think maori should expose wrong within maori organisations

And given the example from mediaworks that capitalist right wing owned and managed TV stations shouldn't criticize capitalist right wing governments, they exercised their power

Kumara Republic

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 22:37:29 +1200

Our airwaves are becoming more Fifa-like by the day.

Chomsky's Propaganda Model is officially established in NZ. I'm tempted to think the media sector in NZ is no longer a free speech issue, but rather more like a matter for the Commerce Commission, because no one else has the dosh…

BenWilson

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 20:44:53 +1200

But teams aren’t randomly assembled. The company decides that it can import coders from the Philippines or someplace on a temporary work permit and pay them $20k a year – the good ones then realize they’re being screwed and jump ship to proper jobs.

Yes, if you deliberately set out…

Alfie

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 18:30:08 +1200

Mihi did a great job exposing corruption in the Te Kohanga Reo Trust Board. As I recall that didn't go down well with station execs who didn't think maori should expose wrong within maori organisations, even when the ripoffs revealed were so blatant and just plain wrong. According to Stuff...…

Sofie Bribiesca

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 17:52:05 +1200

Just noticed Mihingarangi Forbes is gone from Maori TV too Same shit different day eh?

Geoff Lealand

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 15:04:48 +1200

They are inroducing paid parking for both staff and students at the University of Waikato next year. Doesn't affect me as I usually bus or bike but there does seem to be a bit of a class system, in that if you fork out $750 annually, you get a numbered…

Rich of Observationz

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 15:00:41 +1200

the chances of randomly assembling such a team are astronomically low

But teams aren't randomly assembled. The company decides that it can import coders from the Philippines or someplace on a temporary work permit and pay them $20k a year – the good ones then realize they're being screwed and…

BenWilson

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 14:43:21 +1200

Are you aware of the research that shows a 10x variation in productivity between programmers?

No, but it tallies entirely with my 20 odd years of experience with programmers. Some of them have incredible output. In others it's hard to understand how they could even call themselves a programmer. As…

Sacha

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 13:10:52 +1200

Mark Weldon knows F all about journalism but he clearly was making a decision about what kind of journalism was good for mediaworks

the guy wanted a desk in the newsroom.

Rich of Observationz

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 13:06:21 +1200

It is a lot easier to find 10 good programmers than one good manager of programmers. Programmers are churned out from educational programmer factories

It's a lot easier to find 10 programmers, possibly. Are you aware of the research that shows a 10x variation in productivity between programmers? (A corollary…

Steve Barnes

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 12:10:28 +1200

This frees them up for other more fitting duties like planning, promoting, communicating, analyzing performance And Golf.

This is one of those rare occasions that I can't agree with you Ben.
promoting, communicating, analyzing performance, looking for improvements, hiring, firing, conflict resolution, getting customer input and feedback, selling the team's…

Mark Hadfield

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 11:42:05 +1200

I presume you’re referring to Heartland Bank. What is your beef with them ?

That had me puzzled too. Maybe Homeland Security?

BenWilson

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 11:05:57 +1200

Should it be rewarded more than what it is most time (doing chores)? No.

If that is all a particular manager is doing then I agree. But "doing chores" doesn't necessarily capture what the role of management is. I'm presuming you mean the tedious keeping of records relating to team…

Joe Wylie

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 19:21:01 +1200

Good managers know the limits of their own knowledge; know when to delegate; can balance organisation and creative chaos; and don't cling to authority as if it were their mortal soul.

Sounds like my favourite fictional manager, Flora Poste, from Stella Gibbons's Cold Comfort Farm. Being possessed "of every art…

Steve Barnes

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 19:01:22 +1200

Why do we insist that managers make all the decisions?

Because, that is their job. What other description can you find for the job of manager?
At the lowest level it is making decisions as to how to get the best productivity from your staff (or team, if you must)…

Rob Stowell

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 17:08:28 +1200

good management is a thing,
Yes. In most cases I reckon good management involves as many people as possible in decision-making. Good managers know the limits of their own knowledge; know when to delegate; can balance organisation and creative chaos; and don't cling to authority as if it were their…

Bart Janssen

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 15:50:53 +1200

for all the complaint that management don’t know about the coalface, there is a dearth of people at the coalface who are actually prepared to stand up and become managers.

While to be fair my rant was not entirely clear – that isn't the point I was making.

Absolutely management…

BenWilson

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 13:51:19 +1200

Management do get some unfair cops, especially when treated as a stereotype. In practice there are many different skills in management, many different positions too. Some people might make a good low level manager, but not a good middle manager. Or vice versa. Some people are good at managing only…

Brent Jackson

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 13:50:28 +1200

(*pity they chose a name forever besmirched by association with one of the most evil organisations on the planet.)

I presume you're referring to Heartland Bank. What is your beef with them ?

Steve Barnes

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 20:47:36 +1200

I think there is a place for managers in any organistaion, but it is NOT at the top of the pyramid. They have skills that are useful. We don't let the folks in stores decide our research directions so why should we let the managers decide research directions.

As Hunter…

andin

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 19:29:51 +1200

I think there is a place for managers in any organisation, but it is NOT at the top of the pyramid.
Just my opinion. Such "skills" rise to the top when" the bottom line" takes on an inflated importance.It kinda means we, organised or not, have lost our way, and…

Joe Wylie

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 18:38:26 +1200

It's not staff who hinder our various organisations from performing better. Yet look who trousers the most money? Broken system.

But-but-but it's a grand NZ tradition – or at least, trying it on is. It's probably all of 25 years since the new "management" team at a provincial hospital, in…

Sacha

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 18:28:30 +1200

New Zealand comes up short in global surveys of governance and leadership quality. It's not staff who hinder our various organisations from performing better. Yet look who trousers the most money? Broken system.

Jeremy Andrew

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:40:24 +1200

I think there is a place for managers in any organistaion, but it is NOT at the top of the pyramid. They have skills that are useful. We don’t let the folks in stores decide our research directions so why should we let the managers decide research directions.

The management…

David Hood

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:36:15 +1200

I remember a survey many years ago that NZ managers rated themselves much higher than managers in most other countries rated themselves.

Bart Janssen

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:20:28 +1200

good management is a thing

Yup indeed. And rare.

Bart Janssen

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:18:35 +1200

there is an unfortunate tendency in a lot of professions to denigrate management and assume that it’s something that anyone can do. That’s absolutely not true at all, and in some areas the sort of qualities that professional success rewards or selects for are not those that will make for…

Stephen Judd

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:18:16 +1200

Good management is an art and a skill in its own right, and – like the ability to teach or communicate to ‘lay’ audiences – it doesn’t automatically go hand-in-hand with professional expertise.

Amen. While I will rail against the cult of management and managerialism with everyone else, nonetheless good…

NBH

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 15:47:33 +1200

The list of professions where the highly trained knowledgeable and skilled professionals are managed by twatcocks with an MBA are alarmingly long.

Although conversely, there is an unfortunate tendency in a lot of professions to denigrate management and assume that it's something that anyone can do. That's absolutely not true…

Bart Janssen

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 15:29:11 +1200

Education is in the same boat. So is health.

Absolutely. The list of professions where the highly trained knowledgeable and skilled professionals are managed by twatcocks with an MBA are alarmingly long.

The same applies just as well to the trades where the best way to make money as a…

Richie Russell

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 14:43:31 +1200

Any chance you could do a follow up interview with John (Campbell... not Roughan) on Media Take?

Rob Stowell

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 14:32:13 +1200

my own profession is owned and run by white male managers who neither understand nor care about what is done “at the coalface”.

Education is in the same boat. So is health. The idea that health professionals and educators should have a role in managing health and education seems almost…

Kiwiiano

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 14:31:40 +1200

Russell:

two more post-mortems.....

And another funeral I discovered last night, TVNZ Heartland* has gone titzup. SKY and TVNZ must have had a falling out. It may have been a collection of mouldy oldies but a lot of the stuff they were showing gave the modern reality crap a hiding.…

Kumara Republic

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 14:13:00 +1200

But she is in exactly the same place as most scientists now. Like journalism, my own profession is owned and run by white male managers who neither understand nor care about what is done “at the coalface”. Their last job was selling a sharemarket or selling milk powder to the…

Bart Janssen

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 13:40:18 +1200

And more on the existential anxiety in the journalism trade by Deborah Hill Cone.

As I read that it made me grumpy, "How could she complain when it is the journalists themselves who gave up the power".

But she is in exactly the same place as most scientists now. Like…

Russell Brown

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 12:36:02 +1200

Two more post-mortems:

Typically lovely writing by Hayden Donnell on the “viking funeral” among journalists that marked the death of Campbell Live.

And more on the existential anxiety in the journalism trade by Deborah Hill Cone.

Russell Brown

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 19:34:49 +1200

I hope someone saved that interview somewhere. One day it will simply disappear. (Didn’t play for a couple of minutes, but still there now …)

Don't worry. We have a copy. We made the show!

simon g

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 18:53:02 +1200

When you write a book about a Prime Minister, and that Prime Minister endorses it, is the main attraction at the book launch, and cheerfully signs copies for supporters at party conferences, then you have abandoned any claims to "journalism".

Rob Stowell

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 18:30:55 +1200

I hope someone saved that interview somewhere. One day it will simply disappear. (Didn't play for a couple of minutes, but still there now ...)

Kumara Republic

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 17:19:57 +1200

In an extraordinary New Zealand Herald column, John Roughan slated Campbell Live as “this country’s little Fox [News],” – but from the left – a programme whose creators “made it their mission to side with people against power and express the pain and frustrations of those on one side of…

Tim Darlington

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 12:22:35 +1200

Roughan’s smear sounds like the vision statement of a good TV current affairs programme.

And the complete opposite of Fox News – can't see anyone characterising Fox's mission as "to side with people against power."

Shaun Scott

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 12:10:24 +1200

excellent interview, and another good insight into the gap that has been created by the demise of the programme.

hamishm

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 11:41:48 +1200

Good lord, Roughan's smear sounds like the vision statement of a good TV current affairs programme. Comforting the afflicted and all

Public Address

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 11:41:48 +1200

Discussion from blog post.