Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Changing news

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  • nzlemming,

    Absolutely a propos of nothing at all, but you should visit Family First's website right fucking now! ;-)

    [edit] Okay, so it's not their real site, but it's still funny.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Ana Simkiss,

    I was worried there might be a cleanout of senior (expensive) writers when they freshened up the herald, but it appears not. I hope.

    Freemans Bay • Since Nov 2006 • 141 posts Report

  • Shaun Lott,

    Well, I'll be convinced when I read it... shifting to tabloid was pretty much the end of the UK Independent as a serious contender.

    But on another, unrelated point... Can we please not ALL go along with that dreadful phrase 'AUT University'... What exactly do we think the 'U' stands for?

    Waitakere • Since Aug 2009 • 113 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Shaun Lott,

    what do you want to call them instead, given that it's their official brand?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Shaun Lott,

    What exactly do we think the 'U' stands for?

    Unremarkable?

    Sorry but I couldn't resist.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Sacha,

    given that it's their official brand?

    So you're saying we should abandon our love of proper English in favour of marketing? This is the home of the pendant.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen,

    And on topic.

    It's great to see them acknowledge they have a problem with stats. It would also be nice to see them address their problems with the other sciences in a similar manner.

    It really isn't that hard to find scientists who would be most happy to explain the scientific bits to the reporters before they publish. It would certainly make it easier for me to read the Herald.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Tony Siu,

    Wow, alec ross is in town?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 82 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    just call em the Ak University of Tautology. that works :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • andrew r,

    Sorry, not holding out much hope to be honest.
    Please tell me Bob Jones - property developer - is not to be further retained as a columnist?

    auckland • Since May 2007 • 100 posts Report

  • Lilith __, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    This is the home of the pendant

    And the dangling conversation. ;-)

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Richard Aston, in reply to andrew r,

    Please tell me Bob Jones - property developer - is not to be further retained as a columnist?

    Judging by the positive comments to his latest call to put white collar crims in the stocks, he has plenty of supporters in the Herald readership .
    I despair sometimes.

    Northland • Since Nov 2006 • 510 posts Report

  • Morgan Nichol,

    I don't really see why the size of paper the words are printed on is treated as so controversial by some people. Broadsheet is usually a pain in the arse to unfold in a cafe (and even worse when you're trying to hold it up to read without a table) and there's nothing implicitly wise or informative about an A1 sheet. It's just a shame they're not doing the same with the Saturday edition, which is the only one I usually read in paper form.

    Auckland CBD • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report

  • Richard Aston, in reply to Lilith __,

    And the dangling conversation

    I like that phrase Lilith , not sure exactly what it means but I like the idea that a conversation could dangle for a while , anything to do with pregnant pauses ?

    Northland • Since Nov 2006 • 510 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Morgan Nichol,

    I don’t really see why the size of paper the words are printed on is treated as so controversial by some people.

    I suppose it's because the same word is used to describe both the physical format and the style of journalism traditionally associated with with that format.

    A tabloid format might mean less depth, in that the stories are likely to be shorter (they will be, slightly, in the new Herald).

    On the other hand, it would be hard to say that The Guardian has been any less good since it switched to Berliner format, and the Herald on Sunday generally has a lot more actual news than the Sunday Star Times does.

    I like the smaller pages from a design point of view -- it's easier to theme a page, devote the whole space to the story.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    The Guardian has [not] been any less good since it switched to Berliner format

    I was disappointed in it when I went over to the UK though. Was expecting a jam filled doughnut with the news in some sort of fortune cookie styled insert.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Russell Brown,

    A tabloid format might mean less depth, in that the stories are likely to be shorter (they will be, slightly, in the new Herald).

    Why will the stories be shorter? The Beijing News, like, it seems, most papers here, is in a tabloid format but does some pretty in depth stories. They had several pages devoted to the floods in July, they've done specials on water quality in Beijing, lots of surprisingly good stuff given the reputation of Chinese media, so I have trouble seeing the format as being a limiting factor.

    Though I wouldn't at all be surprised if somebody tried to argue that us modern people have twittered and texted ourselves into microcopic attention spans, and so those little "summaries for dummies" appended to so many Herald stories are now going to be the main stories. I hope not, because one of the main frustrations I have with Western reporting of China is the lack of any broader context in these very short articles, and I suspect the same is true for reporting on many other issues.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • Shaun Lott,

    The Guardian survived the conversion to the Berliner, for sure. But the Independent certainly seemed to lose depth when it became tabloid. In the digital age, though, such things should surely count for less and less over time? I find the NYT almost unreadable in person, but great on the iPad. (If only they had a better subscription model.) In principle, ever more digital delivery should enhance substance over style, right?

    p.s. "AUT" is fine. "AUT University" is not. Or indeed (as I once heard on RNZ, no less) "AUT University in Auckland".

    Waitakere • Since Aug 2009 • 113 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Shaun Lott,

    p.s. “AUT” is fine. “AUT University” is not.

    That's the official public name of the institution, though. And when they've been kind enough to get us their two star guests, I'm hardly about to rudely refuse to use it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Simon Lyall, in reply to Russell Brown,

    That's the official public name of the institution, though.

    Actually it is a marketing name. The legal name is "Auckland University of Technology" as they themselves state on their about page and it is also on the The New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee website

    Auckland • Since Feb 2007 • 60 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Simon Lyall,

    Actually it is a marketing name.

    I stand corrected. But they do ask that people they deal with use their marketing name, believe me.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Danielle, in reply to Russell Brown,

    But they do ask that people they deal with use their marketing name, believe me.

    We were also meant to answer the phone with "AUT University" when I worked there. (I didn't.)

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report

  • Hebe,

    The voting fascinates me as a fine way to id the stuffed shirts and rednecks in Parliament.

    Great result. Let those who wish marry; it's simple civil rights.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Ben Curran, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Actually it is a marketing name.

    I stand corrected. But they do ask that people they deal with use their marketing name, believe me.

    It's fine to use it. It is one of those little niggly things that's automatically makes me want to point out how silly it is every time I hear it though. Autonomic reflex is not the quite the phrase I'm looking for :)

    This ought to be a more productive relationship between the Herald and the University of Auckland's Statistics faculty than the paper having its homework constantly corrected in StatsChat.

    Productive yes, more fun though? You have to laugh at some of the abuses statschat finds, though admittedly, not just in the herald. it's laugh or weep quietly into your cornflakes.

    Since May 2011 • 47 posts Report

  • thegirlstefan,

    Alec Ross is also to be interviewed on Nine to Noon after 10am this morning.

    Aotearoa • Since Oct 2011 • 42 posts Report

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