Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Media3: We have much to discuss

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  • Euan Mason, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Ok. Missed the Maori Council's response, and also Metiria Turei's. They have abandoned the moral high ground.

    Canterbury • Since Jul 2008 • 259 posts Report

  • Stephen Doyle, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    How many versions of Romeo and Juliet have there been? She was only 13.

    Stillwater • Since Nov 2011 • 28 posts Report

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Stephen Doyle,

    How many versions of Romeo and Juliet have there been? She was only 13.

    And anyone who tried to produce an explicit version that wasn't the written word would have to find an actor and actress who were at least 18 in order to not be breaking the (current) law. What's scary is that this proposal would make it illegal to produce an explicit version where the leads simply look under 18, regardless of their actual age.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • Emma Hart, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    What's scary is that this proposal would make it illegal to produce an explicit version where the leads simply look under 18, regardless of their actual age.

    No. It increases the penalty, but this is already the law.

    Our laws ban material that encourages the sexual exploitation of children. If pornography involving only actresses aged 18+ encourages the sexual exploitation of children (for example, by using actresses that look younger than 18, in situations that suggest they are younger than 18), then it will fall foul of the law.

    What would protect any production of R+J that went further down the Zeffirelli line would be the view that it was primarily artistic rather than pornographic

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Tommy Honey, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    Olivia Hussey was 15 when she appeared as Juliet in Zeffirelli's version - still the best, but illegal to take out of the video shop now? Or watch it (heaven forbid) at a high school?

    Pipitea • Since Mar 2008 • 7 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to The Ruminator,

    link whoring

    please do

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Stephen Doyle,

    only 13

    Middle-aged at the time, then

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to Emma Hart,

    What would protect any production of R+J that went further down the Zeffirelli line would be the view that it was primarily artistic rather than pornographic

    Yes, presumably underage sex can be depicted, just as sexual violence can be, so long as the presentation is in a way that is not designed to tittivate. I can't imagine Platoon being banned on account of the scene where soldiers rape an underage girl (she appears to be around 10) whilst sacking the village. The point of the scene was to be extremely unsympathetic to the rapists, to depict the soldiers as barbaric to the point of evil. It's not tittivating, even though it's very clear what's happening.

    If Spartacus started showing underage sex, though, I expect they would not get away with it. Sexual violence is constantly depicted, gratuitously, though. It's pretty near the line already.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to BenWilson,

    Yes, presumably underage sex can be depicted, just as sexual violence can be, so long as the presentation is in a way that is not designed to tittivate.

    Seriously, what the hell does that mean? Arthur Everard got slagged off from both the left and right for being an excessively permissive chief censor, but he worked on the (to me entirely sensible) baseline that... well, New Zealand isn't a nation of high-functioning psychotics who can't distinguish between representation and act, reality and shadow.

    Sorry for being a scratched CD on this, but I'm damn certain there are fucked up twists out there who find all the at least implicitly underage raping and sexposition in Game of Thrones enormously titilating, and I'm in no position to know whether it was "intended" to be so by the producers and writers. I'm not really comfortable with on-telepathic legislators, and the law, getting into areas so far beyond their pay grade.

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

  • Graeme Edgeler, in reply to BenWilson,

    If Spartacus started showing underage sex, though, I expect they would not get away with it. Sexual violence is constantly depicted, gratuitously, though. It’s pretty near the line already.

    Actually, they might. The censorship legislation doesn't cover broadcasting. It would be a breach of broadcasting standards, but wouldn't be a crime.

    Possessing copies within New Zealand might still be, so they'd have to try to get around that somehow...

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    Possessing copies within New Zealand might still be, so they’d have to try to get around that somehow…

    Does having it on MySky count as possessing a copy?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Seriously, what the hell does that mean?

    Yes, it's a crap standard. I suspect it comes down to whether they think people will wank off over it. But the pleasure release from watching extreme graphic violence is somehow less disturbing? I don't get it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • tussock,

    Witches, eh. You'll know 'em when you see 'em. All out to eat your children they are. Horrible. Don't wait 'till the kids are in the pot, just watch for the signs; black cats, night walks, unmarried women, don't attend church, said anything bad about the witchfinder, denied the danger of witches.


    As to racism in mass media, yes it is very bad and hurts us all. Same as racism in justice, education, and employment, which all feed each other. There's pretty good statistical proofs of that about the place now, but like climate change, a lot of people don't want to hear it.

    Censorship is also very bad and hurts us all, in that people think the stuff which gets through is OK, when a lot of it is very bad indeed (that usually being the point of it), and a lot of the things which get blocked are just minority political statements. One rather fine thing it does is limit popular censorship, which is often much worse.

    Same as any old rubbish justice system is better than a lynch mob.

    Since Nov 2006 • 611 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Mediaworks in receivership - holy shite!

    Steven Joyce just got out in time, eh?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Obviously the $40mln bailout from the taxpayer wasn't enough.

    They seem to be using this as an
    opportunity to opt out of tax and pay "suppliers" (for which read overpaid "talent" and management) ahead of other creditors. Which I thought was illegal?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Steven Joyce just got out in time, eh?

    In 2001, when he sold Radioworks to Canwest?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Russell Brown,

    attempted offhand humour...
    shan't try it again.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    attempted offhand humour…
    shan’t try it again.

    Ah. I see :-)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    John Drinnan calls bailout (again). One's mileage may vary.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

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