Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: Radio NZ: Sailing on in straitened times

Rich Lock

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:12:56 +1200

Well, I for one won't hear a word said against National Radio when they provide us with exceptionally high-quality programming like this:

The Secrets I Keep, by Georgina Scull
Sunday 24 July 2011
Winter Season Of New Drama 2011

“This is the first time I have broken my silence. Maybe…

Bevan Shortridge

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 18:46:28 +1200

You have Richard Hulse to thank for the quality and smartness of that service. Dude is a hero.

Richard Hulse also blogs about what he does.

Christopher Dempsey

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:01:20 +1200

Just a reminder to watch the documentary on leaky homes tonight. My sister is the producer. It was her idea to document the saga and raise the funds to do so, and she has been working for years getting all the right people in front of the camera and getting…

uroskin

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:33:55 +1200

I wish NatRad would take at least as much care in pronouncing English as it does Maori. The Great New Zealand Vowel Shift hasn't stopped its aftershocks even on Morning Report where "the roising croime in Chroistchurch" and "the deed moiners in the Poike River Moine" get me out of…

Domingo Barón

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:10:24 +1200

As a "superannuated" member of RNZ's regular audience I agree with your observations. Confrontational interviewing techniques are counterproductive, in my view, often preventing the completion of a useful argument or piece of information that the audience really wanted to hear. Yes, Kim Hill does this too, from time to time,…

Rich Lock

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:18:42 +1200

If you don’t get what you want the first dozen times you snarl the question, number thirteen probably isn’t going to do the trick.

Best to change tack completely in those circumstances, and ask them what is the fastest fish.

Islander

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:33:53 +1200

Most certainly we could have both!
But – heraldically speaking, "the monarch is the fount of ALL honour", and until we *are* a republic, I would find our current system repugnant.

A couple of matters I find interesting: people are always contacted before an honour is awarded(it is never a…

Lucy Stewart

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 03:12:11 +1200

We arnt quite mature & secure in our own nationhood while these gaudies are around.

Is there any reason we can't have an honours system *and* a republic, should the republic bit come to pass?

Pete

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:10:41 +1200

+1 to Richard Hulse – I always wondered who I had to thank for the open source podcasts

Islander

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:05:53 +1200

Well, all we can do is vote the barstards out -by whatever cunning manipulations of MMP (which I sincerely love) we can construe & use-

Rob Stowell

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:53:39 +1200

Very good it was too.

Ross Mason

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:49:23 +1200

So the leaky homes saga will carry on. The earthquake will take precedence no doubt.
I had to laugh. "I'm sorry, we don't take interviews from lobbyists"!!!!! What a beaut.

Lots of duck shoving. Mayoral Chain Clanging. Maurice snivelling amongst the sawdust. And "We are trying to get people off…

Islander

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:41:43 +1200

Granted, Sacha – but "honours"?
We arnt quite mature & secure in our own nationhood while these gaudies are around.
And please dont hand me any tripe about Elizabeth Windsor being "Queen of New Zealand."

Sacha

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:13:38 +1200

a reward sufficient unto itself

Some people quite like a bit of recognition.

Sacha

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:12:52 +1200

using CSS to run a nice contemporary looking site that also worked perfectly for screen readers when you turned off the style sheet.

I've often pointed it out as an example of that.

Hilary Stace

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:43:31 +1200

Islander

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:36:36 +1200

So, I think Richard Hulse deserves the kudos from his peers and the gratitude of users...if they care to turn that into something more concrete, up to them.
I am very sure that knowing about them is a reward sufficient unto itself however-

Russell Brown

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:32:20 +1200

and produced an example that puts government departments to shame.
#onya

And it was baked in from the start. I remember before the (proper) site launched going in to visit and Richard showing me how he was using CSS to run a nice contemporary looking site that also worked perfectly…

Sacha

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:37:53 +1200

doing it accessibly

and produced an example that puts government departments to shame.
#onya

Bevan Shortridge

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:23:46 +1200

Don't know if it is Richard or someone else but thank you to whoever rejigged the grid view of National Radio podcasts in iTunes. I subscribe to a number of them and up until a short while ago grid view had the beginning of the programme title over a nondescript…

Islander

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:22:02 +1200

Why?
What on earth has a clunky outdated honours system – belonging to another time & realm- have to do with anything HERE?
Islander, proud patron of the (A)NZ Republican Movement.

Bruce Ward

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:37:12 +1200

Richard should be nominated for a top honour, Order of NZ or NZOM.

Russell Brown

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:03:46 +1200

And he’s made sure that open formats are used as well as proprietary ones. Awesome sauce!!

He also got it established as policy that Radio NZ would not use DRM or geoblocking, ever. Doing it right.

nzlemming

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:58:10 +1200

You have Richard Hulse to thank for the quality and smartness of that service. Dude is a hero.

Damn right, he is! And he came to the e-govt unit back in the early 00's to talk about doing it accessibly, when he wasn't required to as an SOE. And he's…

Craig Ranapia

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 10:03:42 +1200

He had some terrible mornings on Morning Report along with the very good ones. But what Plunket does do well – and it’s a key interviewing skill – is think past his next question.

Quite – and I still say the interview that ended David Benson-Pope's ministerial career should be…

Mark Thomas

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:28:58 +1200

You have Richard Hulse to thank for the quality and smartness of that service. Dude is a hero.

Dave Patrick

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:21:57 +1200

I listen to Morning Report on the way to work, and Checkpoint on the way home. Like Craig, I wasn't particularly impressed with Sean Plunkett and Mary Wilson's "ask the same question 12 times even when it's obvious the answer will not be forthcoming" style, and Sean Plunkett seemed sometimes…

Russell Brown

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:15:45 +1200

There is actually a line between being a persistent interviewer, and making it more about your ego than eliciting information. Too often, Plunket and Wilson make it all about their rep for being “tough” – though, like Russell, I’ve heard the more civilized working hours at ZB have chilled him…

Marcus Turner

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:40:24 +1200

It's not about fiscal restraint, it's about anti-intellectualism masquerading as fiscal restraint.

How do you know?

izogi

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:36:10 +1200

The station no longer has a Maori affairs correspondent or a social issues correspondent. Its overseas travel budget is now down to $30,000 annually — just a little more than Rodney Hide spent on a single jaunt for himself and his girlfriend.
If that's the kind of shoe-string RNZ's operating…

Craig Ranapia

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 07:55:59 +1200

I’ve heard from a few friends at RNZ that the two presenters that receive the largest amount of complaints and negative feedback are/were Plunkett and Wilson. RNZ’s mostly superannuated audience considers them both ‘rude’.

Meh… I do respect the pair of them, but it’s not particularly useful haranguing subjects who…

Ben Austin

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 07:27:50 +1200

Well, good work Mr Hulse!

Lucy Stewart

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 02:50:05 +1200

You have Richard Hulse to thank for the quality and smartness of that service. Dude is a hero.

It's pretty legendary. I am still consistently amazed that I can be on the other side of the world and dial up NatRad in thirty seconds, live and crystal-clear. After the earthquakes,…

DexterX

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:22:31 +1200

Cutting the budget in election year, though it is extremely cynical, makes sense politically for them. I think this government are in permanent mode of lets look like “We've already won the election".

I can't see them fronting up much because:
1) They aren't up to the challenge
2) They…

Russell Brown

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:43:58 +1200

Well, regardless of the relative quality of NR, their online / podcast service is fantastic. I listen most days by way of Google Listen on my Phone and it is so good, it almost is like I am still listening in NZ

You have Richard Hulse to thank for the…

Jane Pearson

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:31:28 +1200

That's exactly how I felt, Ross. I was interested in the research about the limitations of teaching reading with phonics but in the first interview it seemed that the reporter didn't actually realise that Professor Nicholson is a strong proponent of phonics and her questioning wasn't quite making the issues…

S Schumacher

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:28:57 +1200

I never really liked Sean Plunkett's combative style, it's the last thing I need in the morning.

Funny — that's how I feel about Mary Wilson. Frankly that's the last thing I want to hear on my way home after a long day at work. I'm an avid RNZ listener…

Ben Austin

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 20:38:39 +1200

Islander

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:42:19 +1200

Aw Ian – despite my best attempt to remain sour &curmudgenly tonight, you've made me giggle-
thanks mate!

Ian Dalziel

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:11:35 +1200

Mmmmm, Berluscones
Sure to rise, the perfect thing for those
Bonco Bonco oven tray parties...

Ross Mason

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:52:44 +1200

I am getting a bit slacked off with the introduction of the grab bites. Those wee bits that "we are going to talk about shortly". They started this morning at 6-30am with the announcement to the Phonic Reading piece. It plonked 1 minute of it at 6-40am, a bit more…

Matthew Smith

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:49:40 +1200

Am I alone in drifting off Morning Report since he has been replaced by Simon Mercep?

Maybe. While I will agree that Simon Mercep's style is a bit meek, I much prefer him to Sean Plunket at the end of his stay on MR. In my opinion, Plunket crossed well…

Ross Mason

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:32:39 +1200

Burlesque cojones.

James Butler

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:25:20 +1200

Berlusconification:
Word of the year?

Mmmmm, Berluscones. Flavoursome at first, but not filling, and leaves a vile aftertaste.

Raymond A Francis

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:22:18 +1200

"Berlusconification"

Word of the year?

Kumara Republic

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:23:54 +1200

I don't think the government's lack of appearance on RNZ is because they're 'scared of being held to account' or whatever – its just a strategy focused on reaching persuadable voters, which means a focus on non-news outlets like Breakfast TV, womens magazines, sports radio and so on.

In other…

Danyl Mclauchlan

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:40:57 +1200

Ministers are accountable, that's the point. It's not just an opportunity to campaign to "persuadable voters". That's an election campaign.

And this is a government that's in permanent campaign mode.

Russell Brown

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:37:46 +1200

I’m loath to agree with Joanne Black but a few weeks ago in the Listener she too noted Mercep’s gutlessness and quoted a few lines of his interview with Kyle Chapman (or some other guy distributing antiAsian leaflets around Auckland) and it really did show Mercep in a poor light.…

Russell Brown

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:36:18 +1200

I don’t think the government’s lack of appearance on RNZ is because they’re ‘scared of being held to account’ or whatever – its just a strategy focused on reaching persuadable voters, which means a focus on non-news outlets like Breakfast TV, womens magazines, sports radio and so on.

But don't…

Fooman

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:34:58 +1200

You must not forget the often sheer joy of listening to people providing unintended delight to informed listeners. From yesterday's checkpoint, on the management of school infrastructure:

Mary Wilson: "If it is that good, why not extend it across the sector? Why not make every school do it?"

Bill English:…

Russell Brown

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:33:59 +1200

but Ferguson who is on Morning Report just now does have formidable interviewing skills

Agreed. She seems like a real find.

Mark Thomas

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:30:32 +1200

I usually listen to Radio NZ in podcast/mp3 form, with a preference for the longer format shows like Nine to Noon, and Saturday and Sunday mornings. They're good for listening to while doing mundane number crunching tasks at work.

I never really liked Sean Plunkett's combative style, it's the last…

Danyl Mclauchlan

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:54:28 +1200

I've heard from a few friends at RNZ that the two presenters that receive the largest amount of complaints and negative feedback are/were Plunkett and Wilson. RNZ's mostly superannuated audience considers them both 'rude'.

Which makes the decision not to replace Sean Plunkett with another facsimile of same make a…

Rich of Observationz

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:41:52 +1200

It's unbelievable that our only national radio broadcaster tries to do news on a $30k international travel budget. That's not far from the student radio model of reading the net and maybe phoning a mate in London.

I've also noticed that when they do carry international news, they're buying someone…

Grant McDougall

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:34:49 +1200

I've been disappointed by Simon Mercep as well. He seems wimpy and scared and afraid to ask tough questions. Or if he does try to ask a tough question he often seems to ask it in a meek way rather than simply going for the jugular.

I'm loath to agree…

JLM

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:34:43 +1200

Simon Mercep has a similar style to Geoff Robinson, though he hasn't developed the same ambience. I had the feeling they picked him to groom for Geoff's inevitable departure, when a younger, sharper sidekick would join. Shame it happened in election year, though.

I don't listen to MR as religiously…

John Morrison

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:16:30 +1200

At least with RNZ you get balance. Ok, Mercep and Robinson do not go for the jugular when interviewing, but Ferguson who is on Morning Report just now does have formidable interviewing skills. MR is the only news program worth listening to, the rest is full of pap.
By financially…

Lara

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:02:46 +1200

I find the second hour of Checkpoint more interesting. The news from overseas tends to end up in the half hour before seven and I wish there was more of it. It is nice to be reminded that we do not live in a bubble! I do listen to the…

Public Address

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:02:46 +1200

Discussion from blog post.