Archive for the ‘Media issues’ Category
Matthew Hooton regrets (cough) using ‘that particular word’. Of course he does.
With all due respect to Radio New Zealand, it seems to me they are indulging a notable double standard with respect to Matthew Hooton, and quite possibly being gamed by the National Party spin doctor. Today’s Nine to Noon political segment began with noble Lynn Freeman reading again Radio New Zealand’s “position” on their ‘commentator […]
Matthew Hooton: an apology
Spin doctor and Oscar-nominated* actor Matthew Hooton has added his own apology (well, sorta-kinda) to those of the two media outlets which broadcast his pre-determined, calculated smear of the Leader of the Opposition. Writing in the National Business Review (hilariously in an article he says will be behind a paywall tomorrow morning, Matthew challenged Radio […]
Frankly, I can’t see how ‘bomber’ Matthew Hooton can survive as a political commentator [UPDATED]
I honestly hadn’t bothered listening to Matthew Hooton’s foaming hit-job on the new Opposition Leader on Radio NZ National earlier this week, but having heard a statement and ‘apology’ from Radio NZ’s Kathyrn Ryan (below) — issued through clenched teeth this morning — I went to the RNZ website and listened to it. Wow. What […]
Left and Right: useful when doing the hokey cokey, but past its use-by date for politics?
“I put my right hand in, I put my right hand out, In out, in out. shake it all about. …” — words to the popular 1940s participation song (from Wikipedia) Prompted by Bill Ralston’s use of the label ‘the Left’ above and an earlier comment in another thread wherein Ivan says: I’m not a […]
Inconclusive
A friend tweeted a link to this AAP/NZ Herald story about research into coffee drinking, with the ALARMING headline… Coffee quaffers face increased death risk: study As someone who, from long years of practice, knows how to repeatedly give up drinking coffee (i.e. I’m imbibing again, at present) reading it made me queasy — but […]
Putting a name to Patrick Gower’s um, mischief-making
No Big Deal, but it was interesting to see how Patrick Gower described his own actions: The TV3 political journo seems to excite tremendous personal criticism every now and then — from various sides — for his attempts to ‘beat up’ or (as his critics allege) to create a story. (Quelle horreur!) Left-wingers who whinge […]
On vulgar, irrational, deceitful misinformation campaigns
This, from Jon Stewart talking about Fox News, put me in mind of some of the oily local propagandists and liars who demonstrate a similar nasty, negative, fixation with ‘the left’ and reflexively spin their personal attack lines against public and private figures who represent it … After showing a montage of Fox clips, Stewart […]
Using clips of viral video in an election campaign …
This political ad campaign video by German metalworkers’ union IG Metall uses viral YouTube videos to pose policy questions in the run-up to the German elections on 22 September. Angela Merkel’s conservative coalition has a strong lead over Peer Steinbrück’s Social Democrats (SPD) in opinion polls. It’s an idea worthy of Simon Lusk. – P […]
So … I guess this means there must be ‘unfair’ trade bananas?
As I have disclosed here before, I am a pretty shallow person. Like most of us, I’m taken up most of the time with matters in my own circles of concern and influence. (Apologies to Stephen Covey.) So, until I saw these bananas (above) on my kitchen bench today, it had never occurred to me […]
Oh dear. Is the N.S.A. out of control? (Hint: Yes, I think so.)
In Der Spiegel … The United States’ National Security Agency intelligence-gathering operation is capable of accessing user data from smart phones from all leading manufacturers. Top secret NSA documents that SPIEGEL has seen explicitly note that the NSA can tap into such information on Apple iPhones, BlackBerry devices and Google’s Android mobile operating system. The […]
“… serious criminal offences …” *
From ACT Party insider Simon Carr’s slender volume The Dark Arts of Politics… In the end, despite attempts at distraction (or bluster) the evidence speaks for itself … and is often inescapable. For my own part, I try to be a reasonable person, remaining open to negotiation where possible. But only up to a point. – P […]
Unspeakably good satire about a serious matter
Ben Uffindell of The Civilian blog is seen as our latest Bright Young Thing of political satire — and rightly so. With his delightful mimicry of the ‘voice’ of news reporting (much like The Onion, although he’ll perhaps be tiring of that comparison) Ben manages to produce satire that is so soaked in verisimilitude that […]
Fighting fire with fire. It may not always be effective, but one can understand the urge.
Auckland Law Revue parody of Blurred Lines. Entertaining and edgy. Good work. – P via @CaitinMoran Update: according the the NZ Herald, the three women are: Adelaide Dunn, Olivia Lubbock and Zoe Ellwood. Excellent. (Note the beefcake doesn’t get a credit.)
War on privacy
What a great MAD magazine cover! {insert pointed local reference of your choice here} – P via @iA
