Somehow I feel "breaking New Zealand's democracy" is precisely the aim of this coalition outfit. I just can't call them a "government" because they have no-one's interests at heart but their donors'.
If there's anything that's true in life, it's that broadcasting is always an insecure proposition, at the mercy of the vicissitudes of politics and money. I went through something similar to what Newshub's staff are going through, at the other broadcaster in the late-90s, when it moved the transmission of TVONE from Avalon to Auckland for *literally* no reason. The disbelief on the executives' faces when none of my staff agreed to relocate remains one of my life's fondest memories. We all had to start over and we did - successfully. And so will Newshub's staff - the good ones will be ok. And another platform/s will emerge because there's a whole audience that will be looking for a place to go. I doubt the fringe elements will attract much interest because I believe New Zealanders in the main know bullshit when they smell it. To every yin there's a yang.
This is really surreal - I still remember when tv3 first aired. A NEW CHANNEL!! What would they do next?! And it was new presenters, not Richard Long and Judy Bailey who (if you were a young 14 yr old whippersnapper like me) had been on the air Forever. The novelty of it all.
And now it looks like I will see the death of it too; I have to confess to a sort of hollow feeling about it. Commiserations to anyone who is losing their job due to the shutdown, this isn't much comfort but you will be in my thoughts. David if there is anything we webworm peeps can do please let us know 🤲
Many I know are celebrating this news, as they say it was just liebour news, most of these same people think that Trump made a great President and will do so again, so it's not only the US that has fair share of fuckwits, we certainly have a lot here as well.
Jeeesus, that's appalling news. Journalism in Aotearoa has been in decline for so long, I can't remember when it peaked--the mid-1980s, just before TV1 News staff became slavish followers of neoliberalism?
I can't say I ever watched TV news, it being by far the most shallow news medium (no offence). But this is a major step towards the replacement of anything approaching well-resourced journalism constrained by traditional news values (which at least gave lip -service to 'balance' and impartiality).
This news is appalling because the void is increasingly filled by right-wing propaganda machines funded by plutocrats whose raison d'etre is to secure the hegemony of the Right, Fox News-style. Apart from the odious Plunket, we've seen groups of right-wingers setting up imitations of Fox News in NZ as elsewhere (e.g. GB News in the UK). More balanced outlets, like Newsroom and Spinoff find it hard to compete with the thrill and spectacle of the populist hate-mongering. The replacement of old-style 'news', for all its bias and faults, with propaganda is a clear and present threat to our democracy.
Radio NZ is under threat. Last time around, National tried starving them into submission. Expect the current government to make a more concerted effort to finish the job, when they have finished wrecking their priority targets. It really is a sad day for Aotearoa.
PS, Thanks for the insights into your experiences, David. Greatly enjoyed reading them.
It will be a sad day when Stuff shuts down. As mediocre as they are, they are the only thing keeping the NZ Herald close to honest.
I find it interesting that all stories on the Herald with a right-wing slant are free to read & those with a leftwards slant are more & more often paywalled.
Mate...this newsletter almost made me cry. As someone who has been in and around the media industry since 2013, and has gone through two absolutely traumatising redundancies, I truly feel for the Newshub team, and everyone else who feels like they may be in their shoes soon. Having that sword of Damocles hang over your head is a stress like no other, and it seems completely absurd that in a world where we're seemingly consuming media nonstop, it's a flailing, penniless, dying industry. Wouldn't we all be outraged if we couldn't get news anywhere? Like...wouldn't we?! I'd like to think so. And yet, somehow there's no money in it.
The way the internet has changed the world is truly terrifying. From the way we consume media right down to the way we even interpret it, it's just wild. It's becoming harder and harder to find trustworthy sources and it's like integrity has become a joke. If you aren't extreme in some way, you're not popular. If you don't show some huge bias, you don't get clicks. It's fucking scary.
I've been a struggling freelancer for a year now and I think I just have to accept that there's no future for me in this industry. I'm not a right wing quack and I refuse to sell out and write clickbait.
David, you're a real one and you're just about all we have left. I'm glad you're succeeding and doing well as a journalist - leaving NZ was the right choice. I truly believe that what you're doing couldnt be done here. Thanks for being you.
Feeling for all the excellent journalists and production teams there. It’s really worrying where people get their “news” from if organisations that uphold journalistic standards are around. It feels like the world is in a death spiral 💀🌀 Also Mike McRoberts, don’t think there is a smoother silver fox on the planet 🤭
Shocking and terrifying news. Luxon said (summarising) WBD is a $20B company and this arm wasn't profitable enough so had to be shut down. I hate that, it seems backwards to me. It should be, WBD is a $20B company and therefore can afford to sink some of those profits into supporting a good product that ultimately benefits the industry as a whole. The constant grind for endless shareholder profit continues to destroy us
Wow! I realized there must be something wrong. I emailed TV3 last weekend asking why the promised weekday 7pm replacement of The Project with a current affairs program fronted by Ryan Bridges hasn’t eventuated. Plus, The Nation hasn’t returned in the weekends for its political analysis.
TV3 has a different “feel” from TV1. I like to follow both, but tend to gravitate to TV3 news.
No news department - does that mean the end of the AM show and 6pm news?!!!
This is terrifying for NZ democracy. Over the last few years I’ve watched clever, previously liberal, people submerge into Qanon style conspiracies. It’s why I began following you. I want the truth - always. Thank you David.
Hi David - What an epic shock this has been today!! On a personal level, I'm pissed off cos 3News/Newshub has always been my go to... but also, I'm so sad for everyone involved and share your same concerns about NZ generally. I know it's different but given all the angst about the RNZ/TVNZ (non)merger... I just pray that someone steps in here to save the day!
I heard the breaking news on RNZ and feel gutted. This and the multiple backward steps this government are taking (smoking, guns, health etc) has me feeling despondent. I find it absolutely mind boggling that Reality Check Radio has legitimate politicians doing interviews on it. NZ already seems to have an alarming number of conspiracy/right wing individuals and I feel this situation in the media landscape is only going to add to it. Off to take my dog to the river in an attempt to decompress!
It's terrible news! I know it's loathed in some circles, claiming it's biased, but both sides say that, so, they must do something right. It's bad news for journalism and it will be really missed...
Somehow I feel "breaking New Zealand's democracy" is precisely the aim of this coalition outfit. I just can't call them a "government" because they have no-one's interests at heart but their donors'.
If there's anything that's true in life, it's that broadcasting is always an insecure proposition, at the mercy of the vicissitudes of politics and money. I went through something similar to what Newshub's staff are going through, at the other broadcaster in the late-90s, when it moved the transmission of TVONE from Avalon to Auckland for *literally* no reason. The disbelief on the executives' faces when none of my staff agreed to relocate remains one of my life's fondest memories. We all had to start over and we did - successfully. And so will Newshub's staff - the good ones will be ok. And another platform/s will emerge because there's a whole audience that will be looking for a place to go. I doubt the fringe elements will attract much interest because I believe New Zealanders in the main know bullshit when they smell it. To every yin there's a yang.
This is really surreal - I still remember when tv3 first aired. A NEW CHANNEL!! What would they do next?! And it was new presenters, not Richard Long and Judy Bailey who (if you were a young 14 yr old whippersnapper like me) had been on the air Forever. The novelty of it all.
And now it looks like I will see the death of it too; I have to confess to a sort of hollow feeling about it. Commiserations to anyone who is losing their job due to the shutdown, this isn't much comfort but you will be in my thoughts. David if there is anything we webworm peeps can do please let us know 🤲
Terrible news for the state of media in New Zealand and like you say it just adds fuel to the fire for the likes of Plunket! Save us
Welcome to the hellscape that is late stage hyper capitalism, baby.
The way The Internet has evolved into an attention trapping machine geared to spreading lies and scams is one of humanity's greatest disappointments.
I think its time for me to finally start contributing to the news outlets I currently use (mostly spinoff).
Many I know are celebrating this news, as they say it was just liebour news, most of these same people think that Trump made a great President and will do so again, so it's not only the US that has fair share of fuckwits, we certainly have a lot here as well.
Jeeesus, that's appalling news. Journalism in Aotearoa has been in decline for so long, I can't remember when it peaked--the mid-1980s, just before TV1 News staff became slavish followers of neoliberalism?
I can't say I ever watched TV news, it being by far the most shallow news medium (no offence). But this is a major step towards the replacement of anything approaching well-resourced journalism constrained by traditional news values (which at least gave lip -service to 'balance' and impartiality).
This news is appalling because the void is increasingly filled by right-wing propaganda machines funded by plutocrats whose raison d'etre is to secure the hegemony of the Right, Fox News-style. Apart from the odious Plunket, we've seen groups of right-wingers setting up imitations of Fox News in NZ as elsewhere (e.g. GB News in the UK). More balanced outlets, like Newsroom and Spinoff find it hard to compete with the thrill and spectacle of the populist hate-mongering. The replacement of old-style 'news', for all its bias and faults, with propaganda is a clear and present threat to our democracy.
Radio NZ is under threat. Last time around, National tried starving them into submission. Expect the current government to make a more concerted effort to finish the job, when they have finished wrecking their priority targets. It really is a sad day for Aotearoa.
PS, Thanks for the insights into your experiences, David. Greatly enjoyed reading them.
It will be a sad day when Stuff shuts down. As mediocre as they are, they are the only thing keeping the NZ Herald close to honest.
I find it interesting that all stories on the Herald with a right-wing slant are free to read & those with a leftwards slant are more & more often paywalled.
Also, the ads on both websites are horrendous.
Mate...this newsletter almost made me cry. As someone who has been in and around the media industry since 2013, and has gone through two absolutely traumatising redundancies, I truly feel for the Newshub team, and everyone else who feels like they may be in their shoes soon. Having that sword of Damocles hang over your head is a stress like no other, and it seems completely absurd that in a world where we're seemingly consuming media nonstop, it's a flailing, penniless, dying industry. Wouldn't we all be outraged if we couldn't get news anywhere? Like...wouldn't we?! I'd like to think so. And yet, somehow there's no money in it.
The way the internet has changed the world is truly terrifying. From the way we consume media right down to the way we even interpret it, it's just wild. It's becoming harder and harder to find trustworthy sources and it's like integrity has become a joke. If you aren't extreme in some way, you're not popular. If you don't show some huge bias, you don't get clicks. It's fucking scary.
I've been a struggling freelancer for a year now and I think I just have to accept that there's no future for me in this industry. I'm not a right wing quack and I refuse to sell out and write clickbait.
David, you're a real one and you're just about all we have left. I'm glad you're succeeding and doing well as a journalist - leaving NZ was the right choice. I truly believe that what you're doing couldnt be done here. Thanks for being you.
Feeling for all the excellent journalists and production teams there. It’s really worrying where people get their “news” from if organisations that uphold journalistic standards are around. It feels like the world is in a death spiral 💀🌀 Also Mike McRoberts, don’t think there is a smoother silver fox on the planet 🤭
Shocking and terrifying news. Luxon said (summarising) WBD is a $20B company and this arm wasn't profitable enough so had to be shut down. I hate that, it seems backwards to me. It should be, WBD is a $20B company and therefore can afford to sink some of those profits into supporting a good product that ultimately benefits the industry as a whole. The constant grind for endless shareholder profit continues to destroy us
Wow! I realized there must be something wrong. I emailed TV3 last weekend asking why the promised weekday 7pm replacement of The Project with a current affairs program fronted by Ryan Bridges hasn’t eventuated. Plus, The Nation hasn’t returned in the weekends for its political analysis.
TV3 has a different “feel” from TV1. I like to follow both, but tend to gravitate to TV3 news.
No news department - does that mean the end of the AM show and 6pm news?!!!
This is terrifying for NZ democracy. Over the last few years I’ve watched clever, previously liberal, people submerge into Qanon style conspiracies. It’s why I began following you. I want the truth - always. Thank you David.
Hi David - What an epic shock this has been today!! On a personal level, I'm pissed off cos 3News/Newshub has always been my go to... but also, I'm so sad for everyone involved and share your same concerns about NZ generally. I know it's different but given all the angst about the RNZ/TVNZ (non)merger... I just pray that someone steps in here to save the day!
I heard the breaking news on RNZ and feel gutted. This and the multiple backward steps this government are taking (smoking, guns, health etc) has me feeling despondent. I find it absolutely mind boggling that Reality Check Radio has legitimate politicians doing interviews on it. NZ already seems to have an alarming number of conspiracy/right wing individuals and I feel this situation in the media landscape is only going to add to it. Off to take my dog to the river in an attempt to decompress!
It's terrible news! I know it's loathed in some circles, claiming it's biased, but both sides say that, so, they must do something right. It's bad news for journalism and it will be really missed...
So bummed. Nightline was the best goddamed news show I can recall.
David Farrier THREE NEWS!! forever.