The government is giving $55 million of taxpayers money to support what it describes as public interest media. The obvious danger of this is it will compromise recipients’ political comments. To deny that is naive and invites cynicism.
But what puzzles me is why, alone in the world, this is necessary?
Unlike New Zealand, Europe and the Americas are taking a beating from Covid yet there’s no dishing out of public money to “sustain public interest media”, other of course than lock-down wage subsidies.
Public interest quality journalism is certainly important. The Herald is currently bragging about its readership growth success and its newspaper is packed with advertising. Plainly its survivability is not at issue.
But take the Stuff fleet of newspapers. If, as I suspect, they will go broke, a void will arise and in a market economy, will quickly be filled without any help from the taxpayer. So too with smaller publications and other specialist media. This action is a truly bad decision in a liberal market economy nation and no matter how unwittingly, ultimately leads to a de facto state-controlled media, more applicable to authoritarian nations.
22 Comments
Well it’s obvious why….to continue the money train to ensure the constant spume of Relentless Possidividy they gush about our dear leader. It’s a media bribe, pure and simple.
Sir Bob, I believe your number is wrong.
As I understand it the MSM were bought off with two tranches of our hard earned taxes.
The first of $55 million and a second of $50 million.
As a result we are blessed with the most fawning and obsequious media on the plant – apart from that of North Korea..
Today we learn that Hoskins failed to receive the memo !
The largesse rained down on the MSM by Ardern ensures her innumerable lies and daily obfuscation are swept under a mammoth carpet, hidden for all time.
Not only pathetic but exceedingly dangerous for a country that once believed in the freedom of the press.
I see our esteemed PM wont front up to Hosking. This is gutless fakery on her part. Shes vulnerable so she hides behind a review. Shes under pressure and like many pollies cant stand the heat. Pity Nationsl had more substsnce
The Herald yesterday was marketing just four videos funded by NZ on Air as Local Focus. They were a Green MP, a Labour MP, a Maori movie and an Iwi guardianship of tuatara.
For “public interest” now read “political interests”.
Very worrying when the news media are being bribed by the government. Most people will not even realise that this is happening. Lokks like the comrades are performing as we would expect from a commy dictatorship.
New Zealand’s traditional media outlets are mediocre and uncompetitive. Throwing scratch st them won’t solve the market problem…
Stuff can get stuffed. They are woke. All this apology nonsense is liberal diarrhoea.
The cancelling of Michael Bassett by the wet wokelets at NZME is a new low.
Chris Trotter:
What New Zealanders are expected to come to terms with, in the face of the Bassett ban, is a tacit understanding involving all the major media players in New Zealand – NZME, Stuff, MediaWorks and RNZ – that only those espousing opinions acceptable to a tiny minority of anti-racist zealots can hope to see them in print, or have them broadcast over the airwaves. Full-scale political censorship within every “mainstream” medium capable of reaching a mass audience would now appear to be in prospect.
How on earth did New Zealand arrive here? When did it become “acceptable” for opinions contradicting the nostrums of ultra-radical extremists to be excluded from the broad political discourse of the nation?
https://thebfd.co.nz/2021/03/08/theyll-huff-and-theyll-puff-and-theyll-blow-the-wokesters-house-down/
Yes, extraordinary when a reasonably distinguished historian and ex Cabinet Minister is suppressed and publicly “cancelled” by our major “serious” news media – after he allowed one of their local newspaper’s request to republish one of his articles.
https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/free-speech-and-the-new-zealand-herald
A damning indictment of the disgraceful state of NZ mainstream journalism.
Chris Trotter, my favourite Leftie – disagree with 90% of his opinions but he’s consistently pro freedom of expression.
Ups to him.
So true. Compared to Ardern he’s right wing.
I have received a free Dominion Post for 20 years. Three years ago three papers arrived on our driveway each morning. Ours and two neighbours. They’ve now each cancelled, but I told them, first up each morning could have mine. Last week I cancelled even the free one – neither of the neighbours wanted it.
When the Dominion used better ink they were useful for washing the car windows. That’s over but less ink makes the paper much better for the long drop as the inks was anti haemorrhoids. The woke stuff dribble has no redeeming features.
There is no Parliamentary opposition; no media opposition. The country is on the road to dictatorship.
I understand about this time last year Jacinda gave press $75 million then a few weeks before the last election a further $50 million now we up too $125 million and now another $50 million total $175 million
Outrageous and more than very serious
Herr Gobbels would have been so envious of Comrade Jacinda
NZ is in deep trouble she is a seriously extremely dangerous person
TV1’s story tonight (March 8) on the vaccine purchases was bordering on propaganda. North Korea style ” “Glorious Leader secures best vaccine before anyone else then pops out to the Golf Course and hits 8 hole in one’s!”.
Who owns TV1? Oh yes, that’s right, our SOE Minister.
Yes, and never popped the simple burning question: “When?”. Disgraceful journalism.
Alan, far worse is the fact that there are zero questions about the lying on an industrial scale pre election.
Not only did Ardern state last year that they had secured millions of doses to cover the population but I believe the figure of 15 million was mentioned ?
Where the hell are they now – or were orders never placed ?
Worse, she now states that we SHOULD all be vaccinated by years end.
Not WILL, because Ardern knows as we all do that delivery is up to the manufacturer, not the government.
I SHOULD win Powerball this Wednesday but no doubt will be disappointed – yet again.
In the meantime we know for a fact based on current roll outs and projections that all the adult population in the UK, US, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, Samoa, Bougainville, Bhutan, etc, etc will all be vaccinated by July.
The paid off MSM simply refuse to hold to account Ardern and the grubby political masters who hand out our taxes as gifts to keep them afloat.
Give us a timetable Ardern so we can plan our lives and protect our livelihoods.
It’s not ‘on the road to dictatorship’….we’re there.
I now read that madam ardern and underlings will make broadcasts on facebook instead of fronting media where they might get asked questions….chickening out bigtime, but what a great look..party political broadcasts and propaganda via facebook!
My wife showed me a Jacinda Facebook page, nothing interesting or original from her of course but the comments from her sycophantic cultists were extraordinary. Absolute adoration for Her and seething hared for anyone that so much as questioned the Sainted One’s omniscience and beneficence.
Quite sickening!
Well folks. How do you know when a politician is lying. The lips are moving.
Things are pretty bad when one has to ask the Minister of Broadcasting to tell the BSA to deal with a complaint from the perspective of broadcasting standards rather than looking after their mates. I KID YOU NOT!