A victim’s brother writes in about mediums
Just received this e-mail which speaks for itself:
I am the brother of xxx, who was abducted in xxxx and remains a missing person today.
With regard to psychics, mediums and the like, I can tell you that in the months and years following my sister’s disappearance, my family was contacted by no less than 100 of these people.
No two of them were able to agree on the location of my sister, alive or dead.
And the police were obliged to follow up each and every one of them, on the chance that the information was real, i.e. someone pretending to be a psychic to convey something they knew about the case.
So not only do these freaks inflict profound emotional harm, they are also an enormous waste of police resources.
I too am appalled by TVNZ’s actions.
What more needs be said. TVNZ needs to be held to account for this.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:06 am
October 9th, 2009 at 11:07 am
With 100 of them contacting the poor guy’s family I think that most would fall into the “deluded’ category rather than the TV faker one. His point about the cops having to waste time on them is telling.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:12 am
I rang TVNZ in Akld to complain, and the operator hadn’t heard of the story and was very defensive at first, so it took a bit of explaining. I suggest that others call in and complain too. The more they hear the more notice they’ll take.
It would be good if someone was held responsible for this, but I doubt it will happen.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Mike S>I rang TVNZ in Akld to complain
Try the Minister. TVNZ isn’t a privately owned company that is responsive to its customers, but a SOE operating according to policies laid down by government. The government needs to know that it isn’t acceptable for an SOE to foist delusional emotional vampires on to people who are already in distress.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Disgraceful
Which numb nuts at TVNZ thoguht that this would be a good idea?
Someone in News and Current Affairs should be given their marching orders for that.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:45 am
To make a complaint to TVNZ and their appalling actions in this matter go to:
http://tvnz.co.nz/content/869443
October 9th, 2009 at 11:56 am
but a SOE operating according to policies laid down by government. The government needs to know that it isn’t acceptable for an SOE to foist delusional emotional vampires on to people who are already in distress.
I have no idea what the difference is (anyone?), but TVNZ is not an SOE, it’s a crown company/entity:
TVNZ was formerly anSOE but became a Crown-owned company on 1 January 2004 when the TVNZ Group’s transmission business, Transmission Holdings Ltd, was separated. The transmission business remained an SOE and changed its name to Kordia in November 2006./i>
http://www.ccmau.govt.nz/tvnz.html
October 9th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Thanks for the link Richard – it will certainly be put to use today, and not just by me, I hope!
October 9th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
The sad thing about this sort of exploitainment (a term used by NZ Skeptic Chairperson – Vicki Hide), is that the very people who should be checking & exposing these charlatans, ie, the media are the very same people who are promoting those bullshits. Dompost had a front-page story last year on promoting Sensing Bullshit (where Poneke blogged about it) and Paul Idiot Henry interviewed Deb charlatan Webber in one of his Breakfast Show, where he didn’t ask Webber tough questions but he was more infatuated with her so called psychic power. TV3 did the same thing by running Jeanette Wilson’s own psychic show in recent years. The psychics get more air time and media time than skeptics these dayss. Whenever Vicki Hide goes head to head with a psychic on TV, the interviewer would interrupt her more often and thus allowing the psychic to spew out bullshit after bullshit.
I suggest that journalism school should include in their curriculum introduction papers in physics, philosophy, psychology, statistics. Physics and Philosophy will teach them about the concepts of existence (ie, reality) and cause & effects, etc,… Psychology will teach them the nature of how the mind can be self-deluded, etc,… Statistics will teach them the validity of a hypothesis and significant of the likelihood of events taking place. Arming journalists with these facts & knowledge, will make them more effective in their investigative capabilities.
I doubt that the good people who run the Silly Beliefs website (primarily to debunk psychics) have got journalism qualifications, but one just have to read what they have analyzed in their site to understand that their analytical capabilities are far more deeper than any local journalists I know who often cover psychic ability issues.
So, for those who are involve in running journalism schools around the country should introduce those courses I have suggested above in their curriculum. It may be tough on some students, but those that would survive will come out better and of course better for the society as well.
October 9th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
The biggest problem here is the number of ignorant, magic-believing idiots who watch this bullshit television. These shows are incredibly popular, and the credulous morons who fill up most of the general public eat it up.
Why aren’t “psychics” who sell their services not held to account by the Commerce Commission? Anyone else selling services under such nonsensical pretenses would be in severe breach of the Fair Trading Act, and subsequently the Consumer Guarantees Act.
October 9th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
watch from 4.20 min into interview it really explains that this is sensing bullshit…. http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/deb-webber-real-life-ghost-whisperer-7-04-3050960/video
October 9th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
DPF: Laws reported on his radio show that Webber is about to launch a nationwide tour at $70 a head… Might wanna check it out and start a new thread…
October 9th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
I knew this was going to happen!
October 9th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Just used the complaint form:
October 9th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Bill Hicks, thanks for posting that link. Watching it makes want to puke. This stupid woman spewed out bullshit one after another and Paul Henry just sat there and obliged to say amen, amen, amen, praise the lord, hallelujah… Idiot Henry didn’t challenge her at all, not once.
The stupid woman mentioned something called negative energy. This is bullshit. There is no such thing as negative energy, positive energy, neutral energy, etc, etc, etc,… Energy is just energy period (which it can be transformed to mass or back to energy itself – ie, interconvertible). If I was Paul Idiot, I would have asked her to define or describe what she meant by negative energy and it would be certain to watch her fumbles and weasels her way to come up with an answer.
Paul Idiot Henry had just gave Deb Webber a free promotion of her NZ tour. I am sure that all her shows are already sold out.
October 9th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
What I find astonishing is the morons that will pay $70.00 per person to see these flakes are often the same people that attack the church for “prosperity” preaching.
While I am no fan of the prosperity doctrine of the likes of Brian Tamaki, at least his organisation actually helps many people regain some sort of functional life, these medium creeps are exploiting very personal emotions and appealing to the grief and loss people have suffered.
You could term it spiritual abuse.
October 9th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
FF says
“The stupid woman mentioned something called negative energy. This is bullshit. There is no such thing as negative energy, positive energy, neutral energy, etc, etc, etc,… Energy is just energy period (which it can be transformed to mass or back to energy itself – ie, interconvertible). ”
Omigod! For years I have swallowed Murray Mexted’s assurances about where the psychic energy lies in order to predict the outcomes of a rugby game. Does that mean he has been talking bullshit? Soon somebody will be telling me that the tooth fairy does not exist
October 9th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Interesting.
I made a complaint to TVNZ re: all this mess:
To whom it may concern,
re: The introduction of a Psychic to the parents of the missing toddler.
I wish to register a complaint over the actions described above.
To say this was a tasteless and insensitive move ostensibly to create
another “angle” on this story, would be an understatement.
I am disappointed that a publicly funded organisation dedicated to
reporting the news and entertaining and informing New Zealanders would
stoop so low as this.
I would require a public apology on screen at or around news hour, both
apologising and acknowledging this significant departure from the bounds
of Good Taste and Decency – elements that are part of the Standards TVNZ
claims to adhere to.
Thank you.”
And received this by way of reply:
“What do you mean ‘the introduction of a psychic to the parents of the missing toddler’?
The family’s decision to use a psychic was nothing to do with TVNZ.
Regards,
Katie
Katie Chapman
Assignments Chief of Staff”
October 9th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
SOEs have to make a return on the investment – hence the inclusion of the word “enterprise”. Some of them are listed. Crown entities don’t have to turn a profit or create dividends.
October 9th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Chris Doms (53) Vote: 3 0 Says:
October 9th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
The biggest problem here is the number of ignorant, magic-believing idiots who watch this bullshit television. These shows are incredibly popular, and the credulous morons who fill up most of the general public eat it up.”
The popularity of which, underscores the dumbing-down of NZ.
October 9th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
They’re both as bad as each other. Apologists will say that Tamaki’s organisation helps people regain a functional life or that mediums give people a sense of reassurance and closure to unanswered questions. Even taking that into consideration, I don’t think these benefits warrant the money Tamaki and mediums make from those vulnerable people.
October 9th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Ryan – Agree to a point, but then that old saying about ‘a fool and their money’ springs to mind. Some people believe in magic. I am not sure how they choose which type of magic to believe in and which to declare heresy.
October 9th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Fair enough. It’s their call. All you can do is try to talk sense into people politely where possible.
October 9th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
“They’re both as bad as each other.”
Good for you Ryan, personally I think mediums rolling into town, taking the money and leaving is far more despicable than a church that actually provides people with a lifestyle and a means to become a functional member of society.
I can’t think of many things more offensive than somebody claiming to channel a dead loved one, and getting paid to do it.
Perhaps mediums could also work as undertakers, they could channel the deceased wishes for the funeral and channel the money out of the wallet of their family.
I don’t think anyone that watches “sensing murder” has a right to give Christians a hard time.
October 9th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Well, of course you don’t. And no doubt there are New Agey psychic-believers who would say that no one Christian has a right to give New Agey nonsense a hard time.
But I wasn’t talking about Christians (or even New Agers) in general – I was talking specifically about those in both groups who draw a big profit from vulnerable people. Both Tamaki’s church and Sensing Murder-style psychics give some kind of peace of mind and end up costing money.
My point is that Tamaki’s church could help people without them paying for a yacht for him, and that psychics could give that peace of mind without charging an arm and a leg (or at all).
October 9th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Ignoring what some may consider the indirect harm of believing in spirits of the dead or gods or afterlives, etc.
October 9th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Having just watched half of the seven minutes free add TVNZ did for this bat shit crazy tart, I find it unbelievable that a supposed intelligent organisation would give this slapper the time of day.
Half the interview was about all I could stomach, and I wouldn’t bother going to see her on stage if I was paid $70, the only skill that she seems to show is a plunging neckline and the ability to play the crowd, which Silly Paul lapped up.
Without a doubt her shows will be a sellout as she preys on the weak, the ignorant, and the vulnerable, expose freak for the fraud that she is.
I think the $40K is well safe, it certainly won’t be going Dullboot Deb’s way.
October 9th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
What’s the difference between a priest and a psychic? They both claim to speak on your behalf to something spiritual.
Sometimes they can add support in difficult times , but both can build false hopes by offering things they can’t provide.
October 9th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Just watched the Breakfast link. Debbee said she wanted to help find the wee girl – well lets get her out there with all the other people and get her searching in her gumboots, in the cold and the rain as a volunteer, like the rest of those good decent people are doing frantically.
How genuine was the offer of help ? ? ? ? SICKENING I spose Debbee told Winnie it is time for another Grey Power meeting!
A wee message for Debbee. – Go home Debbee – we need support for this wee treasures family – not a chance for you to grandstand for your own promotional needs. NB Please dontate your takings from tonight to the family of this wee girl, to help them with the financial worries they will be faced with because they are not able to work, may extra have medical bills, extra phone bills etc.
October 9th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Pete George 4:42 pm,
Of course Cerium, some of us have a ‘direct line’, and require the services of neither priest nor psychic.
October 9th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Falafulu Fisi:I suggest that journalism school should include in their curriculum introduction papers in physics, philosophy, psychology, statistics.
I’m not sure that is needed. Many years ago TV3 ran an interview with J. Wilson which supposedly revealed her psychic powers. It did no such thing. It was perfectly obvious watching it that she was changing her story in response to what the guy was saying. The problem was that Melanie Reid, the Journalist, had no brain tissue and couldn’t spot this. You don’t need a background in physics, psychology or statistics to spot what she was doing. You just need brain tissue and language comprehension.
I think they should just raise the intellectual entry-bar for journalism school.
October 9th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I just sent in this to TVNZ:
“Your continued promotion of the so called psychic Deb Webber is disgraceful. You then have the gall to load her on to the distressed parents of Aisling Symes. This is nothing short of a cheap exploitative promotion for her fake, painful shows and that horrendous junk known as Sensing Murder. If Paul Henry had any self respect he’d refuse to interview that charlatan or at the least he could actually ask her some real questions as opposed to the pathetic fawning as witnessed on Wednesday morning.
And as for your reporter asking ‘She’s a medium on the television show Sensing Murder and she gave us some information on what she believed happened to the little girl. How seriously are police likely to take that information,”
That’s not reporting, it’s disgraceful. My guess is that the police will treat it like any other info from a psychic. They’ll ignore it and tell the con artist to stop bothering them.
Some heads should roll over this one although I’m not holding my breath,
Yours in disgust”
Somehow I doubt anything will happen. Let’s face it ….money talks and this is what it’s all about. TVNZs integrity has just crashed to an all time low.
Matt
October 9th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
> they are also an enormous waste of police resources.
Well, they are if police are silly enough to fall for this garbage.