HoS on TVNZ and psychic
Matt Nippert writes for the HoS:
TVNZ has been accused of using the police hunt for Aisling Symes to promote its psychic-based entertainment show Sensing Murder.
The state broadcaster has received hundreds of emails since TV One reporter Amy Kelly asked police if they would investigate a tip from medium Deb Webber.
Good. The uproar may convince TVNZ in future not to blur the lines.
Former policeman Dan Thompson of Paragon Investigations said he was appalled that the broadcaster appeared to be using a criminal investigation to promote the stars of an entertainment programme. “I’m totally aghast – it seems like a totally commercial play,” he said.
TVNZ spokeswoman Andi Brotherston denied the claim: “We’re not trying to push a psychic message to make money and get ratings.”
And to be fair I don’t think it was a deliberate commercial strategy, but a series of misjudgements.
Webber said the story had been “blown out of proportion”.
“It hurts because I am interested in finding a little girl, not me. Every time I say something it seems to be twisted around to not the truth.”
I’d like Aisling to be found also. The difference is I don’t get paid to pretend I know where she might be.
October 11th, 2009 at 8:07 am
These “psychics” are pests. They try to get in on the act with tragic cases like this either for direct profit or to publicise themselves. The most they succeed in doing is upsetting victims all the more by giving them false hopes. They should be treated like all scammers and given the brush off.
October 11th, 2009 at 8:09 am
This story is not about the ghoul Webber, who probably actually believes in her own “capabilities”. It is a bout the ghoulish nature of TVNZ and the amateurish way in which they are running their taxpayer subsidized business.
This is a great opportunity for the government to sever its ties with all broadcasting and entertainment, I’d say float these things shortly, that’ll also give investors some opportunities in the coming year or so, to invest in something else than property.
October 11th, 2009 at 8:11 am
Andi Brotherston is is a liar. He said there were no formal complaints but hundreds of informal emails. I was one of those hundreds who filled out the form (NOT EMAIL) on their website to register the complaint.
I’m so fucking pissed off he treats the public as a bigger idiot than himself.
October 11th, 2009 at 8:11 am
The police would do well to ditch this crackpot and TVNZ shows us all that it will continue with disrespectful insanity, as they’re always like to hang dirty laundry.
October 11th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Swiftman – FYI, Andi Brotherston is actually a “she”
October 11th, 2009 at 9:20 am
It simple taxpayers shouldn’t own this crap. Sell one of the channels and change the other into NZ’s version of PBS broadcasting 6 hours a day.
October 11th, 2009 at 9:24 am
So the liar has a butch name to boot.
October 11th, 2009 at 9:25 am
“And to be fair I don’t think it was a deliberate commercial strategy, but a series of misjudgements.”
- DPF, I agree with your sentiments on the issue, but this is naivety at its worst. It would be akin to believing the Green’s rental double dipping was an innocent mistake, which you don’t (for all intents and purposes). I would even rate the Green’s word above those of TV people, which is stretching it for me, but for you, you seem to accept TVNZ’s explanation all to easy.
October 11th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Some countries have government owned broadcasters so that they can produce quality factual, cultural, and current affairs programs that wouldn’t be made otherwise.
The NZ government owned broadcaster produces a program that features pseudo-science for idiots, and supports charlatans who rip off the easily exploited.
Why? It is embarrassing that “we” own this.
October 11th, 2009 at 10:27 am
“Some countries have government owned broadcasters so that they can produce quality factual, cultural, and current affairs programs that wouldn’t be made otherwise.”
- sounds more like a patsy objective rather than a reality but I guess it is nice that the BBC doesn’t have ads (re the UK). but other than that, I agree with you.
October 11th, 2009 at 10:47 am
What a con, TVNZ and Andi Brotherston are full of it, this stinks of a commercial decision that went badly wrong.
Nothing would suit the clever rats at TVNZ more than seeing this flaky fake Webbers’ stocks rise, it would sell out all her shows throughout the country, and give the sad charade that they package as a TV show a possible shot in the arm.
Because these sad little wankers think they have the Midas Touch and can turn shit to gold it’s obvious they thought this worth a punt.
Sorry boys shit is shit, and you got this one wrong, I’m sure in the plastic, and latte world you live in, you scored some points, but you perhaps need to look beyond the Auckland newsroom.
This is direct from the Sensing Murder page at TVNZ -
“Sensing Murder takes viewers into the unknown, gives an insight into what may have happened; and enables cold cases to be revisited by the authorities,” says producer David Baldock.
Thrilled the series prompts renewed interest in unsolved murders, he says although the psychics are generating new insights, the responsibility of solving these cold cases rests with police. ( If they are so clever, why don’t they solve them, because they are fakes)
“We understand that the police have to balance historic investigations with their current enquiries and that these enquiries will take time to progress. We just have to be patient.” (now it’s the police at fault)
Baldock believes the new episodes go even further than in previous series, with some very baffling cases. (like how some of the dickheads at TVNZ got into the positions they are in)
The fact is these shows have yielded NO new evidence, they have solved NONE of the crimes, none to the fake psychics have fronted to claim the $40K challenge, http://www.smpi.co.nz/, why because they are fakes preying on the weak and vulnerable.
How stupid does TVNZ think the people of NZ are?
October 11th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Why oh why do you all rattle your dags about this non story?
How many of you complain when TVNZ runs the lies of the church every Xmas? A lie is a lie, no matter who tells it.
October 11th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Billy
I will agree it is a lie when I see a monkey change into a person. Until then I will keep an open mind.
October 11th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I’m surprised the psychic didn’t foresee the backlash.
October 11th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
billyborker said “How many of you complain when TVNZ runs the lies of the church every Xmas? A lie is a lie, no matter who tells it.”
So you’ve got PROOF that the tenets of Christainity are lies have you billy? Or are you merely stating your own speculative opinion – in which case your last sentence is applicable to you as well.
October 11th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
The Herald on Sunday story also said — and I haven’t seen it noted here — that the Symes initiated the contact with the ‘psychic’.
That’s not what Drinnan seemed to be saying the other day (in the NZ Herald): He seemed to say that TVNZ arranged the contact after Webber suggested it. Que?
October 11th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
radvad (375) Vote: 2 4 Says:
October 11th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Billy
I will agree it is a lie when I see a monkey change into a person. Until then I will keep an open mind.
So you’ve seen a dead person come back to life, have you? Far more evidence of evolution than there is resurrection.
Inventory2 (3515) Vote: 0 0 Says:
October 11th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
billyborker said “How many of you complain when TVNZ runs the lies of the church every Xmas? A lie is a lie, no matter who tells it.”
So you’ve got PROOF that the tenets of Christainity are lies have you billy? Or are you merely stating your own speculative opinion – in which case your last sentence is applicable to you as well.
There is far more proof that xtianity, like all religions, is founded on lies than there is proof that your god, or any god, exists.
The proof for religion is on the same level as the proof of psychich powers – nil.
October 11th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
davidp notes:
Precisely. Through a series of bad choices made by successive governments NZers have been saddled with a unique “neither fish nor fowl” “public” broadcaster whose programming and “star” driven culture are worse than the majority of commercial channels overseas.
If they were a proper public broadcaster they’d be able to sustain quality news, current affairs, documentaries, comedy and drama 24 hours a day – much of it home grown – like the ABC.
If they pursued commercial sleaze without having to worry about tut tutting from the government, we’d at least get quiz shows where people chuck off their clothes (like the Italians) or even torture those stupid enough to participate in a game show in the first place (like the Japanese).
Sell it and let some hard-nosed commercial owners decide whether some all-hair-and-teeth blonde autocue reader’s salary should be sacrificed to pay for a new snake pit on “You Bet Your Life”.
Or keep it, sack the majority of employees (who clearly think this sort of psychic tripe is okay) and hire some people capable of producing quality programming. If, as Simon predicts above, that’d translate into six hours a day, so be it. But I suspect the ABC, SBS, BBC, the Canadians and other quality broadcasters would be only too happy to have another partner to share production costs and thus be entitled to share in the pool of good programming.
Better yet, combine the two… we can SMS vote on which TVNZ presenter we want hurled in the snake pit!!
October 11th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
re TypeWryter query
TVNZ advised Me on Thursday about staff member approaching family friend – as was in column
Some complaints to TVNZ on Friday were told they could not pass on complaints because the family had approached TVNZ not the other way around.
Asked to clarify TVNZ said on Friday that independent of this call a family member – who had watched the Paul Henry “interview”
with Webber had called TVNZ immediately after the show – and this led to Webber meeting with family.
TVNZ said this was independent of its approach to the family friend
Given the family circumstances I opted not to delve into the story for saturday
.
October 12th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Andi Brotherston is married to Martyn Devlin – used to work at TV3 – once made a big faux pas on Radio BOP 15 years ago and seriously offended a local high profile mother and her small children – seems age does no mature some people.