How to make good news sound bad
February 2nd, 2011 at 7:00 am by David FarrarNot everything that Governments do is controversial. While most of the focus and debate goes on the areas of disagreement, often a Government announces things that most would regard as near universally good news.
The announcement at the weekend that the Government had established three huge marine reserves around the Subantarctic Islands, would be one of those you expect. Announcing the protection of 435,000 hectares of marine territory is not one likely to generate negative coverage.
Most media reported it fairly straight, but as a wonderful example of how a determined media outlet can turn the best of stories negative, look at how it appeared on Tv3 with environmental reporter Sam Hayes. I suggest you view the item yourself – it is 3 minutes 15 secs long.
Here’s how the item goes:
- 15 second intro from anchor
- 40 seconds on not this announcement, but about a decision taken last year not to make Akaroa Harbour a marine reserve.
- Then a mere 25 seconds on this announcment, with the reporter introducing it by saying it was done to save face over the previous Akaroa decision
- They give 15 seconds for WWF to complain that the marine reserves should be larger
- Not content with that, then they tie into the story a 40 second piece on a change in air pollution standards. They have the Minister defending it, but no mention (for example) of the fact even the independent Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment supports the new standards (as the old ones were unachievable and unfair). A far more balanced take on the new standards comes from Claire Browning at Pundit.
- They then give Russel Norman a free swipe to say the Blue Greens are just abut “greenwash”
- Then for good measure the reporter adds her views that with National the economy will win out over the environment
- And finally just so there is not doubt left with viewers that National are evil planet destorying heatherns, they spend 35 seconds talking about how a few weeks ago the Minister let a farmer continue, against official advice, grazing by a polluted lake – without any balance at all about why (which is the officials fucked up by inviting the farmer to apply when they should have told him he was ineligible)
So the actual announcement got 25 seconds of around 200 seconds, and almost all the rest of it was spent beating up on National. And this was all in relation to a pretty non controversial announcement.
It reminds me of the old saying that if John Key walked on water, then the headline would be “John Key can’t swim”.
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February 2nd, 2011 at 7:14 am
Good one DPF.
Vote:But are you surprised??????
February 2nd, 2011 at 7:20 am
We are all baby eaters in the eyes of the left. I’m hearing it so much that I’m even starting to believe it!
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 7:32 am
Now if it had been DL the media would be slavering all over themselves with adoration at her wonderful consideration for the environment, but as it isn’t should we be surprised.
And as for ‘intrepid girl reporter’ Hayes: since when was news reporting supposed to be subjective? I always understood that ‘Objectivity’ was the key! (Oh, that’s right, TV3′s a lefty channel isn’t it?)
Standard of reporting on a scale of 1-10? 2 – and even that is being generous
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 7:34 am
the professional-spinner laments the evils of the ‘spin’…
cry us a fucken river..!
..eh..?
try being a sole-parent..
..and a victim of the pogrom/marginalisation/demonising-campaign being run by you and your political masters..eh..?
now that is ‘bad’-spin….
..speaking of really bad spin….yellow journalism..
..how is that fake-benificiary of yours..’tara’…?
maori..?..wasn’t she…?
will she be making another appearance…?
…an ‘update’…?
..that harbour thing isn’t spin….’tara’ is spin….
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 7:35 am
Quite right DPF, I was appalled.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 7:41 am
Are people still watching tv? How sad.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 7:45 am
Actually National _are_evil planet destroying heathens and the Blue Greens are a total sham. Its still a good announcement especially when expectations of any sort of good environmental outcome under the current government are so low (and lets not forget that marine protection was hardly a priority for the previous government either).
Credit where credit is due – the Sub Antarctics are globally significant and it is good to see them get further protection.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 7:53 am
Totally deserved.
Commercial fishing is still allowable in these marine reserves for a start.
Secondly, the Akaroa decision stunk to high heaven.
You may not realise it Farrar but the general public do in fact notice what the government does. You are starting to sound exactly like the last labour lot. Do you guys go blind or something once you get into government? Such a repeating pattern.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 7:59 am
Yep I saw that too. What an ignorant word twisting [deleted by DPF].
Vote:This would be the same msm who while telling us all that Arctic ice is melting, completly ignores that Antarctic ice has not been melting but actually expanding at a huge rate and certainly more than the ice extent in the Arctic shrinks.
Of course 90% of the worlds ice is in Antarctic but you wont see that on the news either.
The media are the enemy of the people.
February 2nd, 2011 at 8:04 am
Well said David.
Vote:When I trained in journalism 20 years ago, I was told that journos were the eyes and ears of the public, in effect the watchdog for the public.
Sadly, it seems some of the MSM needs to be kept an eye on.
And who are the eyes and ears for the public, but the bloggers!
The right needs to let the media know it will be keeping an eye on them and such clear cases of bias like this will be exposed.
February 2nd, 2011 at 8:13 am
How precious DPF.
Try being an minor party supporter, see how you enjoy your coverage then.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 8:15 am
Samantha is pretty…but dumb.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 8:15 am
I do not know how anybody watches TV3 news. They are like talking mannequins, with the attitude that “do I have to do this job”. Their content is also as you say, crap. That is one sick outfit.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 8:23 am
The media usually fawn over everything Key does. You shouldn’t complain just because one story goes the other way. Imagine how Phil Goff must feel.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 8:27 am
Samantha Hayes isn’t a reporter. She’s a presenter.
TV3 know that she’s a pretty face that a lot of people like to look at, so they have to keep her onboard. Meanwhile she has a strong environmental bent. End result … in her earnest attempt to be taken as a “serious journalist” TV3 allow her to focus purely on soft environmental/green stories.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 8:32 am
With a lot of people getting their state of the nation updates from media soundbites, I’ve been wondering lately just how much is the country being stymied by the media.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 8:53 am
Great. What about announcing a target for maximum government spending, along with a plan to get down there, so the people of NZ can be protected and conserved from 3rd world status?
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 8:53 am
I’m not sure I can remember when I last saw a MSM piece that was negative on Key. Is Lioness Farrar being a little bit over protective of the Key cub?
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 9:01 am
Why did she go to Russel Norman for a comment on who is or isn’t a credible environmentalist group?
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 9:20 am
What did Kris Faafoi say in his maiden speech again?
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 9:28 am
gooner…being kneck-deep in act..as you are..
..you’d be more focused on how to turn bad news into good…
..eh..?
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 9:30 am
Meh. This Government has had an armchair ride from the media for the last 3 years and maybe they (and cheerleaders like DPF) have started to take that for granted. TV3 has done some real hatchet jobs in the past – Corngate comes to mind. So stop snivelling and count your blessings.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 9:37 am
“..# Auberon (533) Says:
February 2nd, 2011 at 7:35 am
Quite right DPF, I was appalled…”
auberon was ‘appalled’….
..so were all the other chaps down at the club…
..there was much harrumphing and hissing from the armchairs in the smoking-lounge…
..the air was blue with bromide about ‘filthy-commies!’/'socialists’…
..auberon actually proposed that they all pass a motion…
..which they all duly did…
..smythe-henderson passed two..!..the cheeky chap..!
..oh how we chortled..!
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 9:43 am
I don’t think the Nats have anyone but themselves to blame for the negative story TV3 ran. The BlueGreens holding their Summer Forum last weekend at Akaroa and even going on a cruise on Akaroa Habour was hardly the cleverest idea, given Wilkinson’s decision to decline the Dan Rogers Marine Reserve proposal for Akaroa Harbour.
The irony was highlighted by Gareth Hughes’ underwater protest and a protest at Parliament last weekend, so hardly surprising someone in the MSM picked up on it.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 10:09 am
TV3 should just change there name to the Labour/Green Marxist channel.
No news, all bias.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 10:15 am
The Blue greens are a friggin joke, and national deserves all it gets regarding the environment. You should see the mess that the mates of our local National MP are making with their alluvial gold mining operations, it’s a bloody disgrace.
I was foolish to think Key would ever be any different.
Have some respect for your damned country.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 10:34 am
Shunda
You represent A view of the environment not THE view. That is the problem with greenies and many lefties – it’s their self righteous assumption that their view is the only correct view to have and all others are luddite robber barons. David was making the point that the TV3 News item was biased in favour of a those who believe the government should be more aggressively green. To those who agree with the reporters then this coverage is fine – a ‘truth to power’ moment.
There’s nothing wrong with Green Party spokespeople beating their drum about perceived deficiencies in the government’s environmental policy. True journalists see their job is to report the news with a balance of both sides – eg the government launch and those that support it get half the time and opposing parties and pressure groups get the other half and viewers can decide how best to assess what has been announced. This was a one sided hatchet job dressed up as journalism.
To the left any ends justifies the means (the passing of progressive legislation) and so giving 80% of the airtime to opponents of National is perfectly normal conduct because it furthers the goal – defeat of opponents of progressive statist policies.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 10:36 am
Hardly suprising. I’m still waiting for TV3 to be *officially* incorporated into the Labour Party. Perhaps some interference in TVNZ is in order so as to redress the balance?
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 10:46 am
When the Government does something controversial or “bad” I fully expect media to report criticisms of what the Govt has done. That is their job.
What I don’t expect is for 85% of a story on three new marine reserves to be spent on three other issues, two of which had been previously reported.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 10:51 am
The best way for National to avoid all this nonsense would be to actually do something substantial to improve NZ’s financial prosperity*
*Hint: No, not revenue neutral tax cuts. No, not commissioning endless reports and studies and then ignoring their sensible recommendations. Cut the tax burden and cut the burden of the unproductive on the productive.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 11:01 am
how do you feel about fake/made-up ‘news’…?
y’know..!
i dunno..maybe if a media outlet/blog printed something from someone pretending to be a ‘national-person’…?
..(shall we call her..um..!..kara..?..maybe..?…)
..and just making up a whole bunch of lies…to make ‘national-people’ look bad…just to fit their political agenda…
..to attempt to twist public-opinion against ‘national-people’..
..and if that media outlet/blog knew this person was a fake…
..what would be yr thoughts on someone/a blog…who did something like that…?
..to besmirch/blacken the good-name of ‘national people’…
..and all just lies..?
..what wd yr thoughts/opinion of them..and their professionalism/credibility be..?
phil(whoar.co.nz)
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 11:27 am
Norman Russell needs to attack the nats Bluegreen initiatives as they are taking away his parties sole reason for being
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 11:33 am
Has it occurred to you Farrar that in fact the news item was about national’s environmental record and direction and not just about the marine reserves?????
Wakey wakey
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 11:40 am
When the Government does something controversial or “bad” I fully expect media to report criticisms of what the Govt has done. That is their job.
What I don’t expect is for 85% of a story on three new marine reserves to be spent on three other issues, two of which had been previously reported.
Ok David, I concede that on this issue you have a point.
But it is not really that surprising that people (and not just hardened greenies) are becoming sceptical of Nationals intentions towards the environment when these other issues are so fresh in their minds.
You seem to enjoy the natural beauty of this country and I respect that, but I am sure even you would cringe at some of the activities of gold miners around here, some of which are very closely tied to the National party.
Vote:I can send you pictures if you like.
February 2nd, 2011 at 11:47 am
wow .. photos’s of gold mines that the national party opened within the past 2 years .. would be interesed to see them. If they are older than 2 years then it’s a pity the usless Green party allowed Clark to shit on them during the previous 2 elections.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 11:48 am
Why is anybody outraged at this?, I think most of you have missed the point.
TV3 is a private company, if they choose to take a negative slant against the government then that is perfectly acceptable.
Now…if TVNZ were to do the same then that is something worth worrying about.
All the more reason for the government to sell off TVNZ and all of its radio stations.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 12:28 pm
The BlueGreens holding their Summer Forum last weekend at Akaroa and even going on a cruise on Akaroa Habour was hardly the cleverest idea, given Wilkinson’s decision to decline the Dan Rogers Marine Reserve proposal for Akaroa Harbour.
Only in the mindset of a moonbat greenie would this even be relevant.
Are you trying to say that because National did not vote to create a marine reserve at Akaroa Harbour, they then should be denied use of said resource?
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Bevan, surely you agree that it was politically unwise to hold the blue greens conference at a venue that their party refused to protect.
Vote:Unless of course it was intended to be a provocative and petty act, which is kind of what it looks like.
February 2nd, 2011 at 3:19 pm
Frankly ever since the sack of ECAN for irrigation and the mining in national parks saga the nats have been backfooting environmental issues.
The Lignite in Southland completely undermines national’s climate position, as the mining in national parks undermined its conservation credentials.
Really it is probably Brownlee and not Smith who calls a lot of the shots in the environment/climate department, and selling off Solid Energy to give them access to more capital so they can upscale to do large scale lignite coal mining in Bill English’s electorate is not a good look either.
I agree Shunda re the bluegreens choice of venue.
Maybe if National keeps up Brownlee policies, bluegreen Nikki Kaye may loose Auckland Central.
National needs solid policies if it wants people to take them seriously, large scale coal opencast strip mining and deep sea drilling undermines that ‘balance’ that is the bluegreens buzzword.
It backs moves to dig up six billions tonnes of the dirtiest form of energy in Southland http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/news/blog/bluegreens-gave-me-the-blues/blog/32756
“See, at the heart of the Government’s thinking is an hypocrisy that undermines climate action. The Government talk about a clean economy, yet they invest millions in subsidising the fossil fuel industries of yesteryear.
It backs moves to dig up six billions tonnes of the dirtiest form of energy in Southland – which would amount to a climate crime of global significance – and have just declared open season on BP-style deepwater oil drilling in some of our most pristine environments.”
Reports of the conference are that the bluegreens conference was not too exciting, inspiring or ambitious.
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Old saying, David? Heard it before but not about Mr Key. I think you’re trying to mint a meme there, naughty cheeky.
As others have said already, it was a story about John Key’s environmental record, which isn’t all that flash.
It’s understandable that you would prefer to see a nice rosy story about something good that Key has done but it’s a bit weird that you’re chastising a news outlet for reporting something else.
Do you think they should have just stuck to the press release?
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 7:15 pm
TV3 on Campbell Live with a piece about it now
Vote:February 2nd, 2011 at 7:22 pm
wow .. Campbell Is looks like a great place .. keep us away and leave the wildlife alone .. thank you National, what took so long?
Vote: