McClay not Mathers
February 20th, 2012 at 1:18 pm by David FarrarI blogged yesterday a report from Select Committee News that Mojo Mathers suggested to Radio NZ at the Commerce Select Committee that they consider charging international internet users of the Radio NZ website. I commented:
This is a very bad idea. The Internet is global and any attempts to charge people based on their location is flawed. It means New Zealanders who are travelling overseas would not be able to access Radio NZ for free. It means expats would be locked off from it. It also would encourage spoofing of IP addresses.
Mojo Mathers has said that she did not suggest that, in fact she asked no questions to Radio NZ. Select Committee News has confirmed they made an error, and the question came from Committee Chair Todd McClay.
Just so people understand, Select Committee News is not published by the Office of the Clerk. It is a private publication that summarises select committee hearings, and puts out a newsletter you can subscribe to. They also provide a subject matter search, so you can get alerts just for your area of interest.
I’ve found SCN to be a hugely valuable resource, and normally highly accurate. The error in this case was seemingly caused by name plates being in front of the wrong MPs, and of course with 35 new MPs, it takes a while for reporters to recognise them all.
I have updated the original post.
UPDATE: Todd McClay has texted:
My question was in relation to possible charges for online content not their normal broadcasters. Ie they have some great series, programmes etc that whilst they should remain free to NZers, as with BBC, could be on a fee paying basis for foreigners. Just as you can buy BBC dvds, or programmes from overseas radio and news services. They have huge amounts of content which is not even digitized yet.
Good to have the clarification.
Tags: Mojo Mathers, SCN, Todd McClay
February 20th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
Why are we playing “guess the party” here?
Ah right, that’s why.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
The decent thing to do, DPF. Good on you for correcting the initial mistake.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 1:32 pm
The National party really need to get some sort of “youthul”, internet aware MP on-board so they can at least sound remotely informed about it. As much as I think Gareth Hughes is as bad as the rest of the Greens at least he has some understanding of how the internet works and can debate it appropriately.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Ha ha, a lot of comment on the original post was anti-Mathers, anti-Green stuff. I’m sure those commenters will take it nall back now!
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
More ideas about new charges and fees from the party of low taxes, Labour lite? What a surprise!
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
I sure will. I withdraw my comments.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 1:40 pm
There was an amusing irony in the original story. Too good to be true, you could say.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Now, correcting the first few comments on the other thread:
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Good on you for correcting the error, however I find your reasoning for the original mistake somewhat bemusing –
Vote:” The error in this case was seemingly caused by name plates being in front of the wrong MPs, and of course with 35 new MPs, it takes a while …”
Note:-
1. Todd McClay is not a new MP
2. Given the publicity surrounding Mojo Mathers last week it is hard to see how someone could confuse McClay with her.
February 20th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
My comment stands. *Whoever* suggested it doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
I withdraw the attribution to Mathers, of course.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 2:07 pm
So the problem is that McClay looks like a girl?
It is nice to see DPF correct the original report and for commenters to withdraw their comments. If this were Red Alert then the post would just disappear in to thin air, like one of Raymond Huo’s did last week.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 2:30 pm
“they have some great series, programmes etc that whilst they should remain free to NZers,”
They are not “free” McLay. They are taxpayer funded. A used car salesman would be prosecuted for trying on an untruth like that. Pity you cannot be as well.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 2:39 pm
Well done David for posting the correction.
It’s still a good idea, even if its from T. McClay. It’s bad enough being forced to fund a service run by and targeting champaign sipping liberals and their progressive ideals. Even worse to give it away to the folks who contribute nothing towards it. AFAIK the main argument against McClay’s idea is that folks prefer it when other people pay for a service they enjoy: a principle so sound that when applied generally enough it produces Greece.
Will all the folks offering their unkind comments about a person who is hearing impaired targeting an audio service be apologising?
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 3:00 pm
Who in their right mind is going to pay for RNZ content at the moment? Is there even anything to sell?
Vote:Perhaps we need some collaboration with the BBC and ABC to learn skills about making programmes people actually will pay money for.
February 20th, 2012 at 3:37 pm
@davidp
Vote:“commenters to withdraw their comments.”
Surely if the comments were well thought through there should be no need to withdraw them, they just apply to a different party and MP now.
February 20th, 2012 at 3:58 pm
m@tt,
I agree. My comments were that the idea was technically flawed, not a priority and not in line with previous Greens voting, but that kudos was warranted for:
1. Identifying a service being consumed and looking to monetise it
2. Looking to increase govt revenues other than by taxing people more
And it is warranted – warranted for Todd McClay and National it would seem, not for Mojo or the Greens at all!
Normal service has been restored
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
Ha ha, a lot of comment on the original post was anti-Mathers, anti-Green stuff. I’m sure those commenters will take it nall back now!
Depends on what the definition of “nall” is.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 7:57 pm
Funny how the comments thread here dries up when it turns out to have been a National MP, and not a Green one, who has exercised extreme stupidity.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 9:47 pm
Um, hang on.
Charging people if they use something is good, regardless of where they live. DPF says it would mean New Zealanders who are travelling overseas would not be able to access Radio NZ for free. Good! If they’re living in London and not paying tax in NZ they are bludging off those in NZ who are, and the corollary is the NZ taxpayers are paying for freeloaders overseas to listen to it!
If expats cannot afford a few dollars to listen to the internet, they have gone overseas for the wrong reason. User pays is good. Todd McLay should be encouraging this, and so should Kiwiblog!!
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 10:14 pm
Charging people if they use something is good, regardless of where they live. DPF says it would mean New Zealanders who are travelling overseas would not be able to access Radio NZ for free. Good! If they’re living in London and not paying tax in NZ they are bludging off those in NZ who are, and the corollary is the NZ taxpayers are paying for freeloaders overseas to listen to it!
Ever heard of advertising revenue?
Vote:February 21st, 2012 at 5:59 am
Why RNZ when you can BBC?
Vote: