Brian Edwards on NZ Herald’s photos
July 24th, 2012 at 9:00 am by David FarrarIn a list of bouquets and brickbats, Brian Edwards notes a brickbat:
To the New Zealand Herald which accompanied a report today on the National Party Conference with deliberately chosen, highly unflattering photographs of Paula Bennett, Hekia Parata and John Key (with double chins) and a laboured attempt at a humorous caption. There can be no journalistic defence for this sort of offensive demeaning of public figures in a news story.
It did seem rather stupid.
Tags: Brian Edwards, NZ Herald
July 24th, 2012 at 9:11 am
Herald merging with RadioNZ are they?
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:12 am
It was unnecessary and very rude. So glad I don’t pay for the NZH any more.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:21 am
Didn’t know RadioNZ had pictures.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:22 am
The media have been publishing unflattering photos of Key for a long time now. He got offside with them over that stupid cup of tea thing.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:24 am
Could it be because the are c***s?
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:24 am
Well on the positive side, we still haven’t got to the state where they start deliberately photoshopping them to make ‘em look demonic like the did for Condoleezza Rice.
We’re merely at what I would call the “Hillary” level.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:26 am
First, the article in the Herald referred to by Edwards doesn’t show Parata or Bennett at all. Second, with his long nose and smarmy appearance, it can’t be easy taking a flattering pic of the PM. Third, politicians are not unique. The media like to take pot shots at whoever is flavour of the month.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:29 am
ross, you should get back to your public sector job, I’m paying you.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:35 am
Yes, Key is not physically impressive – Eyes close together, funny nose, and that smirk when he is lying.
expat – I don’t think you should worry about the odd public sector salary while NZ is paying $600 million for a South Canterbury Finance bailout.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:38 am
ross69 ‘Second, with his long nose and smarmy appearance, it can’t be easy taking a flattering pic of the PM’ what is the point of that comment? Typical personal and uncalled for comment of the left. No wonder Labour aren’t popular with people like you on their side. Just makes you look like even more of a fuckwit then you already do.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:38 am
Sure. Lovely and feminine comrade Helen Clark was much better.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:40 am
Cunningham,
Sorry if I offended you. Would you prefer it if I detailed Key’s lies?
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:41 am
Ross; Edwards was referring to this rubbish: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/image.cfm?c_id=280&gal_cid=280&gallery_id=126879#9340251
The Herald must think its readers are a classroom of 5 year olds.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:42 am
Newsflash: In an unprecedented development, media have begun publishing unflattering photos of politicians. National-aligned blogger David Farrar described the move as ‘stupid’.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:45 am
As for my third point, look at this classy photo of David Bain. It almost makes one feel sorry for the poor bugger.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/2383437/Bain-jersey-his-own-design
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:52 am
Two words. Shayne Currie.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:56 am
Of course their would be some good options with Labour members.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 9:59 am
Well at least Helen had an IQ over 100. That said, Key hasn’t done too bad with his C+ average BCom.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 10:01 am
Trolls are out in force today.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 10:10 am
Its just the lefty press trying to influence us
Vote:They tried hard to make das Clarkenfuruer look human and never really succeeded A harpy is still a harpy with soft lighting photo shopping and tons of bog
July 24th, 2012 at 10:11 am
Big deal. I remember the same complaints aimed at the media when they took photos of Helen Clark. Unless you can prove a pattern, I don’t think there’s much to complain about.
And if people are going to get concerned about their favoured politicians not looking pretty in photos, we have reached an even lower level of political understanding than I thought.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 10:16 am
Helen was known within the Media to only allow cameramen to film her who she knew were able to make her look good.
Apparently she tried the same stunt with the US media, they were not too impressed.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 11:03 am
Remember that awful Helen Clark Peter Davis kiss front page of the Dominion?
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 11:09 am
Well at least Helen had an IQ over 100. That said, Key hasn’t done too bad with his C+ average BCom.
So, whose test did she write her name on?
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 11:21 am
Still think its hilarious, the left HATE JK, absolutely hate him. He is the devil. Keep it up lads, Im sure the strategy will work for you. Eventually.
Remember, he is the demon, he carries the mark of the beast. LMFAO, ross et al, youre truly pathetic.
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 11:39 am
Print media almost always prints unflattering photo portraits to capture attention and ridicule and also to avoid being accused of favouring the politician/ subject.
Vote:Web media however are the opposite and more often than not print acceptable, attractive photos because the standards are higher and there is more competition. For instance if you have a dog of a web page with bad photos you don’t get hits.
July 24th, 2012 at 12:58 pm
Really? Well, just goes to show that an honours degree isn’t the only indicator of talent.
I attended a friend’s graduation a few years ago in Christchurch where Sam Neill gave the address. The anecdote that stood out for me was where he said that, when he was at university, anybody getting above a C+ was considered to be working too hard!
Vote:July 24th, 2012 at 5:56 pm
I would assume Brian Edwards was referring to yesterday’s print edition of the NZH where on page 3 they had three photos (Bennett, Key and Parata) which weren’t the best (i.e. BE wasn’t referring to the on-line version which featured several photos).
And I agree with Brian Edwards. The NZH is meant to be a serious newspaper, NZ’s premiere newspaper, not a piece of tabloid shit, but for some bizarre reason in recent months the editors wish to take the NZH into News of the World tabloid shit territory.
It wouldn’t matter if they featured similar inapropriate photos of Labour or Greens politicians – again it’s inappropriate for a so called reputable newspaper. NZH editors hang your heads in shame again.
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