Whale appointed Truth Editor
October 31st, 2012 at 1:59 pm by David FarrarTruth has announced:
Internet shock jock goes mainstream
“Wellington, you’re on notice – be afraid.”
New Zealand’s number 1 news and opinion blogger Cameron Slater has today been appointed Editor of the Truth.
Truth is New Zealand’s last remaining Kiwi-owned national newspaper which this year turns 125 years old.
Slater has been brought on board to fundamentally change the way newspapers deliver to their audiences. Newspapers worldwide are in decline, due, Slater says, to a tired old business model that no longer works.
“We’re not going to spend $4 million on a paint job and then deliver the same tired old paid-for shit.
“Most of the media in this country is weak, and it’s paid for. The integrity in news went ages ago.”
Slater is adamant that the backbone of New Zealand – the people who work – are not getting a fair shake from government or the system. He aims to change that.
“Each and every one of us has got an investment in NZ Inc, and the majority of the people in charge of the place are taking the piss out of our investment.
“We’re going to keep the buggers honest. There’s no better disinfectant than sunlight.
“To use a tired phrase – if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear, so Wellington, you’re on notice – if you’re having a lend, we’re coming for you!”
Changes will be rolled out over a period of months and will include both print and a 24 hour news website to support the paper. Slater aims to alter the approach to news presentation significantly.
“We took the pulse of the nation, and it had nearly bloody died.
“No bastard wants to read old news – they can get that online. We’ll be more of a views-paper that promises to deliver REAL news, REAL opinion.
“The people are numb from the eyes down with the diet of PR’d crap they get now. I will not do it to them anymore – it’s not right.
“I assure you – the little paper that could still can!”
There will be further announcements regarding contributors and editorial direction.
Slater’s first issue will hit newsstands on Thursday 8 November 2012.
Congratulations to Cam. That is a huge vote of confidence in his abilities. He hasn’t become most read blogger by accident, and he will bring his tenacity to his new role. A blogger becoming a print (and web) editor might be a first – at least for New Zealand.
I’m looking forward to the first issue..
October 31st, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Congratulations to Whale. will philu be next?
Vote:Bloging and mainstream converge
Looking forward to lots of titties and guns! And endless letters to the editor from red
October 31st, 2012 at 2:12 pm
…”I’m looking forward to the first issue..”…..
You’re not the only one. I haven’t bought a copy of the miserable rag for about forty years but I’ll line up for the 8th Nov issue.
Congratulations Whale…..it’s been a long journey but you’ve made it.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Yowzers!,
Well investigative journalism in NZ is about to get a well overdue Kick up the Jacksy,
But, it will be interesting to see how Fairfax corporate and Mr Oil get on,
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:17 pm
“….Never take on anyone who buys paper and ink by the ton…” – Frank Packer[?]
Whale can start off right about the top by calling out both Key and Shearer -
” Well gentlemen, is there too many old black men running Africa and Maoridom?
Whale I think, will be a useful idiot for both Labour and National – right from the start!
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:18 pm
That’s a very fine tribute to New Zealand’s most read blogger from New Zealand’s second most read blogger DPF; good on ya
And if anyone has the sheer bloody-mindedness to carry this off, it’s Cameron Slater. Roll on next Thursday.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Cam Slater finally got a job.
Vote:Good for him, he’s not a hypocrite any more.
October 31st, 2012 at 2:27 pm
A gutsy move. There’s potential for print (and broadcast) media to to benefit from growing online experience rather than just trying to adapt themselves and their own, and Cam has more relevant online experience than virtually anyone.
It’s a big challenge but has the potential to be an innovator in the news media revolution. Hopefully the result will be more real news and views, and it will shake up the too often self interested, self obsessed relationships between politicians and news outlets.
If it works it could contribute significantly to better media models – and better politics. Truth with real honesty and openness.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:31 pm
it will be interesting to see how Fairfax corporate and Mr Oil get on
Fairfax sold Truth about 10 years ago because they did not want to be associated with so tawdry a publication. It’s presently owned by Mathew Horton of the former Herald Horton family.
Its only ads are for prostitutes and brothels, IIRC.
With Whale running it, I will make a point of hunting it down. I haven’t seen it in years.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:32 pm
Bloody hell. Have not read that rag for years. Will make a point of picking it up now. Good old Cam.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:34 pm
I assume the page three tits disappeared a while ago, look for ward to seeing them back
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Brilliant!
Congrats to Cameron Slater on his appointment. Its long overdue that we have a counter to the tired, left leaning, hack ‘journalism’ that currently masquerades as our print media.
Like many others, I haven’t purchased / read Truth for many years, but I’ll certainly give it a shot now Whale is at the helm.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Whale Oil Beef Hooked!
[DPF: Comment of the day]
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:35 pm
There’ll be a race to get the legal advice contract!
[DPF: Maybe less so for the insurance contract
]
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:39 pm
1st prize to Kimble
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:40 pm
Dirty rat
Vote:And perhaps a willy or two if you aren’t all too embarrassed to show yours off.
October 31st, 2012 at 2:40 pm
WO already has his first harpooning; Martyn Bradbury has resigned as a columnist.
Of dear; how sad; never mind…
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:41 pm
God knows where he’ll get some decent NZ writers who can see the world as it is, not through Left Wing lenses.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:47 pm
@KS:
How disappointing.
Tui Ad.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:49 pm
KS – bugger. I’d spent all week drafting the letter of dismissal.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:58 pm
But isn’t hard copy on the way out? Dunno, this is a back step stumble I think. Who still buys newspapers, let alone second tier ones?
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 2:59 pm
@ Cactus Kate – it’ll save WO having to worry about a severance package. And will we see you on Page Three?
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 3:03 pm
KS – the cheque attached would need to be numerous times my small bust size.
Vote:Severance packages are not required for volunteers.
October 31st, 2012 at 3:10 pm
“The paper said in a statement today that it would launch a 24-hour website in coming months.”
So no need to buy the sensationalist tabloid.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 3:28 pm
I’m sick and tired of websites that only work in office hours.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Gutsy call by Truth.
I hope they get the support they deserve.
Meanwhile the Herald and The Dominion and the rest of the mainstream media will go on trying to feed us the same old left wing garbage. Like The Guardian in the UK, its all about the political message rather than the business model.
Propagandizing left wing scum posing as objective journalists. Even Pravda today is more respected.
Fuck em, they’re all just NZ journolisters who probably check in daily with the admitted Marxist Brian Edwards to see if what they have written is OK for publication.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 3:54 pm
Good ole Whale Oil. Its time the MSM got some real competition. Sick of seeing these just outta journo school blonde bimbos mangling the English language and the ones on TV with their breathless wide eyed delivery.
Vote:Time of real investigative stuff.
Go dig Whale Oil. theres plenty of muck to be uncovered and paraded.
October 31st, 2012 at 4:07 pm
Excellent. I must get someone to buy a copy as a souvineir.
cheers
David Prosser
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 4:07 pm
The “traditional” outlets will undoubtedly turn to “D” in the playbook. Denigrate, decry, dissemble, dish dirt, dis, duck the truth, …… what have I missed? So Whale had better raise the deflector shield until they tire of focussing on him personally.
Just like the Labour Party,they will not look in the mirror and take an honest look at themselves – if they did there would be a lot of puking going on.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Masterstoke by whoever owns the paper and congratulations to Mr Slater.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 4:17 pm
The Truth – is that the one that used to always have tits on page 3?
A classy publication, Cam Slater will be a good fit for them.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 4:24 pm
“The Truth – is that the one that used to always have tits on page 3?”
and now it’s got a tit for editor.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 4:30 pm
Methinks that the socialists have detected a gap in their wall to wall leftist MSM coverage.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Is ‘e gonna bring back page three tits, you rection @Dean?
Vote:@David, you missed de bitch off de list.
October 31st, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Masterstoke by whoever owns the paper and congratulations to Mr Slater.
Apparently one of the Horton’s owns it. Which means they probably know what they’ve done. I haven’t read it for years but the editorial content used to be lefty tabloid. While Cam’s style is sometimes somewhat that, he’s got a lot of editing on his hands if he wants to transform it into an Investigate editorial line which is possibly where they plan to take it.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 4:50 pm
Congratulations to Cam. With the MSM dominated by a bunch of wishy washy commentators (put Soper at the top of the list), and liberal lefty pressure groups, there is a real opportunity for plain spoken centre right opinions that fit with the way Waitakere Man sees the world. Cam has built up a formidable online audience because he has demonstrated integrity; he does not cuddle up to politicians or commercial interests (except where there are hunting freebees).
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 5:19 pm
For some strange reason this has got me thinking about page 3 girls from my youth….Samantha Fox and Maria Whittaker! Giggity…
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Unfortunately in return for a regular paycheck he will have to change his name (and style) to ‘Hardley Shortcock”
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 5:37 pm
This is promising. 33% new content and a reduction of recycled worn out material to 67%. Maybe someone wants a column in the Truth to shore up phase 2 of the Grand Plan.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 5:43 pm
@dave53 2:31 pm
I suspect dime will be appointed advertising manager then.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 5:50 pm
A bold move by the Truth indeed. But it probably needed to be done – I didn’t even know the Truth was still printing! I always thought the title of the Truth was a bit ironic though!
Vote:Congratulations to Cam, it will be interesting to see what he does.
KS – where did you hear that Bomber had resigned as a columnist?
October 31st, 2012 at 6:06 pm
If only “The Peoples Voice” still existed. With a new editor say Greg Presland or Psycho Milt what a battle we could enjoy!
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Longknives said
Ah yes; Samantha Fox. Never got chest infections due to the size of her lungs…
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Suck it up Pinkos. All of the haters and wreckers will be scheming to attack the Truth (as they have always done)
Vote:The socialist scum will be exposed, if not in print then on WOBH.
UnionistTeachers, Civil Servants, WINZ bludgers, your day has come
October 31st, 2012 at 7:17 pm
“Ah yes; Samantha Fox. Never got chest infections due to the size of her lungs…”
Apparently she turned out to be an old Lezzer? Way to ruin my childhood memories..
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 7:31 pm
Finally the MSM may get their dues. Whilst I don’t always agree with Cam at least some semblance of balance may come to pass. Hopefully the Owl gets a run (please Cam) the unionists.will be fair crapping.
Vote:Tip line will go off
October 31st, 2012 at 7:39 pm
“UnionistTeachers, Civil Servants, WINZ bludgers, your day has come” !!
Hallelujah brothers. Hallelujah!!
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 7:50 pm
A classic move by all parties – shows why Truth has survived so long. Good luck to Whale – I suspect he will do this really well.
I hope this does not mean Truth’s original features wll be reinstated? Especially the divorce notices, that used to list who has been shagging who? Compulsory reading when I was a teenager, with little purpose other than to expose human weaknesses and embarrass a whole lot of good, though arguably weak, people and their families.
If its going back this way in 2012, perhaps it would save a lot of newsprint by listing those who are NOT having a sly encounter, rather than the others.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 7:58 pm
oh crap. Now he’s got an even larger soap box from which to preach.
Endless “why we should allow gay marriage” articles and Obama love.
Yay.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Love it. Truth + Cameron. What would Jackie say?
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 8:09 pm
overrated blog jockey gets given the keys to one of our seediest papers
Vote:they both deserve each other
October 31st, 2012 at 9:59 pm
from muck raking in the gutter to sweeping in the sewer
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 10:00 pm
It’s not just news in New Zealand; this from the Guardian in London
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2012/oct/31/blogging-newspapers?CMP=twt_fd
WO makes the international media!
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 10:24 pm
This will be entertaining to watch.
Though I seriously doubt Cam will last more than six months.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 10:40 pm
I don’t think I will break my habit of not reading New Zealand newspapers for this.
Vote:October 31st, 2012 at 10:45 pm
I agree gump, for a start it will be difficult for him to develop a business model capable of funding a decent salary for himself and some good staff.
Vote:November 1st, 2012 at 1:35 am
lets face it what kind of people work for a trash newspaper rag
Vote:November 1st, 2012 at 10:15 am
mmmm, Cactus as a page 3 girl, can’t wait for that. As far as Bradbury is concerned, I can’t belive he has/had a column is the MSM
Vote: