Manufactured rage?
March 20th, 2013 at 12:00 pm by David FarrarRegan at Throng blogs:
Last Thursday, Seven Sharp ran a story about domestic violence in a staged enactment in an Auckland street. This morning (five days later), the New Zealand Herald has a story that claimed“Women’s Refuge has criticised a Seven Sharp story on bystander reaction to violence against women which used the song Smack My Bitch Up as a backing track”.
The New Zealand Herald has a history of inciting anger when there is none and this latest escapade is no different.
We spoke to Women’s Refuge this morning and a spokesperson told us that they had been completely unaware of Seven Sharp’s story until the NZ Herald had contacted them for comment. Colour me surprised.
Getting upset over a backing track that features no lyrics on an issue that is increasingly problematic in New Zealand is incredibly petty and completely misses the point. The fact that the issue is getting raised at all is something that should be congratulated, not lambasted for such trivial and inconsequential points.
If the track had included lyrics, then lots of people would be upset. But the reality is that no one watching the show was in any way offended. It was only five days later the “rage” was manufactured.
Related posts:
- Women’s Refuge
- One in three women do not live in fear
- Domestic Violence Killings
- Psychological Abuse
March 20th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Would have thought anything by The Prodigy is pretty intense to use as background music for a news article…?
I would not let my 8yo listen to Smack My Bitch Up just yet, but she likes Breathe.
I miss the 90s. So much great music…
Vote:March 20th, 2013 at 12:53 pm
What’s next, a documentary about Antonie Dixon with the Fun Loving Criminals Scooby Snacks as the theme song?
Vote:March 20th, 2013 at 1:04 pm
If you know any camera workers or editors you’ll know they like to sneak little things in to their work to spice the daily grind up. Much like the interview with the roadside cabinet worker where you can see his playboy spread in his van over his shoulder. So without the lyrics being played, you’d have to know the song to be offended. Bad taste yes, outrageous no.
Vote:March 20th, 2013 at 2:39 pm
“We spoke to Women’s Refuge this morning and a spokesperson told us that they had been completely unaware of Seven Sharp’s story until the NZ Herald had contacted them for comment. Colour me surprised”
So they don’t watch the show either!
Does anyone?
Vote:March 20th, 2013 at 4:42 pm
New theme song, “Rage Against the MAUchine.”?
Vote:March 20th, 2013 at 7:00 pm
And the Herald will still be wondering why their circulation is dropping.
Vote:March 20th, 2013 at 7:16 pm
Seven Sharp is just trying to be too young and youth oriented. No one here watches it.
Vote:I know my folks switch channels after the news. They’d rather watch nothing at all than Seven Sharp.
Close Up wasn’t perfect but it was better than this.
March 20th, 2013 at 7:38 pm
The Women’s Refuge is not an organisation to support women. It is an organisation to undermine men. That is not to say there are not people they give useful help to, but overall they really are a bunch of man hating home wreckers. Hating men is not supporting women. They need to learn that. There are a few in the refuge movement who agree with that, but not enough to lend the organisation any credibility.
Vote:March 20th, 2013 at 7:47 pm
Is that the same Women’s Refuge that help you bury your husband after you have bumped him off?
Vote:March 21st, 2013 at 3:20 am
Same NZH that has the phrase “lashed out” in a headline almost every day. Not every critical comment in a public debate is “lashing out”. I know it’s an exciting sounding phrase, but it has connotations of a blind, undirected, violent act that’s not even close to the measured public statements they consistently apply it to.
Vote:March 22nd, 2013 at 8:22 am
I agree the manufactured rage bit, by the Herald is contrivied bit of goss advertising by them.
I don’t agree that playing the song, sans lyrics, is okay
I know this song, with or without lyrics. Many others do. Despite it’s obvious non-meaning (as in the words are not what it’s about) putting that in a piece about a serious topic like this is not edgy and not funny.
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