Rodney Hide's laying of a complaint against Winston Peters with the NZ Police is an excellent example of a politician utilising some of the aspects of news organisation that Sue was discussing in last week's lecture. Watch the One News report here and consider how Hide utilised news organisation.
Showing posts with label Journalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Journalism. Show all posts
Friday, September 5, 2008
The organisation of news
Rodney Hide's laying of a complaint against Winston Peters with the NZ Police is an excellent example of a politician utilising some of the aspects of news organisation that Sue was discussing in last week's lecture. Watch the One News report here and consider how Hide utilised news organisation.
Monday, December 10, 2007
BBC poll on press freedom
"World opinion is divided on the importance of having a free press, according to a poll conducted for the BBC World Service.
Of those interviewed, 56% thought that freedom of the press was very important to ensure a free society.
But 40% said it was more important to maintain social harmony and peace, even if it meant curbing the press's freedom to report news truthfully.
Pollsters interviewed 11,344 people in 14 countries for the survey.
In most of the 14 countries surveyed, press freedom (including broadcasting) was considered more important than social stability."
Read more
Friday, November 16, 2007
The future of news
A Frontline programme on the future of news:
"In a four-part special series, News War, FRONTLINE examines the political, cultural, legal, and economic forces challenging the news media today and how the press has reacted in turn. Through interviews with key figures in print, broadcast and electronic media over the past four decades -- and with unequaled, behind-the-scenes access to some of today's most important news organizations, FRONTLINE traces the recent history of American journalism, from the Nixon administration's attacks on the media to the post-Watergate popularity of the press, to the new challenges presented by the war on terror and other global forces now changing -- and challenging -- the role of the press in our society."
Read more and watch the program
"In a four-part special series, News War, FRONTLINE examines the political, cultural, legal, and economic forces challenging the news media today and how the press has reacted in turn. Through interviews with key figures in print, broadcast and electronic media over the past four decades -- and with unequaled, behind-the-scenes access to some of today's most important news organizations, FRONTLINE traces the recent history of American journalism, from the Nixon administration's attacks on the media to the post-Watergate popularity of the press, to the new challenges presented by the war on terror and other global forces now changing -- and challenging -- the role of the press in our society."
Read more and watch the program
Saturday, November 10, 2007
NZ Blogger interviewed by Online Journalism Review
"OJR: For those of us who are not very familiar with New Zealand – could you describe the country's media landscape?
Stevenson: There are two major newspaper companies: APN News & Media, which owns our biggest paper, the New Zealand Herald, as well as half of the provincial newspapers; and Fairfax Media, which owns most of the rest. There are two major online websites: the New Zealand Herald site and stuff.co.nz. Recently, Fairfax Media made a major purchase: It paid 750 million NZD for our version of eBay called Trade Me, a move to try to get the advertising that had been lost to Trade Me. I think Trade Me is the biggest site in New Zealand, in terms of online forums and the volume of trades.
OJR: How popular are blogs in New Zealand?
Stevenson: They are popular. One of the earliest blogs is called Public Address. It was started by Russell Brown, a leading blogger, and he has been struggling to make it pay. The blog's been going for 10 or more years and his advertising's rising so he's hopeful."
Read more...
Stevenson: There are two major newspaper companies: APN News & Media, which owns our biggest paper, the New Zealand Herald, as well as half of the provincial newspapers; and Fairfax Media, which owns most of the rest. There are two major online websites: the New Zealand Herald site and stuff.co.nz. Recently, Fairfax Media made a major purchase: It paid 750 million NZD for our version of eBay called Trade Me, a move to try to get the advertising that had been lost to Trade Me. I think Trade Me is the biggest site in New Zealand, in terms of online forums and the volume of trades.
OJR: How popular are blogs in New Zealand?
Stevenson: They are popular. One of the earliest blogs is called Public Address. It was started by Russell Brown, a leading blogger, and he has been struggling to make it pay. The blog's been going for 10 or more years and his advertising's rising so he's hopeful."
Read more...
Monday, October 22, 2007
The Sunday Star Times inconsistant?
On its first page yesterday the newspaper annnounced some of the potential targets from alleged terrorism plots:
"US President George Bush was among those allegedly targeted in the threats recorded by police investigating the alleged Urewera terrorist training camps.
Prime Minister Helen Clark and National leader John Key were also discussed as potential targets by those under surveillance during the 22-month police Special Investigations Group operation.
Key has admitted he was briefed on the operation by the SIS but neither he, nor Clark, were yesterday willing to comment on the possibility they were potential targets...
he Star-Times, which broke the story on Fairfax Media's Stuff website last Monday, understands the police have seized more than 20 guns, including AK-47s and other military-style semi-automatic rifles, as well as stab and bullet-resistant clothing, camouflage netting, bomb-making recipes and an IRA manual."
Read more...
Yet in its opinion pages it declared that the country should really "wait and see" and not draw early conclusions (opinion piece not available online).
"US President George Bush was among those allegedly targeted in the threats recorded by police investigating the alleged Urewera terrorist training camps.
Prime Minister Helen Clark and National leader John Key were also discussed as potential targets by those under surveillance during the 22-month police Special Investigations Group operation.
Key has admitted he was briefed on the operation by the SIS but neither he, nor Clark, were yesterday willing to comment on the possibility they were potential targets...
he Star-Times, which broke the story on Fairfax Media's Stuff website last Monday, understands the police have seized more than 20 guns, including AK-47s and other military-style semi-automatic rifles, as well as stab and bullet-resistant clothing, camouflage netting, bomb-making recipes and an IRA manual."
Read more...
Yet in its opinion pages it declared that the country should really "wait and see" and not draw early conclusions (opinion piece not available online).
Friday, October 19, 2007
Journalism, politics and the French president
After refusing to publish any of the rather loud rumours about the French President's marital status, French newspaper, Libération catches up with the front page below.In English in the original.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Continuous coverage of raids on stuff.co.nz
Pita Sharples in stuff.co.nz
"Race relations in New Zealand have been set back 100 years by police raids on Monday at alleged weapons-training camps in the Bay of Plenty, Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has told an Australian audience.
Sharples also questioned yesterday whether New Zealand security agencies might resort to planting evidence to justify their actions.
His criticism came yesterday as a Rotorua District Court judge denied bail to Tuhoe activist Tame Iti, one of 17 people arrested.
Sharples told a conference on restorative justice in Queensland that police had used "storm-trooper" tactics in raiding homes and making the arrests.
He said the justice system had "lashed out" at Maori. Maori sovereignty activists were among those arrested, as well as peace and environmental campaigners who police said were connected to the weapons-training camps found in rugged Bay of Plenty bush."
Read more...
See on-going coverage here
"Race relations in New Zealand have been set back 100 years by police raids on Monday at alleged weapons-training camps in the Bay of Plenty, Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has told an Australian audience.
Sharples also questioned yesterday whether New Zealand security agencies might resort to planting evidence to justify their actions.
His criticism came yesterday as a Rotorua District Court judge denied bail to Tuhoe activist Tame Iti, one of 17 people arrested.
Sharples told a conference on restorative justice in Queensland that police had used "storm-trooper" tactics in raiding homes and making the arrests.
He said the justice system had "lashed out" at Maori. Maori sovereignty activists were among those arrested, as well as peace and environmental campaigners who police said were connected to the weapons-training camps found in rugged Bay of Plenty bush."
Read more...
See on-going coverage here
NZ Police arrest activists
Does not the title of the article the question answered under the picture?
"Napalm bombs, Molotov cocktails and military-style assault rifles were among an arsenal of weapons that prompted early morning police raids across the country yesterday. "
Read more...
Covering Police "Terrorism" Raid
A few days after the police raids across the country the media are starting to ask the significance of the actions.
Here's Colin Espiner's views:
"Police ‘terror’ raids - blunder or brilliance?
Colin Espiner in On The House | 1:01 pm 17 October 2007
I’ve avoided posting anything on the arrests of activists around the country on Monday because - and this doesn’t happen often, I’ll admit - I’m at a bit of a loss to know what to say.Either the police have uncovered the sort of organised, militant, terrorist activity that New Zealand has so far been blessedly free from, or the cops have made a monumental blunder and trampled over the basic rights of Kiwis to protest and to speak out against authority and the government of the day.Neither answer is particularly palatable. I’ve always considered that New Zealand has its fair share of nutcases, fruit loops, and raving lunatics but that like Douglas Adams’ summation of Earth in The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy, they were “mostly harmless”.
Indeed I’d thought people like Tame Iti, with his full moko and passionate belief in Maori self-determination, and the earnest, well-meaning, wet-behind-the-ears “activists” that inhabit the darker corners of Wellington’s Te Aro Valley actually added to the country’s social fabric rather than detracted from it. Even if they did occasionally annoy me by chaining themselves to buildings to prevent the construction of the capital’s much-needed inner-city bypass.
But police claims that these people had semi-automatic weapons and molotov cocktails, held secret training camps in the bush and planned to assassinate key public figures is another matter altogether. It’s deeply disturbing.
I don’t think I’m alone in not really knowing what to say at the moment. The media has been every which way, starting off with blazing headlines declaring police had uncovered “terror camps” and conducted “anti-terror raids” before quickly switching to sympathetic portrayals of wronged activists upset at having their door kicked in by police at 4am."
Read more...
Russell Brown gives some historical perspective:
"Te Qaeda and the God Squad | Oct 16, 2007 11:02
The Dominion Post today covers yesterday's police raids in part by harking back 30 years, to the Full Gospel Mission -- better known as the "God Squad" -- the millenarian religious sect whose apparent stockpiling of weapons at a compound in Waipara was a huge news story in 1977. It's a story with lessons for all sides of our new controversy...
Read more...
Here's Colin Espiner's views:
"Police ‘terror’ raids - blunder or brilliance?
Colin Espiner in On The House | 1:01 pm 17 October 2007
I’ve avoided posting anything on the arrests of activists around the country on Monday because - and this doesn’t happen often, I’ll admit - I’m at a bit of a loss to know what to say.Either the police have uncovered the sort of organised, militant, terrorist activity that New Zealand has so far been blessedly free from, or the cops have made a monumental blunder and trampled over the basic rights of Kiwis to protest and to speak out against authority and the government of the day.Neither answer is particularly palatable. I’ve always considered that New Zealand has its fair share of nutcases, fruit loops, and raving lunatics but that like Douglas Adams’ summation of Earth in The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy, they were “mostly harmless”.
Indeed I’d thought people like Tame Iti, with his full moko and passionate belief in Maori self-determination, and the earnest, well-meaning, wet-behind-the-ears “activists” that inhabit the darker corners of Wellington’s Te Aro Valley actually added to the country’s social fabric rather than detracted from it. Even if they did occasionally annoy me by chaining themselves to buildings to prevent the construction of the capital’s much-needed inner-city bypass.
But police claims that these people had semi-automatic weapons and molotov cocktails, held secret training camps in the bush and planned to assassinate key public figures is another matter altogether. It’s deeply disturbing.
I don’t think I’m alone in not really knowing what to say at the moment. The media has been every which way, starting off with blazing headlines declaring police had uncovered “terror camps” and conducted “anti-terror raids” before quickly switching to sympathetic portrayals of wronged activists upset at having their door kicked in by police at 4am."
Read more...
Russell Brown gives some historical perspective:
"Te Qaeda and the God Squad | Oct 16, 2007 11:02
The Dominion Post today covers yesterday's police raids in part by harking back 30 years, to the Full Gospel Mission -- better known as the "God Squad" -- the millenarian religious sect whose apparent stockpiling of weapons at a compound in Waipara was a huge news story in 1977. It's a story with lessons for all sides of our new controversy...
Read more...
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad interviewed on American programme 60 minutes
From Crooks and Liars a report on the interview as well as copy of the video:
"60 Minutes’ Scott Pelley sat down with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for what can only be termed a surreal interview. Pelley was combative for most of the interview, White House talking points quite literally in hand. Ahmadinejad’s responses were frustratingly equivocal. It sparked a great debate in my home as to why…if Ahmadinejad does want to reach some sort of detente with the rising escalation of war rhetoric, his dancing around direct questions did not truly help him. But then again, Ahmadinejad’s smile also belied an annoyance with Pelley’s attitude, as his final comment indicated:
“This is not Guantanamo Bay. This is not a Baghdad prison. Please, this is not a secret prison in Europe. This is not Abu Ghraib,” Ahmadinejad said. “This is Iran. I’m the president of this country!”
Read more and watch the video
And here is an opinion piece from Salon.com: "Turning Ahmadinejad into public enemy No. 1" by Juan Cole:
"There is, in fact, remarkably little substance to the debates now raging in the United States about Ahmadinejad. His quirky personality, penchant for outrageous one-liners, and combative populism are hardly serious concerns for foreign policy. Taking potshots at a bantam cock of a populist like Ahmadinejad is actually a way of expressing another, deeper anxiety: fear of Iran's rising position as a regional power and its challenge to the American and Israeli status quo. The real reason his visit is controversial is that the American right has decided the United States needs to go to war against Iran. Ahmadinejad is therefore being configured as an enemy head of state."
Read more...
"60 Minutes’ Scott Pelley sat down with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for what can only be termed a surreal interview. Pelley was combative for most of the interview, White House talking points quite literally in hand. Ahmadinejad’s responses were frustratingly equivocal. It sparked a great debate in my home as to why…if Ahmadinejad does want to reach some sort of detente with the rising escalation of war rhetoric, his dancing around direct questions did not truly help him. But then again, Ahmadinejad’s smile also belied an annoyance with Pelley’s attitude, as his final comment indicated:
“This is not Guantanamo Bay. This is not a Baghdad prison. Please, this is not a secret prison in Europe. This is not Abu Ghraib,” Ahmadinejad said. “This is Iran. I’m the president of this country!”
Read more and watch the video
And here is an opinion piece from Salon.com: "Turning Ahmadinejad into public enemy No. 1" by Juan Cole:
"There is, in fact, remarkably little substance to the debates now raging in the United States about Ahmadinejad. His quirky personality, penchant for outrageous one-liners, and combative populism are hardly serious concerns for foreign policy. Taking potshots at a bantam cock of a populist like Ahmadinejad is actually a way of expressing another, deeper anxiety: fear of Iran's rising position as a regional power and its challenge to the American and Israeli status quo. The real reason his visit is controversial is that the American right has decided the United States needs to go to war against Iran. Ahmadinejad is therefore being configured as an enemy head of state."
Read more...
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Murdoch and Dow Jones
From The Guardian:
Murdoch seeks $100m Dow Jones cuts
Chris Tryhorn and agencies
Tuesday September 18, 2007
"Rupert Murdoch is looking to make $100m (£50m) in savings at the Wall Street Journal's parent company, Dow Jones.
The chairman and chief executive of News Corporation told an investor conference today he intended to expand Dow Jones's revenue following the $5.6bn (£2.8bn) acquisition of the company, which was agreed in early August.
"We've already identified the low hanging fruit will be $100m in savings," Mr Murdoch told the conference in New York, in comments reported by Reuters. "But we're about expanding revenue." Mr Murdoch added that News Corp saw "nothing in sight" in terms of buying further assets."
Read more...
Murdoch seeks $100m Dow Jones cuts
Chris Tryhorn and agencies
Tuesday September 18, 2007
"Rupert Murdoch is looking to make $100m (£50m) in savings at the Wall Street Journal's parent company, Dow Jones.
The chairman and chief executive of News Corporation told an investor conference today he intended to expand Dow Jones's revenue following the $5.6bn (£2.8bn) acquisition of the company, which was agreed in early August.
"We've already identified the low hanging fruit will be $100m in savings," Mr Murdoch told the conference in New York, in comments reported by Reuters. "But we're about expanding revenue." Mr Murdoch added that News Corp saw "nothing in sight" in terms of buying further assets."
Read more...
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
The New York Times and the Internet
The New York Times is announcing that it is making available for free previously subscription only material. Since the New York Times has always led the trend in newspaper presence on the internet, it's an interesting development led, predictably, by advertising revenues.
"The New York Times will stop charging for access to parts of its Web site, effective at midnight Tuesday night... In addition to opening the entire site to all readers, The Times will also make available its archives from 1987 to the present without charge, as well as those from 1851 to 1922, which are in the public domain. There will be charges for some material from the period 1923 to 1986, and some will be free...What changed, The Times said, was that many more readers started coming to the site from search engines and links on other sites instead of coming directly to NYTimes.com. These indirect readers, unable to get access to articles behind the pay wall and less likely to pay subscription fees than the more loyal direct users, were seen as opportunities for more page views and increased advertising revenue."
Read more...
"The New York Times will stop charging for access to parts of its Web site, effective at midnight Tuesday night... In addition to opening the entire site to all readers, The Times will also make available its archives from 1987 to the present without charge, as well as those from 1851 to 1922, which are in the public domain. There will be charges for some material from the period 1923 to 1986, and some will be free...What changed, The Times said, was that many more readers started coming to the site from search engines and links on other sites instead of coming directly to NYTimes.com. These indirect readers, unable to get access to articles behind the pay wall and less likely to pay subscription fees than the more loyal direct users, were seen as opportunities for more page views and increased advertising revenue."
Read more...
Press Release as News
Today in lecture I discussed the issue of press release used as news sources and especially as the only news source to cover a particular story.
Two examples in today's scoop.co.nz website:
1.Bishop Tamaki on Destiny's De-Registering (Press Release: Destiny New Zealand)
2. Fisheries: Hoki Certification Slammed By Environmental Groups (Press Release: Royal Forest And Bird Protection Society)
The point here is that despite the fact that the website clearly identifies the origins of the news (clearly organisations which have direct stakes in the matters) it gives the appearance of news.
Two examples in today's scoop.co.nz website:
1.Bishop Tamaki on Destiny's De-Registering (Press Release: Destiny New Zealand)
2. Fisheries: Hoki Certification Slammed By Environmental Groups (Press Release: Royal Forest And Bird Protection Society)
The point here is that despite the fact that the website clearly identifies the origins of the news (clearly organisations which have direct stakes in the matters) it gives the appearance of news.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Carol Archie interview: Journalism and coverage of "Maori issues"
A National radio interview with Carol Archie, author of 'Pou Korero: Journalists' Guide to Maori and Current Affairs,' that would be excellent preparation for Sue Abel's lecture next week.
See also this discussion of the book launch
See also this discussion of the book launch
Monday, August 13, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
