Dear Radio Live – what you need to do about Willie & JT before your radio station becomes a pariah

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willie_jt

Dear Radio Live

How’s it going? You’ve had better weeks hu? As a former talkback host on your station, could I please suggest to you some ideas on what to do with Willie and JT because you seem to have utterly miscalculated the offense they’ve both caused.

Social media & Blogs now have the power to make life exceptionally difficult for mainstream media if it steps beyond what is acceptable. You have underestimated the rage and power of social media, you best realize this is something new and you need to appreciate nothing stays the same after this.

You need to understand that Willie & JT need to step down. Now.

You need to apologize meaningfully. Now. And if you are not sure how to apologize meaningfully, I suggest you contact some of the brilliant and powerful women’s voices that have been raised in this moment to become educated in why you should apologize.

You need to make a meaningful donation to Rape Crisis. Now.

I’m not going as far as an outright ban on the two of them, that would be unforgiving, but Willie & JT need to reflect on their comments and the offense which it caused and remain off air for the remainder of this year. Allow them to return in the new year with a starting show inviting on board some of the women who were offended and allow them to apologize to the audience, and allow them to become enlightened on the issue.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

If they aren’t willing to do that and want to cling to dinosaur victim blaming myths, then they deserve to become extinct.

You need to do this Radio Live, or lose credibility and revenue. Two things no news organization can afford.

19 COMMENTS

  1. Well said Martyn. This is a great opportunity for a mainstream media outlet to show some leadership. Will they do it? I aint holding my breath.

    • What a complete and utter crock this whole rubbish is. I listened to the interview and before this woman got on the guys were saying they in know way condoned under aged non consensual sex. What they asked was why on earth would these girls go with these guys who already had a reputation for getting girls some very young drunk and the reply was some thought it was a good way to get rid of there virginity. In know way did these to reprobates endorse or encourage rape but tried to see what was happening out there. I for one will never shop or go near such draconian stupid advertisers that will take the offering of a 5 minute NZ er as the truth. The whole point of talk back is to hear what NZers think like or loathe it. Shame on talk back radio for stopping the show what a gutless show it has proved. JT has apologised for any misenterpretation that may have been given. Role on McArtheism you anti democratic fools

  2. If I thought these two muppets had exceeded their use by date before, they most certainly have now.

    These two need to not only apologise & make a meaningful donation to rape crisis, but also go get some sex education on what consent actually means & how it doesn’t matter whether the girl is a virgin, a slapper, a prostitute, wearing nothing, a short skirt/commando or a sack if she doesn’t say no it does not mean she is saying yes.

    Girls have the right to wear what they like, walk wherever they like at whatever time of day or night they like, without being abused. It really sucks that we probably shouldn’t walk, run or bike wherever we like at any time of day or night, but if we do it is not our fault if some rapist decides to rape us. Rapists cause rape.

    I’m no fan of Judith Collins, but she wrote an epic piece for the Herald today saying pretty much the same thing:

    Judith Collins: Girls dress to fit in, not for Willie and JT
    By Judith Collins
    8:44 AM Sunday Nov 10, 2013

    I’ve never been a big fan of short skirts. With our robust Kiwi figures, they’re best left to super models. So, I’ve been interested to hear a couple of middle-aged males commenting on what these fashion choices mean. What’s the scantily-dressed girl trying to say, they ask.

    Well, for a start, John and Willie, they’re not dressing for you. They’re not even dressing for teen boys. Girls dress for other girls. They dress to fit in. They dress to be part of a group. They want to be respected and they want to be liked. They want to be beautiful. They dress to impress. They copy their celebrity idols. These might well be fashion crimes, but short skirts and cleavage don’t signal a willingness to be victimised.

    New Zealand is internationally rated as one of the best countries to be a woman. This year, we celebrated 120 years of women winning the right to vote.

    With that goes the right to not be abused.

    – Herald on Sunday

    By Judith Collins

  3. Kia ora, Martyn. Well put. It’s not often I find myself nodding whilst reading an article of yours, but your suggestions here find just the right balance.

  4. Reading the transcript of what was said, i smelled a rat, like he was protecting someone.

    turns out the herald just reported tamihere knows parker’s stepfather.

    of course tamihere had no idea at the time parker is his mate’s stepson. I need Tui.

  5. I wasn’t that surprised when I heard about the comments they made on their show – I don’t listen myself. It has been clear for sometime now that they have a nasty attitude towards women and that the comments they made went well beyond showing loyalty to a friend (Rickards).

    Radio Live should ditch these two who keep whipping up the rapist community that they seem to attract to a frenzied pitch. See http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11154480

    Quotes from the above:

    1)To complicate matters, broadcaster John Tamihere and Parker’s stepfather have known each other for years.”

    2)Tamihere’s stepson, Katene Durie-Doherty, is Facebook friends with several of the Roast Busters.

    This week Durie-Doherty tweeted: “People need to chill on the whole roast buster tantrum people are just constently repeating the same opinions over and over again #laugh.”

    I think the associations speak for themselves. JT and WJ have made much of the parents of the victims, but these boys had to model their behaviour from someone so what about THEIR parents? THEIR associations with JT/WJ/or even Rickards?

    And finally just how much influence should we allow JT and WJ to continue to have? By continuing the show Radio Live are effectively promoting rape culture in our country and putting women at risk by promoting a view point which is harmful to the public good.

  6. I think it’s probably about time you got off your hysterical soap box to be honest. This reactionary knee-jerk vigilantism needs to stop until the actual facts are established.

  7. I’m just going to nitpick again. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again if you don’t want NZ to come across as some sort of unofficial US state, might I suggest a good start would be to use NEW ZEALAND ENGLISH. “realize”, “apologize” (3 times), “organization”… for shame. It comes across as extremely lazy given that it takes ZERO extra effort to get it RIGHT.

    • I’m just glad the Labour “primary” is over so I don’t have to read about “Beltway” politicians in every second post here.

  8. I fully agree with the sentiments of Martyn and the comments posted.

    But I take issue with Crusher collins trying to spin her image.

    Collins has just rejected any measures which make our justice system and courts a less traumatic and fairer place for the victims of sexual abuse.

    She’s rejected any measure to look at or change the way we investigate and prosecute sexual crimes.

    She’s hard ass national, a bully and an abuser of power herself, much like Paula Bennet .

    I doubt the sincerity in anything she says …..

  9. Glad these 2 gave the nation a Maori target for their roastbuster rage.
    Roastbusters, the NZ Police & associated Govt ministers thank them..

    Following the finger pointing at them as bad guys gives us a break from the perpetrators, & the police dropping the ball I guess.
    A little distraction. A little diversion. But a huge f**king deal apparently.A sideshow.
    Were they out of line.
    Yes.
    Those girls. Those underage girls, have every right to wear what they want. Go where they want. Drink what they want with whom they want. Say & do what they want.. without being abused.
    Play with fire if they want. Hand feed crocodiles if they want. Kick tigers if they want. Does’nt mean they asking for trouble.

  10. As repulsive as I find some of the views of these two children. Not to mention the ongoing homophobia, which in effect feels like a personal attack, we cannot afford to shutdown their voice. I know it can cut deep but in the bigger picture – freedom of speech – is so important to a equable society I feel the retort back to them by society at large was load and clear…. they are wrong!

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