Is it weird Radio NZ ban me for life because I criticised the Prime Minister yet still have Matthew Hooton, David Farrar and Jordan Williams, 3 of the main protagonists revealed in Dirty Politics as part of their ongoing political punditry?
This isn’t an attempt to get back on RNZ, that boat has long ago sailed. I remember saying at the time that the impression I was given was that a Labour-Green Government would be in power before i was ever let back on again, but surely we can demand a better standard from our Public Broadcaster?
More from Helen Kelly, Bryce Edwards, Morgan Godfery, Julie Fairey, Selwyn Manning or Russel Brown would make for far better informed political commentary than what Radio NZ are currently dredging up.
Never mind all that – what about the way they are jazzing up Saturday Night Requests on National Radio so that it pleases the baby boomer generation who have more than enough “solid gold” radio stations to live in the past with, while the truly old people (70-100 year olds) suddenly don’t have a hour or two dedicated to their tastes. Meanwhile children have two slots between 6am and 7am on Saturdays and Sundays.
I’m being slightly tongue in check but the fact is that National Radio has a responsiblity to the very old and the very young as well as everyone else.
I agree with you 100% and then some! As a 54 year old who was brought up in a house that broadcast nothing but The National Programme…..I, too, would love to still hear some of the music that my parent’s generation listen to…it brings me warm memories, fuzzy feelings and almost (I say almost) a sense of content as it takes me back to the days of my mum baking in the kitchen, the smell of the ironing being done….just general good feel emotions. I hate being blasted with the music of my era when I turn National on…as you point out, plenty of other stations play that. Now my mum and dad are gone I feel cheated somewhat that I am now further restricted in bringing back those warm fuzzies I used to feel. 🙁
Couldnt Agree More and often text the shows at the time (a.m report, 9-noon, panel -its been the soundtrack of my working life for so long and ffs its just rotten as
Yes, I also emailed Radio NZ last week complaining about the continuing presence of Matthew Hooton and David Farrah as ‘right-wing commentators’ but had no response. That these two devious and manipulative people are acceptable to the station for political ‘balance’ seems wrong, even allowing for free speech.
I still can’t understand how they let Hooton back on after calling David Cunliffe a liar – several times (based on nothing). Could it have something to do with Richard Griffiths being the chairman? National (Party) Radio is becoming almost unlistenable to several longtime listeners – including all the people in our house – are they just readying it for sale? Hopefully the new govenment will have a sweep out – quickly -we need a public radio not more of the same.
Not to mention that he was also one of those who provided Slater with an indication of where Nicky Hager lived when Cactus Kate wanted chop chop Nicky done. Not very ethical if you ask me.
Martyn, I had no idea RNZ had banned you. That’s just another disturbing fact that makes me wonder whether the pronounced lean to the right that has gone on in radio and TVNZ (the way TV panels are stacked, the predominance of right-wingers such as Plunkett on radio, National stooge Hosking as the ‘referee’ for the leaders’ debates, Hosking’s blatant right-wing PR work on Seven(not-so)Sharp etc), is just a coincidence or the result of behind-the-scenes machinations by the Govt. Dirty politics? I don’t think we even know the half of it.
RNZ HAS GONE TOXIC AND ROUGUE, HELLO OPPOSITION GET IT SORTED FOR THE ELECTORATE SO IMPARTIAL COVERAGE PROMISED BY GIFFITHS TO CUNLIFFE AND OTHER OPPOSITION PARTIES IS GIVEN A FAIR AIRING WITHOUT THI TOXIC ELECTION COVERAGE PLEASE…..
Funny how Radio NZ didn’t feel that way about people like Michelle Boag insulting the PM when Helen Clark was the PM; oh of course that was different! Helen Clark wasn’t a legendary media grovel grovel smarm smarm figure. Radio NZ is as politically neutral as Radio Fiji. I wonder if it is just a co-incidence that Fiji is having its sham elections only three days before our elections?!
Sad that RNZ has gone the way of TVNZ, just took longer to get to the gutter. We need a raising of journalistic standards, across all media, especially our independent, non commercial National broadcaster. Do we know what standards are or have we been dumbed down and then treated like idiots. Dame Anne Salmond, has spoken out about the serious implications of the path our democracy on. You don’t know what you’ve got till its gone.
It’s not all over yet but if National wins this election then it’s all over rover, they will sign the TPPA and completely “Taken Peoples Power Away”.
Once signed many new laws cannot go through our parliament until it’s ok’d by the US.
There’s an important distinction between being uninvited as a regular guest on one programme and being banned from an entire radio station. Can you clarify that in no instances, regardless of how newsworthy your material is, that you will never be interviewed on National radio?
I’m also tired of the right wing leaning panel and we should all be rejecting ‘journalists’ who lack any critical insight or ability to do their own research (instead taking what they’re fed by bloggers). But if we’re banning people can we also get rid of the idiots who spout extreme opinions on issues they are completely uninformed about?
@Sarah: I too would like to know if Martyn received an actual life ban from RNZ. I remember the broadcast and IMO the fault lay with the presenter Jim Mora. Martyn got a bit carried away, obviously reading from his own script with a long rant (in true TDB style!). Mora should have interrupted him and restored a calmer atmosphere but he didn’t know how to handle it, so he just let Martyn go on and on. Mora failed to do his job.
I also heard the programme that triggered Martyn’s banning from RNZ. And as I understood the situation, it was a total ban, from all programmes.
After having read “Dirty Politics”, I’m of the view that nothing Martyn said was in any way exceptionable. Although I thought that at the time, to be honest. But compared to the crap quoted in that book, his ” rant” was sophisticated political analysis!
No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots. -Barbara Ehrenreich, journalist and author (b. 1941)
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