BREAKING – John Campbell joins RNZ – should the boycott of TV3 end and what is next for TV3?

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Marvellous news that John Campbell has joined Radio NZ as their drive host, another reason to tune into RNZ…

John Campbell will present a new drive-time news show on Radio New Zealand.

He will be joining the station in September and is involved in the development of the new programme.

…with him ensconced within a nation wide medium RNZ have gained a critical voice who has actual public wide charisma and the talent to draw people onto a station that at times sounds like it’s being broadcast out of Wellington from some time warp stuck in the 1950s.

Pity Mora is still hosting the Panel, I might have been able to return to it otherwise.

The question now is should the boycott of TV3 halt seeing as John is based somewhere else.

I’m not sure of that answer.

A couple of nights ago I was attacked on Twitter by disgruntled TV3 staff claiming that the sacking of a well known Producer as part of cut backs due to the meltdown in ratings was my fault…

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…note it’s not the TV3 Management who have killed off the most critical voice of the Government on TV for political reasons, oh no. It’s my fault for stating that we should boycott TV3 for their bias.

Angus then goes onto say…

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…the sacking of one well to do News Producer is equitable to the tactic by Talley’s to starve 5000 children in their 2012 industrial fight.

Charming.

The Producer in question is of course is the brilliant John Hale, whom I have an enormous amount of respect for and whom I wish no ill harm to. I respect many of the talented journalists on TV3. Mike McRoberts, Hillary Barry, Paula Penfold, Lisa Owen and Torben Akle do incredible work, but then again they also have Brooke Sabin that awful Tova O’Brien and the homicidal chipmunk on a meth bender, Government script writer, Patrick Gower.

There are journalists who do great work on TV3, and I mean them no ill will to them or their craft, but the pro National Party agenda of TV3 management means that work is under cut by the knowledge that any journalism that hurts Key too much will get pulled.

Can anyone honestly watch The Nation any longer and believe it’s not guest edited by Steven Joyce?

So should the boycott against TV3 end?

Maybe it won’t matter. Whispers are currently circulating that the American vulture fund that has bought MediaWorks – Oaktree, are quietly manoeuvring to cut off TV3 from the company and flog it off to the highest bidder. The money making part of MediaWorks is their radio advertising (the loss of Campbell to Radio NZ will be a particularly harsh blow), their TV branch is hurting and the meltdown in ratings is hurrying along the desire to sell it off.

If TV3 management can’t reverse the ratings situation by the end of the year, it will be all over rover.

 

 

49 COMMENTS

  1. They sacked John Hale?

    They have obviously missed the point of the boycott and have learned nothing,

    All the more reason to hold to the boycott.

    I’d like to add a plea that you not review the replacement show next week.

    Stay staunch.

  2. Thank you and well done RNZ for bringing some class and intelligence back into broadcasting. John Campbell is the best there is 🙂 Can’t wait to listen to his programme 🙂

    Wonder if the political knives will come out for RNZ now?

    We two oldies in this household will still continue to boycott MediaWorks/TV3 regardless. It’s smarting already. It’s demise is coming.

    • +100 Mary_A…great news John Campbell has joined RNZ!..he is a passionate and gifted journalist both on television and radio ….and committed to investigative journalism and truth

      …and we also will continue with the boycott of sullied Media Works /TV3

      …until both this corrupt government changes and until Media Works goes down the gurgler

    • Us oldies to Mary, stay stong Martyn,

      These broadcasters were silly by hanging in there and keeping quiet when we needed them to speak up.

      I listen to morning report and evening report so JC there now will really give us a feeling as though real journos’ are coming back.

      Sorry for the other jornos’ keeping their heads down in John key’s bunker they do have a word for that.

      Principals cant be bought don’t you know?

      Key buys everyone that hasn’t got principals.

  3. no the boycott should continue – if only to get decent television. They can pay for their management in lost advertising revenue – it all reflects on the those two puppets put in their by Key, especially that low brow Julie Christie and her condescending productions. Those two alone are accountable for the demise of TV3 and jobs there, for political partisanship and obviously backing the wrong horse – their choice, their loss.

    Congratulations to John Campbell. Will definitely be listening to RNZ – if it doesn’t have its funding cuts that is.

    • The bully-boy Natz who had Campbell constructively dismissed from TV3, will be sure to be monitoring Campbell aka (n Natz terms) “that left-wing bastard” in his new venture. You can be sure that funding cuts to RNZ will occur if Campbell broaches Zero-hour contracts, flags, Saudi businessman “donations” by McCully…. and other ‘lw bastard’ journalism.

      Keep up the boycott of TV3. Weldon and Christie have to pay for being the attack dogs for Key and the cabal.

  4. I will continue to boycott TV3. However there programs are soooo piss poor that people are marching with their remotes. It’s not just the boycott, if that was called off I bet the ratings would continue to plummet.

  5. boycotts are tricky things to turn on and off which is why they should be used sparingly, but I say keep TV3 switched off, sure some individuals will get caught up in it, that can happen in any business or public sector job–you don’t stop speaking out for what is right–or unions would not exist at all, or whistleblowers, would they?

    the major point for the community is that private media interests intersect with right wing political parties to become part of the state superstructure when the Nats are in govt. these turkeys have to be taught to respect people power

    where were some of the worthy liberals of the media when Actors Equity and Robyn Malcom were getting a hammering which ultimately resulted in the Hobbit Enabling Act that union busted the film industry?

    keep the boycott on until there is a grovelling apology of the highest order, next on the agenda should be removing the sinking lid from RNZ funding

  6. The TV3 staffers have to face up to the brutal truth that the company they work for is owned by a “vulture fund”, and that the top management of TV3 and Mediaworks are the real villians in this sorry saga.

    I know it is not easy for them, but maybe if ALL of the TV3 staff had staged a REBELLION against their bosses, and engaged in some kind of industrial action in protest against the railroading of Campbell, that might have precipitated a crisis and forced the hand of the vulture fund owner to instruct TV3 management to back down on ditching Campbell?

    Although it would be sad for all those fine journalists, and like you I also respect most of them, I would LOVE it if TV3 ‘s rating sunk even further, as a message to the muppets at the top, and to other similar media right wing muppets (Hello, TVNZ!!!).

    • Campbell was constructively dismissed. The other journos and staffers at TV3 are fair game for the same treatment unless they toe the right-wing party line.

      The boycott is a way to let Weldon/Christie and their political puppet masters know that that their bullying won’t be tolerated in a democracy.

    • So the journalists inside TV3 should be smart about this. The boycott might give them a bit of power to push the boundaries a bit or to come up with a show that will bring JCs viewers back.

      Of course I’m not on the inside but instead of moaning pathetically that Bomber is responsible for people getting fired they should recognise that they’re owned by a vulture fund and push it as far as they possibly can.

      In fact the more I think about it, anyone who works for a vulture fund probably has a moral justification for trying to undermine their employers

  7. Just a thought – that the drop in ratings is less due to the “boycott” as such, and more to do with Campbell Live “purists” simply not watching TV3 any longer because JOURNALISM went out with the bath water when the TV3 bosses pulled the plug on CL.

    I for one am not making a conscious choice to boycott TV3, but not watching because my favorite show – Campbell Live is no longer being aired. I miss the hard hitting journalism Monday to Friday.

    And to add to this, am pleasantly surprised to see ex-CL reporter Anna Burns Francis is now a reporter for TV One News.

  8. The Boycotting of TV3 is not just about John Campbell being unemployed. It’s about the politically motivated decisions that led up to that fact. TV 3 beavering away firing more of their staff indicates the root issues are still there. I know I’m still going to continue boycotting the neo liberal filth merchants.

  9. I was always a TVOne news watcher but switched to TV3 when I became aware of the intelligence and community good done by Campbell Live. Now that that has gone, my reason for watching TV3 has also gone.

  10. “…There are journalists who do great work on TV3…”

    What you are saying is true and similar to saying, “There were some fine chaps in the German army in 1943.”

  11. Well, until they change their 3 News promo (I’ve never seen such political manipulation on a news promo before!) and get rid of Mr Gower as their political reporter there is no way we’ll be swapping back from One News. Though we may change to RNZ drive time. It’s a shame that good workers have to suffer for bad management but sadly they do.

  12. I shall continue to boycott TV3.
    TV3 executives need to realise their decision to axe John Campbell was wrong.
    I shall support a TV channel that make a such overt political decisions to silence investigative journalism.

  13. Why would you need to “boycott” a TV station that has wall to wall reality tv and other assorted drivel? I mean what were you guys all watching?? I think they had House of Cards once but the world’s changed a lot since then.

    • Absolutely!

      And while it may be distressing for the person losing their job how much solidarity did the newsroom and others in Mediaworks actually show with John Campbell, what industrial action did they take, and how unionised are they?

      The reality is that Campbell and this producer were shafted by Mediaworks not by the boycott.

  14. Yeeha! That is awesome news about John Campbell.
    Re tv3 news it is the same news for a week straight with ads thrown in the news ‘show’, it is crap.
    Then Kate reviews movies with a high pitched ‘American’ all frothy mouthed rant. And just LLOOVVEESSS the most stupid movies as long as she was bribed a ticket to the US of Arse to meet the meat actors, then she throws her back in horse laughs of sycophantic proportion. I have no respect for her opinion after she TRASHED the great movie Chappie.

  15. Perhaps we will have to kill TV3 pour encourager les autres.
    Talented staff will always find a receptive home: John Campbell, Mihingarangi Forbes, Carol Hirschfeld…
    Radio New Zealand is accumulating such a string of talented political journalists that they are going to need a dedicated news-oriented radio/video/on-line fusion to use them all.
    By the way, I understand Hirschfeld is heading a major shake-up of Radio New Zealand’s IT structure. Maybe this is a good space to watch.

  16. You didn’t start the boycott Martyn, we all did.

    I was boycotting TV3 from the moment it axed Campbell and will carry on boycotting it!!!!

    And I have stickabilty, I have boycotted the Herald from the day they fired Malcolm Evans for his Israel political cartoon. And since then the Herald has got incredibly worse every day!

  17. This programme has traditionally had a very different audience to that of Campbell Live and Mary Wilson enjoyed a great deal of respect. Whether Campbell can adapt to this new audience will be interesting to see.

    Time will tell.

  18. no way the boycott must continue tv3 must not be rewarded they must be run out of dodge popcorn time key media to death the herald and tvnz boycott the lot

  19. Continue the boycott, let the value of Mediaworks decline, and then start up a crowdfund with the Better Broadcasting crowd to buy it.

    A truly publicly owned and progressive station, with a wealth of talent and presenters like Mihirangi Forbes, John Campbell, Caroline Hirschfeld, Julian Wilcox….

    … what a delightful daydream….

  20. When the money stops jobs go. Unless you Martyn were going to pay the wages who would? What made you think that boycotting is not going to have consequences. No money no pay. Or were you hoping the tax payer would come to the rescue?

    • We’ve had that argument before, Dale. Holding peoples’ jobs to ransom is not a reason not to do anything. Using that argument, there would never have been a UN mandated boycott of Sth African goods and services during their apartheid era.

      • And what good did that do? Look at South Africa now. What great benefits have accrued for the blacks? In what way are they better off financially? Be careful you don’t let your beliefs blind you to the reality.

  21. So a few heads rolled at TV3? Sounds like it wasn’t the correct ones, though. TV3 top management axe a popular programme due to the demands from the beehive to “get rid of that bastard!” TV3 ratings take a hit so who do they take out their spite on? A programme producer and production staff!!!! It is like blaming the newspaper boy for delivering you a paper that has a story you don’t like. What a bunch of w……s!

  22. Mary leaving Checkpoint! That sucks. We all know it was a disaster having Mora tag-teaming, but that wasn’t her fault. The panel-show is hardly more than boors and partisans these days, so it’s right for Jim.

    Now JC on Checkpoint – if he can out-Mary Mary, I’d be for it.

    And what the hell do we owe tv3? Let ’em burn! (If only that could apply to management, not the good reporters.)

    Floggin’ it off – shall we start a crowdfund to buy it? Imagine that!

  23. Whether or not to continue the boycott is practically irrelevant in our household… We don’t watch it ‘cos there’s not much on that appeals. Except for ‘The Nation’ and the remarkable Lisa Owen, there simply isn’t much that appeals to me.

    After the umpteenth Reality TV show, watching paint dry assumes new heights of entertainment never thought possible.

    It’s like the shopping channels; TV3 is there, but holds no relevance in my life.

    Quite an achievement for any media management in just six short months.

  24. Wonder if there will ever be a campaign for a woman.

    Sorry for interrupting boys, please go back to talking about men……

    Even male criminals (including the killers of women) get more sympathy and demands for support than women – quite right, tell those bitches to go back to the kitchen where they belong.

    When women get killed they probably deserved it, those women upsetting those poor men, how dare they, don’t they know who matters most.

    How’s the male privledge working bomber, of course you don’t understand you are so used to it you don’t even notice.

    How about a one week focus on women, just one week, ok that’s asking a bit much how about one day, that still leaves most of the time to focus on men and their hard lives.

    Try it one day focusing on women and the real problems they face daily every day, the fact is, like you, we are so used to it we don’t even notice any more.

    As I read recently written by a woman ‘…..I have spent my life adapting my behaviour so men don’t kill me….’

    and

    ‘ …..men are frightened women will laugh at them, women are frightened men will kill them…..’

    Now let’s all go back to crying about that poor Mr Campbell, do you seriously thnk he matters. In the scheme of talented international journalists he wouldn’t make the top 1,000, he is a pretty little thing though.

    • The daily blog has more female bloggers on its blog roll than any other major NZ blog, we would love more. Are you offering?

  25. It’s great news that John Campbell will soon be on Radio New Zealand, utilising his considerable investigative and analytical broadcasting skills. A bonus will be hearing him without the interruption of advertisements.

    TV3’s Management team evidently resented Campbell’s capability and commitment to revealing the truth about a range of political and social issues. He always provided a high standard of journalism. On Radio New Zealand, he will again be able to display his ability.

    It’s ironic that TV3 masquerades as a private channel but, as arranged by the National Government, received a taxpayer bailout. Presumably, the Government directed TV3 to exit Campbell, as National resented him for revealing the social and economic difficulties that they have caused many New Zealanders.

  26. Keep the Boycott going.TV3 deserve no sympathy. They abandoned any journalistic integrity long ago and are now reaping a bitter harvest. Did TV3 staffers seriously not expect repercussions for peddling lies and propaganda. John Campbell was was the flashpoint.The call for a boycott would have gone nowhere if there wasn’t a groundswell of anger amongst their viewers . What finally finished me was the half-baked expose of the Battle of Baghak. Exploiting the deaths of 2 soldiers and a grieving family member for Ratings with no evidence to support their claims. Unforgivable.

  27. I have mixed feeling, as seeing Mary Wilson moved on from Checkpoint is NOT good news in my view. Jim Mora deserves replacing, not Mary, if the above is true.

  28. Why do you need to boycott a TV Channel like TV3 ? There is nothing worth watching on the f***ing channel anyway!

  29. What a great thread of comments !! I did not watch anything on TV3 before, except Campbell live …. my disinterest in their programmes has now become a boycott on the basis of their behaviour as employers. I still don’t buy South African goods, and I buy plain wrapped stuff where I can. This is about shaping the world we live in, not one man or one policy, for me. EVEN IF Campbell went back – no need to discuss the unlikelihood of that – my boycott of the station and media works would continue for the same reasons.

  30. John Campbell joins Radio New Zealand. My job is to hold to those core values, to continue that commitment to the highest quality journalism, but also to expand our reach beyond the confines of radio and into a world I could only have dreamed of when I began as a journalist.

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