TV Review: I know this to be true aka white rich baby boomers sing the blues
We can’t really hope for any actual public broadcasting from our public broadcaster anymore, just watered down pap.
TVNZ1 (they’ve changed the name of the station as a branding exercise as the Government look to privatise TVNZ) had a show on Sunday night prime time called ‘ I know this to be true’ where mostly rich white baby boomers got to sing the blues about their life lessons. There were a couple of token Gen Xers and Maori thrown in but it was mostly rich white volk getting teary eyed about their Mums and Dads.
It was nice to see Dick Frizzell and Lucy Lawless but it had all the emotional depth of a Bank advert. Where was Helen Kelly? Where was Hone Harawira? Where was Annette Sykes? Where was Sue Bradford? Where was Chloe Swarbrick? Where was Richie Hardcore? Where was Jane Kelsey? Where was Matt Mcarten? Where was Raybon Kan? Where was Mai Chen?
Where was anyone who would explore truth beyond the saccharine white wash that is NZ mainstream media?
It’s just all so dull, white and pedestrian.
If TVNZ wants any positive reviews of this beige mess they better pay The Spinoff to be a client.
Thank you for this. When I saw the trailer I thought this looked very bland and you confirmed it. I would have loved to have seen any one of the people you mentioned. I love interesting people.
Come on, I agree, most of what they present these days is shallow, dumb crap, all entertainment, infotainment, endless lifestyle programs and the usual games shows, but on the news tonight they did in the beginning present a good report on Helen Kelly now being in a hospice in Wellington, I think.
She does indeed face her perhaps last days, it seems, and get support from friends and other close ones, who she also helped before (persons who lost loved ones in forestry accidents and those from the Pike River Mine disaster!).
So it is not all totally lost yet, although I do not put too much hope in the future for TVNZ as it is run now.
Martyn,
For once I agree with you. This wasn’t a programme, but rather an hour long advertorial for a book broadcast as a ‘show’ and it was concerning that TVNZ could be bought so easily. It was the author’s mates that were interviewed which limited the scope.
The participants were all carefully selected for their beige and anodyne views, calculated not to cause offence and to perpetuate the myth of Godzone, that pastoral utopia where nothing bad ever happens, everyone’s blissfully carefree, and we all obediently tithe every Sunday at the Church of John Key, First Disciple of Mammon.
Amen.
I admire Lucy for climbing up that mast and her dedicated Greenpeace support! Kind to crew, always!