Why Story had to get axed, why Duncan Garner isn’t much of a saviour and why the new TV3 comedy news show will probably fail
Story had to get axed. It’s been a ratings failure, remember this was supposed to be the brand new current affairs show to replace Campbell Live and it would be hard hitting?
It’s been crap.
Story was always weak, never lived up to Campbell Live and the current affairs viewing audience would prefer to shoot themselves than listen to these two clowns wank on about shit that doesn’t matter.
I’ve got Bravo to watch for inane small talk, why would I voluntarily watch it at 7pm?
The true travesty here is that Seven Sharp is even worse, and yet Story failed. When your competition is an arrogant rich arsehole who merely mouths neoliberal mythology, how can you lose? Well, Story lost.
Story were so devoid of actual ideas, they ended up copying what we were doing on Friday nights with Waatea 5th Estate. The incredible ratings success of Waatea 5th Estate showed to news producers that you could host panel discussions that were insightful, funny and intelligent (we are waiting on NZ on Air funding in December to look at relaunching the show next year) yet they still produce crap.
We did more public service broadcasting on Waatea 5th Estate in 7 months than Story + Seven Sharp have managed all year.
With Paul Henry sick of not being loved and about to leave Breakfast, Duncan Garner is being lined up as his replacement.
That will be a kiss of death.
Paul Henry, despite his right wing madness, is a talented broadcaster, Duncan is about as appetising as a 3 week old mince pie. He doesn’t have the intelligence or skill of Henry. Duncan taking over Breakfast will be the death of their ratings gains in the morning and will be an immense relief to TVNZs Breakfast who are a train wreck of a show.
The 7pm replacement that is being mooted just won’t work.
The Project in Australia, which is where TV3/Newshub are aiming for can’t be reproduced in NZ. In NZ we think 7 days is cutting political satire. Dick jokes, poor jokes and fart jokes aren’t satire, but in NZ they are because NZ satire doesn’t actually exist.
To be real satire, the comedy has to be intelligent and firmly on the side of the weak. NZ doesn’t do that because it would terrify the establishment too much. The Project is like the Daily Show or Last Week Tonight, and nothing NZ has produced in the last 20 years would even be close to those shows.
The Project is the perfect choice as a new 7pm Show, but to be as edgy and dangerous as it would need to be to gain any real attention is just too far outside the comfort zone of TV3 and I doubt they could find any comedian/host who would even know what neoliberalism is.
Look at the train wreck Story’s Friday night panel shows were compared them to what Waatea 5th Estate did on Fridays. Theirs was poorly thought out and just plain stupid, ours was hilarious and had people like Rachel Stewart, David Cunliffe, Dita De Boni, Efeso Collins, Chloe Swarbrick and Oscar Kightly on it.
You know, interesting and intelligent people who can critique the news media in a way that provides actual insight.
How can you critique the hegemonic power structures of society when your host don’t know what the fuck hegemonic means? It will probably become fart and dick jokes, with the tall bugger from Jono and Beno hosting and some of their female comedians thrown in to try and make it seem diverse.
Imagine if Campbell Live had not been killed off for political reasons?
I wonder if they’ve started kicking themselves at losing John Campbell???
I for one stopped watching TV3 news soon after Campbell was sacked.
I NOW DONT WATCH ANY OF THEM AND I AM NNOW VERY SANE.
I AM WATCHING FOX US ELECTION AND RT PROGRAMS ONLY NOW AND CHECK OUR LOCAL RAG TO KEEP UP THE NZ NEWS.
Getting rid of John Campbell and previously Judy Bailey was the death nail for quality shows. Both were fantastic and are missed in the NZ TV arena. Now we have young uninspiring want to be’s and idiot shows like Jono and Ben. I agree with you Martyn. Seven Sharp will not be missed.
What about Alison Mau – she is worth watching and has some intellect and did a good job replacing Henry for that week or so.
John Campbell should be brought back and put in center stage again.
Wake up Channel One and Channel Three ! !
Mike King and Willie Jackson should be considered as well.
They have experience and intelligence and would be great TV show presenters as well as John Campbell. We have the talent but we do not have the corporate CEO Channel One and Channel Three awareness and will. They make too many mistakes and they are continuing to loose their audience.
I am thinking this tweedlrdum tweedledee bs doesnt work. Boy girl – wotever. One hardhitting go get ’em person aka Paul
Holmes. Heather DPA could have done it on her own. She’s not a sook. She is a smiling assasin and could easily slip a silent dagger between the shoulder blades if needed. But then she aint a man and that seems to be a problem still?!
For me I don’t comment much because 5th estate says it all. Not much to add from me just a well done and carry on good sir.
” Duncan is about as appetising as a 3 week old mince pie”. dead right. In fact your whole piece is spot on. Some format like Holmes or Campbell seemed to work.
Jean D’arc?
Hairy balls or hairy tits, that is what Mr Henry would indifferently comment, I reckon, FFS.
Best news in a while – that 5th estate may return!! Bloody brilliant.
…oh and once upon a time New Zealand DID have great satire on our screens… Before all free speech was crushed (brought out) by the Natz. Vote the MF’s out!
Christ on a bike have you ever actually *watched* The Project?
You insult the Daily Show and This Week Tonight a grave disservice with your comparison. Its comedy is insipid and its support for the poor consists of Waleed Aly endlessly proselytising.
The only way it’d be “edgy and dangerous” is if Peter Helliar actually said something funny that wasn’t obvious – half the audience would die of shock.
Even the title is boring, having been stolen from an earlier, equally unfunny show (http://www.workingdog.com/The-Panel.php)
I agree entirely about what’s needed. But The Panel ain’t it. Look instead to the ABC’s 7.30 Report (now just “7.30”). It belies the notion people need to have their news and current affairs chewed up and spat down their throats by some “comedian” like Rove McManus. Unless NZers are far stupider than their Australian counterparts? And I certainly don’t think so.