Tag Archive for 'agenda'

TVNZ cancels Agenda

Published
by
Tane
on November 25, 2008
in broadcasting and media
. 27 Comments

No Right Turn reports that TVNZ has cancelled Agenda, New Zealand’s only in-depth political interview and analysis show:

According to Dennis Welch on Radio NZ this morning, TVNZ has cancelled Agenda, New Zealand’s top current affairs show. No word on what, if anything, they plan to replace it with, but it would be interesting to know their reason. Agenda is a successful show, which has been attracting record viewers in the leadup to the election. It is widely regarded as a vital part of our current affairs landscape, and its longer interview format provides a better way of holding our politicians to account than the traditional five-minute slot on Campbell Live. But I guess intelligent political discussion just doesn’t sell advertising; easier just to use recycled reality TV instead.

I have to second that - it’s an unforgivable move on TVNZ’s part and reflects just how far they’ve strayed from their public broadcasting obligations under the Charter. Ironically, the word around the traps is that the privately-owned TV3 is very interested in picking up Agenda if public funding becomes available. Let’s hope they do.

I despair

Published
by
Steve Pierson
on July 27, 2008
in john key and media
. 65 Comments

Our national political debate is in a sad sad state. Agenda is meant to be our premier political interview and analysis TV show. Today, they had John Key on for the main interview. In twenty-odd minutes he was not asked a single question about the policies his party has released over the last three weeks. No question ‘why should Kiwis vote for less secure employment’ no ‘why should our ACC levies become a source of profits for foreign insurance companies’ not even ‘why are your policies only bullet points and why are you releasing them only as press releases, why no press conferences?’

Instead it was all the same old same speculation about Peters - Key slipping around trying to avoid (as he must) ruling Peters out of a ministerial spot on a Key-led Government while trying to say Clark should be threatening Peters with the sack from her government.

There were some reasonable questions about foreign policy and Key was shown as the lightweight we know he is. His answers literally sounded like his knowledge of foreign policy is limited to a cursory reading of the Herald World section. He couldn’t pronounce leaders’ names, he didn’t know the terms for various types of diplomatic actionsthat are being considered around Iran, he didn’t seem to have a firm grasp on the issues, or the countries and organisations involved in Iran, the Pacific, and the US/NZ relationship. His answers were a grab-bag of foreign policy-sounding terms thrown together in illogical ways. Why couldn’t we have some questions about his domestic policies though?

Getting all orgasmic over Condi Rice referring to us as allies, rather than friends is equally pathetic. I’ve worked in foreign affairs and I know that, yes, the word was chosen on purpose. I also know that the American embassy will be finding it hilarious how excited our media is about a minor change in wording by an outgoing Secretary of State. Rice calling us an ally does not mean we’re about to get an FTA, and we look like excitable children when we speculate that it might.

This is why more and more people are turning to blogs like The Standard for their political news - all they want is some debate and analysis on substantive issues that matter to people’s actual lives.

Kremlinology: National on work rights

Published
by
Steve Pierson
on May 20, 2008
in bill english, kremlinology, national and workers' rights
. 24 Comments

National’s refusal to say what it stands for is becoming so ridiculous we have resorted to the Cold War art of Kremlinology. Today, we look at work rights.

On Agenda, Bill English said he is concerned about new ‘entitlements’ for workers. ‘Entitlements’ is an anti-worker way of saying work rights - it implies that they are some gift from a benevolent boss, who should also be allowed to take them away; not a right workers have won through struggle and the political process.

What are some of the work rights that have been introduced under Labour?

  • Four weeks annual leave
  • Minimum wage up 70% in eight years
  • Paid parental leave
  • Restoration of holiday pay
  • The right to flexible work hours
  • Promotion of collective bargaining
  • End of youth pay rates
  • Kiwisaver
  • Right to meal breaks
  • The right to breastfeed at work
  • The right to union access to workplace
  • Good faith bargaining
  • The right to have unions recognised as legal entities

So, which of these new work rights does English want to remove?