Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The scandal that keeps on giving

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  • Sacha, in reply to Tamsin6,

    Laying odds that the white substance is whitewash

    Excellent

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to webweaver,

    In the meantime I am being bored stupid by James

    I have to keep telling you I am not a lawyer cos otherwise you might think I am one by my waffly non-answers 'with regard to' this and 'in terms of' that

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to 3410,

    Currently, the prime minister says that it's "not in the National interest" to talk about the police-central-server-illicit-data-capture scandal, but the Israeli ambassador has just been summoned to appear on Nine To Noon.

    And I thought Key had a "no surprises" agreement with all his coalition partners...
    ...and in case folk are wondering what the jump from News Corp to Israeli intelligence is - see today's Press (also and irrelevantly, formerly a Rupert Murdoch paper) I'm loving the Israeli ambassador's outraged rebuttal - I bet that butter is still solid in his mouth.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Israeli intelligence

    Yes, well. Quite surreal to go from watching Murdoch's wife volleyball spike the pie-thrower live on telly to reading that this morning. And we know it's true because of the wording of Key's refusal to talk about it.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Lucy Stewart, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    After all, I’d respectfully suggest there are a lot of current (and ex-) MPs in all parties will will neither forgive, nor forget, The Daily Telegraph for kicking off the expenses scandal that ended careers, and put four people in prison

    But, as Murdoch so kindly explained, that's just because MPs aren't being paid a million pounds each like in Singapore, where there is no corruption and the media/state relationship is entirely unproblematic. If they had been getting a million pounds a year, surely none of this would be a problem!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • merc,

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Helen Breeze, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    I'm archiving resources for teaching purposes too - wanna share?

    Wellington • Since Jul 2011 • 1 posts Report

  • 3410,

    :

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Sacha,

    volleyball spike

    Exactly what I though when I saw that!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Apparently she used to play

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Sacha,

    Yes, well. Quite surreal to go from watching Murdoch’s wife volleyball spike the pie-thrower live on telly to reading that this morning. And we know it’s true because of the wording of Key’s refusal to talk about it

    And so aptly timed to spray all over newspaper front pages, and so relegate Brownlee's bodgied appointment process to page 8 (in the DomPost, anyway)

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to nzlemming,

    And so aptly timed to spray all over newspaper front pages, and so relegate Brownlee’s bodgied appointment process to page 8 (in the DomPost, anyway)

    Sorry, I’m confused – who are we blaming for what at the moment? Rupert Murdoch, Mossad and their Zionist stooge John Key or the vast multi-national right-wing media conspiracy in general? Perhaps Keith Ng can do his nerd Jedi thang and run up a chart…

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to nzlemming,

    page 8 (in the DomPost, anyway)

    What makes you think they weren't going to bury it there anyway?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Martin Lindberg, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    Sorry, I’m confused – who are we blaming for what at the moment?

    I blame Mick Hucknall. Or Rebekah Brooks. Or are they the same person?

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report

  • merc,

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Sacha,

    What makes you think they weren't going to bury it there anyway?

    True, but I do wonder about the timing of this SIS "leak" - I mean, when have you ever heard of the SIS leaking anything? They don't talk to each other about what they're doing, let alone the meeja. (and, yes, I do have personal, professional experience of what I'm talking about, thanks, before anyone asks).

    As for the ComPost, sure, they were likely to bury it somewhere but they weren't going to be able to stop people talking about it - unless they had something bigger to talk about. Classic diversion tactic - no, don't look at the hand with the rabbit, look over here!

    And, Craig, if you can't keep the Cabal straight in your head, that's not my issue, but for the record, I was casting aspersion on whoever is in charge of the SIS this week (English, as acting PM, I think) for releasing this information to cover Brownlee's (and Ryall and the Cabinet) appointment process rogering, with a side dish of opprobrium for the lap dog Dominion Post editor for taking that ball and running with it. It's really not the way grown-up countries deal with suspected espionage and potential international incidents.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to Helen Breeze,

    Sure. I have bunch of clippings from Australian newspapers July 8-12. Happy to share the Powerpoint thing I put together too.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to nzlemming,

    The woodwork teacher panels a room...

    ...to cover Brownlee's (and Ryall and the Cabinet) appointment process rogering...

    I posted this on the Press's comments today:

    "I've found to date, speaking personally, it's taken me hours rather than days to do what's been put in front of us so far."
    The article does not define what constitutes a day - is it in 8 hour blocks, or if they do some work on a day is that therefore a day's pay, I'd also like to know if there are any other "expenses" added to this per diem rate, ie: meals, travel, accommodation - are they all based in Christchurch? and all instantly available to sign off on things so Roger Sutton can get his demanding job done efficiently. Brownlee's blithe disclaimer that "Exceptional times require exceptional measures – this is the largest natural disaster New Zealand has ever faced." is an affront, his cavalier approach possibly constitutes the second largest National disaster. Exceptional measures in this case seem to be more in the order of - "give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile."

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Andre Alessi,

    I'm skeptical of the suggestions that these events, as interesting as they are, herald some sort of change in the culture of reporting in the UK. If the death of a well-loved public figure couldn't stem the tide of harrassment and privacy invasion, I don't see how a "little" corruption and collusion would.

    As for that column by Heather Brooke insisting that it's mostly the fault of the supposedly repressive and restrictive privacy and libel laws in the UK-yeah, no. That might be the case if we were talking about small-time publishers, but NotW? No chance. There are some valid concerns about access to information in the UK, but I'd suggest that the assumption that the US' model of "any information you want on anyone at all (as long as it's not held by a private company)" is not an ideal we should be striving towards either.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report

  • Hans Versluys, in reply to Russell Brown,

    They were offered Al Jazeera on very good terms (basically free, I think) and declined, which is how Triangle/Stratos got it.

    This is not how we at Stratos TV got Aljazeera. When AJ English launched in November 2006 we immediately applied to have them included in our satellite programme mix and this was readily approved and arranged. As far as I know, Sky TV never approached AJE at the time of launch for inclusion in their pay platform.

    Auckland • Since Jul 2011 • 33 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Andre Alessi,

    I’m skeptical of the suggestions that these events, as interesting as they are, herald some sort of change in the culture of reporting in the UK. If the death of a well-loved public figure couldn’t stem the tide of harrassment and privacy invasion, I don’t see how a “little” corruption and collusion would.

    Or something marginally more serious, like the Hutton Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of David Kelly – which didn’t exactly paint a flattering or edifying picture of the cosy relationships between Government spin doctors and the media. But, hey, whatevs - the only good whistleblower is a dead whistleblower, right?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to merc,

    Interesting that the UK parliament allows free-flowing dreads. Nandor had to keep his up in a sock or be ruled out of order, right?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Exceptional times require exceptional measures

    Yeah. So wouldn't you expect that Brownlee's mates might make an exception and take the offered pittance of $400 a day to help out and provide a public service?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Andre Alessi,

    I don't see how a "little" corruption and collusion would

    Very true. And as always the cynical me believes firmly that if there is money to be made then there is someone who will stoop that low.

    But

    Perhaps, just perhaps, if people go to jail, not just little insignificant people, but people in the business and public eye, then maybe journalists and businessmen (and MPs and policemen) might start thinking that the money really doesn't make the risk worthwhile.

    Cultural change does happen even such an unlikely change as people doing what is right rather than what is profitable.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Cultural change does happen even such an unlikely change as people doing what is right rather than what is profitable.

    So there is hope for a Labour win then...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

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