Thank you for your reply Damian.

It was not my intent to participate in 'TVNZ bashing' - and I do realise it's a hobby of some which must become tiresome to your ears...
As for Oliver - I think he has an immense passion for story and media, and I often think this passion is misconstrued.

I sought to put people's expectations of Alt's output in perspective. I am satisfied I did this in my previous comment, so have no further comparisons to make.

Yes, standards are there to be met (and superceeded) by the makers of the world's media. We at Alt, we'lll catch up. We just happen to think content should be the foremost concern, before form. Any lack, Craig, does not come from laziness or incompetence - but sheer stretched lack of resources. And we constantly strive to fix this, because just as it falls short of your mark of quality - it also isn't where we'd like things to rest either.

Damian, I myself did not catch the Midday report, and should have clarified that my earlier comment referred to the six o'clock bulletins on channels One and Three comparitively.
My concern for the quote to be sourced also stems far more from wishing the viewer to know the context of the original statement, rather than 'missed publicity', and I merely posit that it would be a sorry state of affairs if the source was omitted due to any 'cross channel' silliness.

Like the caregiver of anything fledgling - I protect it with both fairness and ferocity.

Thank you for taking the time to explain,

Sarah

Right.

I held my tongue when you bollocked the quality of our broadcast in your last blog - but receiving an email with:

"P.S. Do something about the audio in those interviews. Seriously. It can't be that hard."

...as a post script - it made both myself, and our Head of Camera/Lighting AND Sound (that's right - they're ONE person) see a special shade of crimson.

It can't be that hard?

Let me tell you something, Damian.
Alt IS hard.
Every. Freaking. Day.

Interesting Tid-bit #1: The camera you might take on a field report for TVNZ is worth more than the sum total of our entire sound/camera/lighting kit.

Interesting Tid-Bit #2: Alt, despite providing programming for a wide cross section of culture (only primetime Gay show, only primetime design and fashion show, only primetime arts and performance show, the list goes on...) we are still woefully ineligible for funding of any sort.

It is a small miracle EVERY day that we go to air on our pitiful, negatable budget.
The outlook isn't grim, we're optimistic and will improve things the moment we get the means to do so. But in the interim - would you perhaps suggest that we nix the programming that is pitching above our technological weight? That we scrap 'Let's Be Frank'? Cancel any shoots that aren't single camera and hand held mic?

Well, that doesn't really fly with us here at Alt, Sugar-Tits.

We all keep this television station running because it gives us the opportunity to do things that others don't/won't.
- To play music that no-one else will play.
- To celebrate culture that no-one else will give the time of day to.
- And to listen to figures of import in a context that no one else will give them - namely, a full unedited half hour interview.

Our sincerest apologies if our offerings don't cut the mustard to your audio-visual-realism concerned senses. We're trying our best.

But you were right about one thing...
Driver IS a clever guy.
For you to THEN suggest that he/we didn't know the context or the importance of what we had 'uncovered' from our interview with Phil Goff is insulting. We 'uncovered' a man being honest and rational about his party's chances and his place inside it. Why didn't we draw the knives, as you say? Because we don't do that here, Damian.

While I can't speak for the rest of the station, I personally feel that the media's take on Goff's honest comments has been ridiculously blown out of proportion. The resulting circus gave:
Alt some publicity? Sure. Hip-hop hooray.
The public a fair portrayal of Goff's stance in that interview? I think not.
...Especially on TVNZ, where they didn't even mention the source of the quote - therefore not letting the viewer investigate further and make up their own minds.

We'll keep on trucking over here, if you don't mind Damian. Even if the quality of our output doesn't match the crystalline brilliance some media lovers seek.
I foolishly thought that anyone who had previously been involved in student radio at bFM - who love to champion what others won't touch - would understand this ethos.
...My bad.

All my love,

Sarah Thomson
Music Producer - AltTV