PANDEMONIUM: It’s a clever heading but last Saturday it wasn’t very clever at all.

The 120-point (that’s 43mm high) headline screamed from the front page of the Weekend Herald and was accompanied by a blurb that began “Panicked shoppers last night descended on supermarkets across Auckland, stocking up for what one labelled ‘the apocalypse’…” The accompanying picture showed hazmat suit-clad figures. Continue reading “Don’t panic: It’s only pandemonium” →

In a fill-in media spot on RNZ Nine to Noon I discussed this morning’s release of NZME’s annual result: A modest improvement in operating profit wiped out by massive impairment costs. I also reprised today’s White Knight News TUESDAY COMMENTARY. Here’s the link to the audio:

Gavin Ellis on Nine to Noon

 

     + Mosque attack anniversary   + Radio cricket  + Mystery Mason

The memory remains raw, visceral and agonising.

We need little reminding that the first anniversary of the Christchurch mosque attacks is three weeks away.

On March 15 our collective sorrow and outrage will be reinforced by an overwhelming level of media commemoration. Continue reading ““Content may offend”” →

Ÿ * Sources and surveillance Ÿ * RNZ and issues of trust  * Tall Poppies

Free Society’s loss

It was a chilling admission by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters that “we took the photographs”.

The images were of two journalists and the party’s ex-president. They were involved in investigating the shadowy New Zealand First Foundation, which is now the subject of inquiries by the Serious Fraud Office.

Photographs of their meeting in a Tauranga retail precinct were published on the BFD (Brash, Focused and Dedicated) website. It has been critical of both journalists – RNZ investigative journalist Guyon Espiner and Stuff senior journalist Matt Shand – and their investigations into the relationship between the foundation and the party. The website called their investigations a ‘hit job’ and referred to former party president Lester Gray as ‘Deep Throat’ and ‘a snitch’. Continue reading “Casualty list for week of Feb. 10” →