Gordon Campbell on the media’s handling of (a) the Afghan crisis, and (b) the hacked DHB material
Reportedly, there has been “chaos “in downtown Kabul and “chaos“ out at the Kabul airport. “Chaos” has become one of the go-to terms of modern […]
Media
Gordon Campbell on the uncanny valley of Tokyo 2020
For all involved, this year’s Olympic Games have called for a willing suspension of anxiety. For now at least, the displays of skill and agility […]
Gordon Campbell on the barriers facing female country musicians, and the weekly playlist
Like no other performer in popular culture, Dolly Parton is loved and respected by people from opposite ends of the political spectrum, and every point […]
Gordon Campbell on the mosque movie, and the demise of Netanyahu
Plainly, a whole lot of New Zealanders – including PM Jacinda Ardern – are not on board with They Are Us, the mooted film project […]
Gordon Campbell on the McLachlan interview, and the G-7 global corporate tax
TVNZ’s excuse for screening the Craig McLachlan interview last night was really flimsy. According to a TVNZ spokeswoman: “ It looks at his trial by […]
Gordon Campbell on the media’s hissy fit over Naomi Osaka
Last Sunday as we all now know, Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open. She had felt that the compulsory after-match press […]
Gordon Campbell on cancel culture and the ‘hate speech’ laws
If there really is anyone out there who feels genuinely panicked about what ‘cancel culture ‘ is doing to our precious freedoms, then maybe they […]
Gordon Campbell on Labour’s less than radical housing package
Houses are now like Bitcoin with a street address, a speculative currency priced beyond the reach of ordinary humans. The public is not impressed. Don’t […]
Gordon Campbell on who decides on the priority list for Covid vaccines
During the past week, the nation has gone through a range of mixed feelings about south Auckland. Understandably, there’s been a hankering in some quarters […]
Gordon Campbell on Australia’s attempt to demonise Facebook
It is a free country. Feel free to treat the battle between Australia and Facebook as a case of Facebook using its immense power to […]
Gordon Campbell on the search for Covid-19 vaccines, and our media woes
The government always ran the risk that if its lockdown succeeded in saving lives, it would be open to the criticism that it cried wolf. […]
Gordon Campbell on wage cuts, and the Listener’s demise
Various levels of across the board wage cuts – 10%? 15% ?- are being mooted for workers in some of our larger firms, in order […]
Gordon Campbell on the survival of RNZ Concert
Come July and under current plans, RNZ Concert as we now know it will have ceased to exist. Instead, it seems that Concert is being […]
Gordon Campbell on global factors contributing to the possible demise of TV3
Oaktree has come under pressure to shed and/or streamline underperforming assets. So TV3 and Bravo are being peeled off from MediaWorks and put on the block.
Gordon Campbell on the media falling out of love with Jacinda Ardern, and other climate change concerns
The sensible antidote to Jacinda-mania isn’t this anti-Jacinda (middle of the) road rage. Especially since her alleged sins look so trivial, compared to what her peers are up to.
Gordon Campbell on allegations of left wing bias in the mainstream media
The “left wing bias” accusation dates back at least to the mid 1990s… The charge was ridiculous then, and is ridiculous now.
Gordon Campbell on the extradition of Julian Assange
It isn’t necessary to like Julian Assange to think that his extradition to the US (on the charge of aiding and abetting Chelsea Manning) would be a major injustice.
Gordon Campbell on Labour’s backdown over the Hobbit law (and Jami-Lee Ross)
Clearly, Jami-Lee Ross is not waging a normal form of political warfare, with agreed rules of combat and rational cost/benefit calculations.
Gordon Campbell on health promises, BP, and the White House correspondents furore
Remember that classic clip of Homer Simpson reacting to news of the government’s best effort at speed –roasting a buffalo? Keep that impatience in mind. […]
Gordon Campbell on the prevailing media narratives about the Labour–led coalition
The media reports the facts…. but that’s not the end of it, and nor should it be. It also marshals those facts and creates a […]
Gordon Campbell on vulnerable kids, fresh RNZ funding, and Poppy
The decision to remove the word ‘vulnerable’ from the Ministry for Vulnerable Children could well mark a whole shift in approach to the care of children in need.
Gordon Campbell on journalism, Peters and Ghahraman
So how is journalism faring in its role of (a) speaking truth to power, and (b) keeping its independent distance from those it seeks to monitor?
Gordon Campbell on Peter Thiel’s bad attitude problem
No-one in government seems to have done due diligence on Thiel’s business values to see if he would be a good fit for our corporate environment.
Gordon Campbell on the killing of the Fairfax/NZME merger
The vast majority of the public would agree with the Commission. Journalism is not baked beans. Society conveys certain powers and responsibilities on the Fourth Estate for a reason.
Gordon Campbell on journalism’s future in the era of “alternative facts.”
Already, the White House has made it clear that the media are the new enemy that the new President’s supporters will be encouraged to unite against.
Gordon Campbell on the proposed media merger
Monopolies are bad for people, and bad for capitalism, too. Look at what happened in the late 1980s when a Labour government handed a state […]
Gordon Campbell on how class colours the reactions to the Panama Papers
Not many heroes so far in the Panama Papers saga, but any number of villains. Those villains happen to include: criminals laundering their ill gotten […]
Gordon Campbell on John Key putting defamation costs on the public tab
So, where are we now on the Teapot Tape saga? According to Prime Minister John Key, Key was wearing his “ leader of the National […]
Gordon Campbell on Pharmac’s unequal battle over the funding of Keytruda
Sad to say, but the Key government has never showed much stomach for saying ‘No’ to corporate lobbyists from the pharmaceutical industry or the film […]
Gordon Campbell on the myopia of the business news
Listening to the business news is a bit like eavesdropping on the radio transmissions from space aliens. There is no discernible connection between the concerns […]