Political economy now: “Obey ye the market” [not]

In the shadow of my previous post I bring you Frank Stilwell and Political Economy Now.

I actually helped design and produce this badge. It’s a collector’s item now. I wear mine with pride.

My roots go deep and the history of this struggle has recently been published.

Players of

political

economy

Frank Stilwell | May 06, 2009

Article from: The Australian

THE International Monetary Fund recently revised its global economic projections downwards. The global financial crisis has created the most difficult economic conditions for more than 70 years. Australia, though better placed economically than many other nations, cannot avoid being adversely affected by the global downturn.

These are circumstances in which we may expect some fundamental rethinking by economists. It was their confidence in free markets producing efficient outcomes that gave legitimacy to the neo-liberal policies of the past two decades. Those policies, including privatisation and financial deregulation, reduced the capacity of the government to directly influence economic outcomes. During the boom years this did not seem to matter, but with the benefit of hindsight we can see that it was a fools’ paradise.

Old habitus die hard, diehards just get older. Goldfish bite back

For the record, I started on this post way back at the end of March. I last worked on it before today on the 2nd of April. I was hoping to wait till I had more time, but some things just can’t wait. I have broken my vow of silence, now it’s back to the garret.

I’m prodded into action this afternoon by an opinion piece Savaged by blogosphere goldfish from Fairfax columnist and avowed curmudgeon Karl du Fresne attacking left-wing academics in general and those engaged in critical media studies in particular.

The original post was a response to a piece by Karl attacking Massey University media studies lecturer, Sean Phelan for writing an academic journal article critiquing a culture of anti-intellectualism in the New Zealand media and commenting on the state of journalism education in this country. Both of these are areas of professional concern for me, so I eagerly read both pieces with some interest.

I have now ingested all of this material and, I intend to get my goldfish teeth into some serious chewing on some big ideas. This is actually a high stakes argument. Not on any personal level, but in terms of defining and debating some important issues about journalism in New Zealand and about the philosophy of journalism more generally.

I don’t think it’s a simple binary argument either. There are many nuanced positions, it’s just that Karl du Fresne has nailed his colours to a particular flag and let go a broadside at his perceived ideological foes.

I suppose he should expect some response and as he points out, mine has been a while coming. I haven’t been idle in that time, several plans are afoot to further the discussion, but I guess a more immediate response is necessary as my name and Sean Phelan’s have again been dragged through the mud on the bottom of Karl’s size nines.

Leave of absence

I’m too busy-wired-baffled-tired-weird right now to spend any time with you in this virtual embrace.

Why not take a [twitter]card so you’ll know when EM’s back in the saddle.

To be real, I’m so busy with end-of-semester, marking, planning, Oman, book, reviews, journal articles and entertaining Nedska [just a few days, six bottles of gin and 12 dozen oysters later...] that the last thing I have time for is my blog.

Much as I love “the blog”, I don’t have the mental or physical capacity  right now to think about it.

I will not be updating EM for  couple of weeks, but if you feel I’m missing something vital and want to write a post, get in touch. I’m more than happy to have squatters for a while.

The Veitch story-when too much information is barely enough

So the New Zealand police were forced to release documents relating to the Tony Veitch assault trial to the news media under the Offical Information Act, after journalists asked for it.

According to the Dom Post there is an injunction in place preventing further disclosures from the 358 page police files. There will be hearing next week to determine if this will hold or be lifted.

My question is why did the media go after the files  in the first place?

Now we get a chance to satisfy our voyeuristic urges and read from the transcripts of Kristin Dunne-Powell’s statements to the police.
So what?

Global news meltdown and Kiwi exceptionalism

I’ve just come in from the New Zealand Writers and Readers’ Festival. I was on a panel this afternoon with Rhonda Sherman of the New Yorker and Pamele Stirling, editor of The Listener. The chair was Nicola Legat and the crowd was great. I reckon about 300 people; which was more than I’d expected. So, if you were there, “thanks for coming”.

And, if you were there and you want to take up my offer for “citizen journalism” training or would like to help kick-off the “Let’s buy the Herald” coffers with a donation, get in touch.

The session was billed as the “publishing revolution”:

Want to know more about how the publishing industry works? Get the inside word on the pitfalls, peaks and politics of journalism and publishing from leaders in their field. The New Yorker’s Rhonda Sherman, New Zealand Listener editor Pamela Stirling, and AUT Associate Professor of Journalism Martin Hirst sift through the silt of the last decade, and look ahead to the impact of the global economic melt-down and digital age on publishing in the next. Chair: Random House Publisher Nicola Legat. [Progamme note]

Really, given there was a panel of four journalists, it was about the future of the news industry, particularly newspapers and magazines, and therefore, also the future of journalism.

Lingerie football – TVNZ…Why do we need to know?

OK, it’s Saturday, it’s football season, but this is not right. Not only do we have the Cronulla Sharks to deal with, now we have the ladies’ league to distract and bewitch us.

Consider my utter and absolute dismay when Lingerie Football [NSFW] was presented as a “news” item at the end of the TVNZ bulletin.

I am very disappointed that TVNZ thinks it’s OK to humiliate female newsreaders for the sake of a tits’n'arse ratings point or two.

I’ve been home most of the day, I was doing some marking and preparing for my Writers & Reader’s Festival gig tomorrow afternoon. I had the TV on in the background because Moac was shopping for warm, smart and “grrrrrhhhhh…..merino!”

Throughout the day I was switching between Snoop’Dog THS, football, baseball, motor racing, Coro-omnibus, gardening shows, netball and news. At least a dozen times I heard the Sky-guys yakkin’ on about “lingerie football”.

A “no news” news item that’s most certainly a result of Flat Earth replicators. So it was and so it came to be that TVNZ replictated the advertising meme on cue.

Freedom for those who defend it: Journalists – a film from Belarus

The docmentary Journalists, by Belarusian film director Aleh Dashkevich, is screening twice on the programme of the Auckland Human Rights Film Festival.

Journalists tells about how freedom of expression was destroyed in Belarus over the 15 years of Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s rule. Lukashenka came to power in the 1994 election promising to allow freedom of the press. Unfortunately, like most politicians, he was lying at the time.

In most western nations journalists can operate within reasonable boundaries of freedom. It’s rare for a TV camerawo/man to be kidnapped and murdered; journalists don’t often get beaten up, arrested or threatened when covering protests. Not so in Belarus – nor, incidently, in many parts of the former Soviet Union, including Russia.

Late last year Lukashenka’s regime signed into law further restrictions on media freedom. Among other provisions, the law equates the Internet with regular media, making sites subject to the same restrictions; bans local media from accepting foreign donations; allows local and state authorities to shutter independent publications for minor violations; and requires accreditation for all foreign journalists working in the country. [Committee to Protect Journalists]

Journalists is showing on Friday (15 May) and Tuesday (19 May) at 6pm at the Rialto cinema in Newmarket. I will be making a few brief comments after the screening and leading a question and answer session. After that I’ll be available for a quite drink if you’re interested.

Ethical Martini in the top ten – statistics say

Ah, statistics. They’re really good for winning an argument. Any argument. Good old, pliable statistics.

I must say a big “thankyou” to Halfdone of Something should go here, maybe later. According to his statistics, or at least, my interpretation of his statistics, Ethical Martini is in the top 10.

Napier siege: did the media do a good job?

[Monday update: I've had some responses now. Read down to comments, EM]

I’ve written some critical comments recently about the news media’s coverage of the Napier siege situation that ended yesterday with the death of Jan Molenaar.

Now, I’ve decided to do a small experiment using Twitter. I’m seeking comments from people who were close to the action, I’d like to know what the people of Napier thinks of the media’s handling of the siege coverage.

Yesterday evening I tweeted using the # symbol, which signals to Twitter that you’re looking for a particular topic:

#Napier questions that I tweeted last night:

#Napier did the media do a good job? Was it facts v. rumour or were you well informed about the siege and Jan Molenaar’s history or motives?

#Napier, if you have a story about the news media’s presence in Napier this week, tweet me or email: ethicalmartiniATgmail.com

So far, I’ve had two responses:

[Kelly] @ethicalmartini media did a *terrible* job re #napier hill tragedy.  first night NO info for residents, so MUCH misinformation & gossip

[fushnchups] @ethicalmartini Quite a lot of rumour was reported from “un-named sources”, see stuff.co.nz reporting the gunman’s death about 18hrs ahead.

I need  a bit more evidence and more responses to make this work.

Dog survives rumour of death

I must say there was relief at Casa Refugio when Fi was discovered alive inside the police cordon at the Napier siege. Not much good has come from this story, but I think Superintendent  Sam Hoyle deserves an award for the most quotable quote of the whole sorry drama.

“He did have a dog with him on site,” Superintendent Sam Hoyle said. “The dog is still in his van. We haven’t heard from the dog.

“There is a degree of urgency in getting the dog out of the van. We have to say that we have not heard from the dog since this incident started.

“You can draw the obvious conclusions from that.”  [Police dog alive NZH]

Yes, like perhaps the conclusion that a dog can’t use a mobile phone, or a police radio.

If you have anything that can top this, please let me know.

Here’s another wee example of a rumour being laid to rest:

Civil Defence says rumours of a lack of beds for people evacuated from the area around Chaucer Rd are untrue.

Rumours of a lack of beds and people sleeping in the Welfare Centre at Napier Intermediate School were untrue, Civil Defence controller Dennis Morgan said. [Napier latest NZH]

BTW: I just want to say that the Napier siege is/was a big story, very newsworthy and also worthy of huge coverage. I also think that some sections of the media and some journos have done a good job.

However, I would also like to point out that when you have a big story like this that actually moves very slowly – there’s no real action for the media to report – the temptation to start cooking up stories from junk that issues from the rumour mill manifests itself.