NEWSTALK ZB'S drive time host Heather Du Plessis-Allan, has an interesting and unique explanation as to why trust in the mainstream media continues to decline. According to her, less and less folk are prepared to trust the media because of its continuing 'left wing bias':
'The left-wing bias is a problem, and we're seeing this play out right now with this new government given absolutely no honeymoon because its conservative, liberal and right-leaning ideas are an anathema to left leaning journalists.
'Now the real question is, can the media turn this around? And I'm going to make a prediction- no. Because this isn’t a revelation to you and I, but I genuinely think newsrooms up and down this country don’t believe this is true. That is my experience of talking to editors in various media. They don’t see it, or they do and they make excuses.
'If if they wanted to change it, the bias is so deeply ingrained it’ll be very hard to undo.'
But du Plessis Allan, a strident cheerleader for the right, misinterprets the AUT report, Trust in News in Aotearoa New Zealand, to suit her argument. The report says that mistrust in the media is generalised right across the mainstream media, regardless of any perceived political bias. Indeed Newstalk ZB, which one of its own hosts, Simon Barnett, recently described as 'centre right', suffered a 4.1 percent decline in its trust score. This is a blow for a radio station that promotes its hosts, like Heather du Plessis-Allan, as 'names you can trust.' Clearly, that's not what the public thinks.
Newstalk ZB was an aggressive political opponent of the previous Labour Government, with hosts such as Mike Hosking and Heather du Plessis Allan, openly campaigning for its removal.
Now that Newstalk ZB has got the government it wants, the tenor of the station has dramatically changed. It has embraced the National-led coalition government. Gone are the frequent attacks on the government and the aggressive interviews. Any criticisms of the National-led coalition government are muted, with many of its policies praised. The aggressive interviews have been replaced with friendly and convivial conversations between various Newstalk ZB hosts and various government ministers. The general stupor is only interrupted to launch the occasional attack on the government's political opposition. Chloe Swarbrick has been a regular critical target ever since she became Green Party co-leader.
But such is her own conservative politics, it's unlikely that du Plessis will concede that Newstalk ZB has a trust problem because of its own political bias. Last year her own employer, NZME, upheld a complaint about an interview in which she ridiculed a young climate activist. But in 2024 du Plessis has been clearly impressed by Resources Minister Shane Jones who intends to give the green light to further coal mining. This is in despite of the fact that the International Energy Agency has made it clear that if we want to limit global warming within the 1.5 degrees tipping point, then we must phase out the use of fossil fuels.
Interestingly, du Plessis Allan has poured cold water on the decision by Warner Bros Discovery to give Stuff the contract to provide a 6pm news bulletin for Three:
'If you’re a fan of Newshub and this news gives you hope, I would very much urge you to temper that expectation. Because this is not going to be what you are used to. It sounds very much like it's going to be quick and dirty.'
She predicts a bleak future for the Stuff-produced news show: 'For the 6pm news bulletin on TV3, it feels like this deal can only delay the end, it can’t prevent it.'
Of course, du Plessis Allan would probably be singing an entirely a different tune if NZME had won the contract. She would no doubt be praising a deal that would have allowed her to peddle her conservative views to a television audience, such as she did as a reporter a decade or so ago for TVNZ's Seven Sharp. Back then she was providing the Mike Hosking-hosted show with conservative pieces like her positive and affectionate profile of right-wing attack blogger Cameron Slater.
It was never right versus left. That was a manipulation.
ReplyDeleteThe disgraceful, sycophantic fawning over the Ardern government was not about it being left-wing. Poverty increased, public services such as health services on which the poor are dependent were further starved and decimated.
That government represented the media class with its preferred pretense of caring while brutally gouging the poorest and most vulnerable members to fund its own chardonnay lifestyle. Has there ever been a government that better reflected the depth of 'nice' PMC hypocrisy?
It was actually the active promulgation of a single monolith under the guise of left-right - with a few boutiquey and cosmetic differences, in which the media exposed itself. Not in favouring the left, but its blatant preference for an artificially flavoured version of an increasingly authoritarian version of the status quo IMO.
So the alternative is another neoliberal government that isn't led by Labour? I don't think so.
DeleteI don't understand this.
DeleteTo be clear, for me, the best solution in the current political system, especially to the untenable position my people are trapped in, is a genuinely left-wing government - the antithesis of neoliberalism .
A solution to the loss of trust in journalists is humility, and striving to report information without spin or opinion with any commentary clearly signposted, separated, and presented after neutral information.
Newstalk ZB broadcasts to an aging and conservative audience, and it gives them what they want. Presenters like du Plessis Alan are just preaching to the converted. Its not an audience that's going to grow.
ReplyDeleteIts certainly a larger audience than any other radio station in NZ at this time. I can't see RNZ"'s audience growing any time soon. The Ardern Government was never socialist. You only have to look at the Ardern wedding and the guest list to understand that. True socialists like Kirk and Fraser must be revolving in their graves to think that she was a Labour Prime Minister.
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