The terrible TVNZ story
A few days ago the Government announced an absolutely stunning drop in violent crime, with 49,000 fewer NZers saying they had been victims that two years previously. This was the largest fall ever in the history of the Victims survey.
The official government target was a 20,000 reduction in seven years, and they got a 49,000 reduction in two years.
They also announced a 22% drop in serious repeat youth offending in two years – again against a target of a 15% reduction over seven years.
Most media reported this. TVNZ though not only didn’t report this amazing news they instead ran a report on the fact that the number of people on the gang list had increased.
Now it would be fine to do an item on the huge drop in violent crime, and add in a small mention at the end about the increase in reported gang numbers (which might just be due to the fact it is easier to get added to the gang register than removed from it). But they ignored the substantive news entirely.
It is unknown who at TVNZ made that editorial decision, but it became very apparent they effed up big time. It was hard for anyone to justify what they did.
Now The Herald reports:
A contentious TVNZ news story on Thursday evening has led to political fallout today, with revelations the state broadcaster’s chairman raised it with the Broadcasting Minister in a phone call at the weekend.
Broadcasting Minister Paul Goldsmith says he shut down the conversation – but it has raised questions about editorial independence at TVNZ and how a second story, which focused on a more positive angle, came to be broadcast last night.
The 1News at Six story on rising gang members last Thursday incensed Goldsmith, who is also Justice Minister, and Police Minister Mark Mitchell because it came on the same day as the Government’s announcement of a dramatic drop in violent crime victims.
Mitchell described TVNZ’s editorial decision-making that evening as “absolutely unbelievable”.
Now I don’t think the Chairman should have mentioned it to the Minister, but I can understand why he did. I suspect every TVNZ board member was mortified that the organisation they govern displayed such terrible judgment. It played into the hands of everyone who thinks state media is biased against centre right parties.
But the story doesn’t end there. They did run a story the next night on the drop in violent crime, but once again they stuffed up.
Here you can see the graph TVNZ produced. They decided to have different spacing for Labour and National. Here is what it would have looked like if done properly.
This just shows the uphill battle the Government has at times. On one of those rare days where they have the most positive news you can imagine for a portfolio, the state television network runs a negative story on the issue, ignoring the positive news.
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