Throng

So according to 3News it's possible TVNZ7 and Radio New Zealand will be merged. How will this work? Right now, the news on TVNZ7 is pretty much just ONE News, which some of us (HelenD not being one of them) believe is substandard and full of reporters who couldn't report to save themselves. What's going to happen to Radio New Zealand's quality when they're going to have to share the newsroom with a bunch of incompetent amateurs?

Bill English has also announced that the government funding for TVNZ6 and TVNZ7 won't be renewed. Surprise surprise. So what's going to happen? Commercials will be introduced to TVNZ6? What about TVNZ7? Will there be extra funding for the merged news organisation? Radio NZ are underfunded as it is, with the government refusing to commit any more funds to it.

Could this finally be the death of public broadcasting in this country?

If claims made by Brian Edwards in his blog post that 3News Political Editor Duncan Garner told Chris Carter that he will destroy him by Christmas are true, how can we take him seriously anymore? If it is true, it will show him to have a personal agenda and unable to provide us with objective political news. If it is true, he must stand down.

TVNZ obviously don't know how to celebrate. After the atrocious Shortland St celebration, they decided to celebrate 50 years of NZ TV with some game show. Jason Gunn wasn't too bad, but too much time was wasted on the panel trying to (and failing miserably) to answer questions. David Fane couldn't seem to answer anything. It didn't seem as though Matt Gibb, Tamati or Jordan could remember anything either.

What I REALLY enjoyed was seeing clips of the old shows. We saw little of that for the two hours the show was screening.

The 50 Years of TV documentary series Prime is showing is what TVNZ really should have been screening to commemorate 50 years of TV. I'd even watch one hour of highlights throughout the past 50 years than two hours of this.

TV2 have sponsored the Comedy Festival for years, and now TV3 are sponsoring it. Does TVNZ not sponsor anything anymore?

Why do we have to be subjected to idiots masked as sports presenters who think they're so funny when all we want is some proper expert analysis/commentary on sport? I'm mainly talking about The Crowd Goes Wild. Why can't they just give us a proper sports show? Are Sky TV really that mean-spirited that they want us to endure this lame show rather than give us a decent half hour review of recent sports games/competitions?

As part of Prime TV's coverage of Winter Olympics they've also brought along some guy with black, thick-rimmed glasses to ask for their opinion. I have no idea who he is but from what is coming out of his mouth I'm guessing he thinks he's funny.

Crowd Goes Wild and that guy have been the only blip on what has been decent coverage of the Winter Olympics by Prime.

First Campbell Live had the story on the power cuts when Close Up neglected to cover it. Next Campbell Live managed to get an interview with those people accusing Robin Brooke of doing whatever he did to them. Tonight it sounds like John Key will front up on Campbell Live to discuss the tax changes, while Close Up talks to Robin Brooke which is old news.

What's going on over at TVNZ? Complacency? Lack of resources?

Anyone know if there will be any television coverage of the America's Cup  next week?

Someone mentioned on the Trademe Messageboards that Haydn Jones will be replacing Steve Gray on Good Morning (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/MessageBoard/Messages.aspx?id=140723). Can anyone confirm?

While I'd be glad to be rid of him and not have to put up with watching one of his terrible news reports again on the news, I'd feel sorry for the Good Morning watchers having to put up with him.