Throng

I sure hope Shortland Street gets better soon.  It's been a dismal start to the year, with the only light so far being a bit of humor thanks to Libby and her Dr McSteamy Lust.

Here's a few on my list of gripes:

This was reported yesterday in the New Zealand Herald and I don't know if it was mentioned on Throng at all.

"Television New Zealand is looking at radical solutions to trim $30 million to $40 million from budgets - including halving the 6pm news hour".

Doing this would not be taking TVNZ into the future, it would be taking us back into TV One's News past.

And that's not all...

This was reported today in the same newspaper.

"TVNZ could be rearranged to provide separate commercial and public service broadcasting roles under a new proposal being investigated.

Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman has asked TVNZ chairman Sir John Anderson to look at splitting its broadcasting roles and funding requirements, The Dominion Post reported.

There's more bad news for TVNZ today, the parent company of the TiVo technology it's purchased in partnership with Kerry Stoke's '7 Media Group' reported it lost 730,000 consumers during the past year (a 22% decline).

After finishing her story about a New Zealander who had found fame in the US after being discovered on twitter by This Week in Tech, Allison Pugh was asked by Paul Henry if he could share something he'd just learned about her.  When Allison didn't object, Paul Henry proceeded to tease out how long she was breastfed for as a child.  When she told him that she was weaned at seven, he sniggered in his typical fashion.

Pippa Wetzell, being the eternal peacemaker, told him to look at Allison now, suggesting that her obvious beauty hadn't at all been affected but Paul continued to joke that she wasn't a weaner.

In Wellington, Matt McLean commented that he was judging her a little and then continued to say she should "enjoy it".

I can hear all the La Leche League mothers crying foul over this one.

It is well known that as the reruns increase and the content drop to the quality level rated as "bottom of the barrel" it can be said the budget is being tightened and financial problems loom. Will be eventually see the financial distress of TV or will be just turn if off and change to other entertainment. Whoever at the stations gets paid to accept and program content should be fired unless they are being directed by the finance department. In which case they should resign. If local stations do not soon change tactics, they will be doomed. It seems content is now all about which station gets funding. Advertising, sponsorship, or government funding infect the decision as to content - which is the first soft sign of corruption.

I was hopeful that Mike Hosking would actually ask some good questions of Brian Tamaki tonight but was disappointed.  Mike Hosking came across as poorly researched.

For example, he spent quite a bit of time hassling Brian Tamaki for having EFTPOS machines in their church.  It is common practice now in larger churches - and has been so for years.  In fact, I've seen them in churches 10 years ago.  And why shouldn't they?  Can't Christians have the same convenience everyone else does when spending money?

And as for men's meetings?  Most churches and communities have men's meetings.  What's so wrong about that?  I really don't like how men getting together is being painted as something negative.  The media conveniently missed out that they have women's and children's groups as well.  Brian did clarify this when asked tonight.

TVNZ have announced that they're launching a brand new 100% Local content channel. Fantastic news, right?  Well it is if you have Sky.

TVNZ's decision to put a 100% local content channel on a platform that is only available if you pay for it is simply put, bizarre.

From a commercial standpoint, TVNZ claim that the cost to launch a new channel would only be justified if it was in a pay environment and that "If we don,t do this [actively pursue new revenue streams], we will not be able to afford to buy and make all the new local content we are known for."

But isn't this just shooting yourself in the foot?

Hi Everyone,

So tonight I am watching 3News (I don't really like 3News), Anyways there was a News Piece that Amanda Gilles did (something to do with Oz, but I forgot) anyways when the camera went to her speaking, she wasn't moving her mouth, but she was speaking through here teeth, It just looked really weird!! What are your thought's???

Virgz