The Whinebox Inquiry

It's finally happened - Tracy Watkins of the Dompo's reported that Winston's up before Parliament's privileges committee.

Admittedly it's only the ongoing Owen Glenn donation that wasn't but actually was, and not the latest debacle with Bob Jones' money (that's a doozey), but it isn't often that Winnie has to account for his dealings.

I love the direct/indirect quote from the Speaker Margaret Wilson:

She told Parliament Mr Peters had provided her with a "very full and compelling"explanation of his position, but she had referred to the privileges committee because of the "high public interest and the impolications for the reputation of members and the institution of Parliament".

Here's hoping for some compelling drama to come. Regardless, it'll be prime pickings for Dim.

For services to the crown, I dub thee Sir Robert

I don't know much about honorifics, but they have been doing the rounds here, here and here, gathering some attention in the microcosm of our classroom.

In my brief time of 20-something years, I don't remember anyone ever calling Sir Bob Jones, "Sir Robert". In fact, I always recall him affectionately referred to as "Bob" or "Bob Jones" (I do have one friend who would baulk at me saying "affectionately", but that's because he bothered to read the New Zealand Party manifesto).

Take a look at the TVNZ website - they've got him down in their Good Morning roll call as Sir Bob (they don't even have the Sir in the bio's text), but their latest hard news story (take what you want out of that statement) has him as Sir Robert.

TVNZ isn't the only one - every news service is calling him Sir Robert, yet everyone quoted in these stories calls him Bob. The briefest respite came in Audrey Young's blog, but it was oh so brief.

And it's not that long ago (last month) that Stuff opened one of their articles like this:

Sir Bob Jones is trying to bankrupt a co-founder of failed property investment company Blue Chip by pursuing court action for office rent.

My point (and it is a fairly meek and mild one) is that everyone's calling him Sir Robert as though he's a law lord on the Privy Council breathing fire down the necks of our corrupt politicians and not the cheeky raconteur Sir Bob that the public (thinks it) knows and loves.

While I could rant and rave about how the media is using "Sir Robert" to add gravitas to their claims about the Rt Hon Mr Peters, I really can't be bothered.

And heck, if you go back up a wee ways, you'll see that Sir Bob ain't Sir Robert on wikipedia - and that's saying something.

REDUX: Gots to give some props to the Sunday Star-Times' Donna Chisholm - just noticed she didn't fall into the Sir Robert trap.

The Day in Review Oct 29

- Leading our bulletins this evening, the big two took on terrorism - again. This time, the fact that the police had asked the Solicitor General to advise on whether they could prosecute under the Suppression of Terrorism Act. One went with an interview of Marama, the latest lass to be granted bail while facing firearms charges. 3 proffered Tariana Turia's take, followed by Mini-Garner's explanation of what the legislation meant, and that this was a test case (in a 37 second soundbite). One followed this up with the war of words between Winston Peters and Pita Sharples (more of which we will see later).
- The Honourable Mr. Mallard's position in Cabinet was story number two, with Garner Major giving us his take on 3 before Guyon gave us the lowdown later on (collusion to avoid the head-on?). Both agreed Mallard's a dead duck (not my fault, the same lame joke's been pushed on us by all outlets).
- The firearm incident resulting in two injured soldiers in Afghanistan saw all three televisual providers (Prime led with it).
- Outside of the Irish President's visit, a home invasion, and the Royal blackmail plot, the pick tonight was 3's on-going coverage of the anglers' access trial. The jury's out, and farmers are watching (although it doesn't appear as though any journos are).
- Both Sainsbury and Campbell had Pita and Peters going head-to-head with their respective rhetoric - although John managed to get them on live, and then keep them for an extra segment (Sainsbury had to make do with vox populi leading into a replayed debate).
Nothing extra, good night.

The Day in Review Oct 9

- Without the All Blacks dictating what to say, our fearless broadcasters didn't have any unity tonight. The only common stories in One and 3's starting line-ups were the ongoing saga of the Glassies (Nia's mum was charged with manslaughter), the siege in Ohope (which didn't lead on either channel), and feelgood story Steve Williams (Tiger's caddy) donating a million to Starship's Cancer Ward. Sheesh.
- 3 opened with Qantas's announcement that it was upgrading services to cater for the business traveller. One didn't touch.
- One led with a troika of health stories: the trial of a new radiotherapy cancer treatment; a breakthrough in chemotherapy in Oz; and a lung cancer patient in the BoP who's had her operation cancelled three times. On the last one, Francesca Mold managed to through a little name-calling in the House between Pete Hodgson and Tony Ryall, but nothing substantial.
- One also ran the piece on Winston Peters' office receiving a paper from CTAG regarding the Air NZ charter flights to Iraq. Winston was most unimpressed, and not really owning up to much. Guyon gloated, then segued on to the Nat Attack regarding the Ingram Report (anyone remember that?), not that it went very far. 3 didn't touch Winnie, although Mini-Garner did do a piece on the Nat Attack in the second stanza.
- All quiet on the tele's front. The Wireless was mainly interested in the Glassies and the stand-off, and Winston to a degree.
- Close Up went with the drunk vandals who left a couple of kids in hospital, and all ended up in jail. Campbo had Hamster from Top Gear plugging his book.
- Insipid moment was the oddness of it all. It's as though there's enough news for two.
Good night.

The Day in Review Sept 27

- Leading all the way was the police shooting in Christchurch last night. Prime opened up with witnesses claiming the deceased was unarmed, and had the Police Association saying now was a good time for tasers, 3 went with the police defending the shooting, while One went with the account that the man was about to whack the officer with a hammer. 3 went on to the push for tasers, and yesterday's e-mail saga in Christchurch (although the man wasn't wielding a knife), whereas One went on to discuss the police's official gun policy. Steven Wallace's mother went on the wireless, and the parallels were easily made. Which letter will be added to this constable's name?
- One followed up this piece with the reopening of Mount Ruapehu, and had the lovely Sonya Wilson frolicking in the ski-fields. She reported on lahars too. Oh, and had a GNS scientist for credibility. 3 waited until after the break before returning to William Pike, preferring to note a head-on collision near Queenstown that was the site of a fatal unimog accident a few years back.
- The mystery body in the Bay of Plenty got some props, with Tokoroa police believing it to be Jimmy Slater; a man missing for 20 years.
- Darin Gardiner was found guilty of murder (surprise surprise).
- 3 let Garner Major loose on Tony Ryall, who was deeply apologetic for omitting the move to lose the GP fee cap from National's discussion paper. Earlier on NewstalkZB, Barry Soper pointed out that he had mentioned it once before... kind of.
- 3 also let us know that Pumpkin wanted to go to China with her nan.
- One did hide a nice little piece in its 6.30 ixposay, with Guyon Espiner grilling Mary Anne Thompson of the Department of Labour over the department report finding serious shortcomings at the border. Needless to say, Winston appeared on camera, armed with his crocodile smile and smooth coiffure.
- The Wireless was wrapped up in the shooting, as was Mark Sainsbury and John Campbell. Superintendent Sandra Manderson appeared live on Close Up, leaving John Boy to play one of those silly replay interviews where he asks the questions and she answers as though it were actually taking place for all the viewers to watch (much like an All Black replay). Reminiscent of the hey-day of Close Up when Susan Wood was hosting it, really.
- Insipid moment - One News. Melissa Stokes following in the footsteps of her predecessor, Lisa Owen (I had to get that in there). Read the summary:
French choreographer Angelin Preljocaj has turned the haka into a ballet performed by women in heels. Four All Blacks have watched the show in the South of France.
Good night.

The Day in Review Sept 14

- Following the Zaoui hangover, today was a slow news night for our broadcasters. Prime kept up its Zaoui routine, focusing on Winston Peters' accusations that New Zealand is a soft touch followed by Barry Soper dismissing all of Winston's laments. Prime also managed to give Ced Simpson from Amnesty a say. When our big two got into their Zaoui routines, One pointed out that Ahmed had to go into Ramadan, and 3 stated that his family will have to wait to get into NZ. MP reaction remained the same. Guyon Espiner noted that the Winie was not a happy chap when it came to the SIS, but our PM dismissed his bawling.
- One opened with an exclusive on a research grant of $150k to test the voices of patients to determine whether or not they had quit smoking. Needless to say, the Opposition's spokesman Tony Ryall was none too impressed, and even the Health Research Council was concerned that it only had novelty value.
- 3 led with Madeleine McCann. Then followed that up by hoisting its own petard by reporting on the dispute between itself and Sky regarding Sky's coverage of the RWC. Lawyers Julian Miles QC (the good guy ie 3) and Graeme Hall (the bad guy ie Sky) had their say. The judgement was reserved until next week, keeping the injunction going over the weekend.
- One followed up its first exclusive with another (I know, they're working overtime) on Fonterra raising the cost of wholesale butter and cheese. Bakeries around the country are livid.
- 3 continued its run on yesterday, with police conceding that a Wellington hunter who died had to wait too long for an ambulance. Inquiries are underway.
- The rest of the news was doom and gloom, with murder trials, funerals, minimal troop withdrawals from Iraq, and Gordon from the first Australian Big Brother dying in unusual circumstances in China. Wowee.
- The wireless didn't add too much tonight, although Newstalk ran with the Sky-TV3 debacle for a while. RNZ didn't have too much on offer, although RadioLive did have Pamela Stirling explain the methodology behind The Listener's 50 most powerful people. Way over my head.
- Close Up ran with a parolee murderer, while Campbell had a heart-rending story about a long-married couple who were separated in their twilight years by an uncaring bureacracy. Is this how we treat our elderly people; our forebears, who put their lives on the line for us in their youth? Paul Henry did manage to celebrate the second anniversary of the Skyhawk (non-)sale in an oh-so-amusing piece.
- Comeback of the day had to got to Damien O'Connor who helped NZ receive an award for its efforts in combatting tobacco by with his tireless work to introduce pictorial warnings on cigarette packets.
-Silliest hairdo goes to Hannah Hodson (I know I'm picking on her, but she makes it too easy) with her headband pulling her hair up in a style reminiscent of a caricature.
Good night.