Media7: Knee Jerks

Media 7

Media7 this week examines the recent “knee-jerk” reactions from many journalists and commentators trying to come to terms with a Chief Justice expressing some candid opinions, a high-profile murder trial, a controversial but technical defence and the rights and wrongs of letting a mentally-disturbed killer back into the community.

The co-incidence of these stories in the space of just a few weeks has provoked a “perfect storm” of moral panic in the media… and given rise to some extraordinary demands for overhaul of the law and even more punitive punishment for offenders.

Amid the clamor for “victim’s rights” to be enforced there have been calls for sweeping reforms which could jeopardize such basic principles as the presumption of innocence and the right of an accused person to a fair trial

Joining Russell Brown to untangle the webs of legal fact, public outrage and political expedience are Auckland Barrister Gary Gottleib and freelance journalist and former Dominon Editor, Karl Du Fresne.

This is also Maori Language Week and Media7 is charting the progress of Te Reo Maori from the bad old days when a simple “Kia Ora” might bring a reprimand to the recent renaissance of New Zealand’s second official language through the media – particularly radio and television.

Hone Kaa, Wena Harawira and Naida Glavish are all different actors in the domestic drama that’s been played out over the past two and a half decades of struggle as Te Reo Maori has taken its place and achieved due recognition in the wider New Zealand Society.

And on the technology front Russell Brown is looking at Tivo -- the system that along with the rival MySky enables television viewers to shift the time they watch shows, record one programme while watching another and to skip advertisements and other content they do not wish to see.

Russell went to the NZ launch of TiVo and spoke the promise of this new system with the CEO of TiVo USA, Tom Rogers.

Testing those claims will be Scott Bartlett the CEO of Orcon and Media Strategist Michael Carney.

Media7 is recorded in front of a live audience in the TVNZ Auckland Television Centre on Wednesday evening at 6.00pm.

The show is broadcast at 9.10pm on Thursday on TVNZ 7 and is replayed several times during the week.

The show is also available at that time on Sky Channel 97.

It is also available on demand from TVNZ’s website, can be downloaded as a podcast and is available on YouTube.

People wishing to attend the show and to be part of the audience should go to TVNZ TVC entrance in Hobson Street Auckland between 5.00 and 5.30 pm.

ENDS

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