RNZ: Mediawatch

The private visit of former US president Barack Obama got blanket coverage this week, even though he blanked the media and he said little of substance.

While a former US President’s visit preoccupied our media this week, the state visit of the current president of Indonesia - the world’s fourth most populous nation - went mostly under the radar. You’ll look in vain for reports about what was discussed at top-level talks about important issues.

Good data journalism makes lots of important information easily understandable and it clarifies complicated issues for us. But visiting expert Alberto Cairo warns we must also beware of visualisations that look convincing but skew the truth - and reveals the statistical benchmark for heavy metal bands.

Obamamania in overdrive - Widodo under the radar; Visual Trumpery - the good and bad of data; sensing a story?

For years, critics of the so-called psychics starring in TVNZ’s Sensing Murder pointed out that none of them have ever actually solved a cold case or found a missing person. If you believe recent reports, one of them has finally proved them wrong.

Labour's summer camp scandal triggered a flood of opinion in the media this past week. Much of it claimed political spin had overridden the rights of the victims, but the coverage and comment also made it an even more political story.

Once a behind-the-scenes boss, National Business Review owner Todd Scott has been front-and-centre lately - culling contributors, taking on ad agencies and clashing with other journalists including his own. He tells Mediawatch it's all part of a plan to put paying subscribers at the heart of the business.  

Our creaking pre-internet copyright law is up for review, with the rights of digital-age creators and consumers in conflict. Canadian author and online pioneer Cory Doctorow tells Mediawatch propping up old business models would be like rewarding the winners of last year’s lottery all over again. But if we're more free to share online, how will anyone make a living?​

Flood of opinion follows Labour's summer camp revelations; pioneering digital journalist Cory Doctorow urges NZ to free up copyright law; NBR's boss pushes subscriber-funded journalism; Korean correction.

Inspired by #MeToo campaigns abroad, broadcaster Alison Mau and publisher Stuff are urging New Zealanders to blow the whistle on sexual assault and harassment at work. Hundreds of women have already been in touch with stories Ms Mau described as "heartbreaking".

The way lobbyists and PR people move in and out of political circles has created a problem for the media who use them to fill their programs, stories and websites more and more these days. One publisher tells Mediawatch he’s cutting ties completely with people “paid to push a point of view.”

MeToo campaign spreads the net wide; the media's PR people problem; a protest that wasn't.

The broadcasting minister has appointed advisors to look into funding our public media at arm's length from government. The new TV channel she once wanted seems to be off the table for the foreseeable future, but when will we know who gets the $38 million funding boost promised before the election?

While our government is promising to put more public money into public broadcasting, Switzerland is about to vote on whether to pull the plug on it altogther.

Soft-focus portraits of the PM; minister moves towards media funding fix; Swiss vote on paying for public broadcasting; will new voice tech take off here?