When I was studying my Bachelor of Arts with a major in Politics a minor in Film, TV and Media Studies I mostly took political papers that crossed over with media. One of these papers was the Political Content of Television. While I can't recall all the paper's material I remember that we talked about media gatekeepers and how they influence what is published or broadcast. This is what's known as Noam Chomsky's Propaganda Model.
For those not familiar with the model there are five parts and five filters:
1 - Ownership
2 - Advertisers
3 - Readers/Flak
4 - Sourcing
5 - Anti Communism
Let's explore each of these filters starting with ownership. Media ownership determines the content that will be published/broadcast. Private networks such as Murdoch's News Ltd can have a right wing bias because they are effectively answerable to nobody other than themselves and their investors. Government owned networks have to be more careful because they're answerable to the public and the Government of the day, so if you have a right wing government it is likely the views will be right wing and the reverse for a left wing government. Networks will endeavour to keep governments happy as they're the ones paying the bills.
The second gatekeeper are the advertisers. More often than not when a host on a network says something highly controversial the advertisers will pull their money so the network will bow to pressure to keep their advertisers happy. Advertisers tend to advertise on networks or in papers/websites with similar views to the company.
Readers and flak are the third gatekeeper and if they don't like what is being broadcast they'll make that very clear using social media or direct complaints to the network. These complaints could be in the form of writing letters or simply switching off in which case the network would have to make adjustments to keep the readers happy.
Probably the biggest one for journalists is sourcing. When you're a journalist you try to get opinions from a number of different sources however that isn't always possible, especially when the people you want to talk to won't talk to you. If you're a network trying to air views from both sides then you can't do that if only one side is willing to talk to you. It becomes rather difficult so naturally you end up with a right or left wing bias.
The final filter is anti communism. People are very wary of networks which preach communism. Many would argue that is all networks.
The Propaganda Model is related to what's going on in Australia right now with publicly owned broadcaster, the ABC. Right wingers in particular have taken to Twitter to vent their frustrations at their left wing bias. They conveniently ignore the fact that Prime Minister Tony Abbott, leader of the Liberal Party has issued a ban of front benchers appearing on Q and A. The only frontbencher to buck this trend is the controversial Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull who will appear on the program on the 13th of July. Now it would be well and good to criticise the ABC for their bias if they refused to have right wing panelists on the show but that's not the case at all. Right wingers are refusing to go on the show which makes it a difficult situation given that the right is effectively closing themselves off from the public and not letting the public hear their views.
It's rather a contradiction that the right complains their views aren't being heard on the ABC and then they effectively self censor.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Was the reaction to Pebbles Hooper's tweet symptomatic of NZ's cyber bullying issue?
I try to steer clear of celebrity gossip but Pebbles Hooper's resignation from the NZ Herald is worthy of a blog post.
For those who haven't been following the story, Pebbles tweeted that the deaths of three Ashburton children and their mother was natural selection. The mother had left the car running to keep the battery ticking over. They ended up dying as a result of the carbon monoxide fumes.
Hooper came under fire and drew many criticisms on Twitter with people calling her a bunch of nasty names. She swiftly apologised for any offence caused saying that parents have a duty of care and on that point, she is right, however she could have been more tactful. Over the coming days she deleted her Twitter account and then today the news broke that she'd resigned from her NZ Herald column effective immediately.
In media, when you're in the public eye people will want you to fail, they'll harass you and berate you for having opinions however when you resign you just let the bullies win. Now we don't know if she was pushed or if she jumped voluntarily but in media you need a very thick skin if you're ever to survive.
It should be noted that Hooper's harassment comes just days after Fairfax's Stuff.co.nz published a story on NZ having the worst rate of bullying in the OECD and the same day The Guardian publishes a story about opinionated women being abused online.
Regardless of how we feel about Hooper's comments, which we can all acknowledge were stupid the question has to be asked, was Hooper's subsequent abuse symptomatic of NZ's cyber bullying issue?
Surely an apology and deleting social media accounts would've been enough.
The etiguette of job hunting - the dos and don'ts.
For whatever reason your existing job isn't satisfying you anymore, and like a romantic relationship it is time to move on. Of course in this economy it would be silly to move on without another job to go to. This brings up the question of job search etiquette, when should you apply? When should you schedule interviews? When should you take phone calls?
I've had many discussions with friends about this topic lately so I thought I'd lay out a few ground rules when you are job hunting so that you leave your current employer on good terms and possibly with the ability to get a reference once you've left.
When should you apply?
If you don't like your job anymore then naturally you're going to want to get out of there as soon as possible but what should you do when you apply? When should you apply? Should you use your work computer? There are certain behaviours that are acceptable and ones that are not. You should absolutely not even think of using your work computer to apply for jobs. Although it would be ideal for you to apply for jobs outside of work hours that is not always possible, so if you must apply during the day then use your smartphone. In today's age you can save your CV to job sites and apply from your phone by entering some text. The bonus of applying using your smartphone is that there is no record that anyone can trace, so long as it is your personal smartphone and it is subtle. This means that until you hand in your notice nobody at your current job will even know you're looking. Some people don't mind their current employer knowing that they're planning to move on but for most people it would be awkward so it's best to keep it quiet.
When should you schedule interviews?
This is a really tricky one. Even if you don't like your current employer a part of you still wants to do the right thing by them otherwise you wouldn't be there at all. If you can then schedule interviews in the morning before work, or after work, just make sure you allow for travel time. If the places are close to your current work then you may be able to wrangle an interview in your lunch break. Now, if you work in a casual job then you'll need a change of clothes. If you're like me and you go to the gym then to keep the hunt discrete you can put your change of clothes in your gym bag and change at the gym or using the public toilets at the train station. Even though you're not doing anything wrong by wanting to improve your future it feels like you're cheating on your employer by looking around for something better so be discrete. If you must schedule interviews during work hours try to schedule them first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon so you can start late or finish early under the guise of a doctor's appointment or some other urgent appointment. Of course, the level of the excuse you'll need to make will depend on the style of employer you currently have. The more laid back the employer, the smaller the excuse you'll have to make as to why you're late or have to leave early.
Do not pull sickies.
Look. Your job hunt probably has two phases. In the first phase you're sussing out the market and seeing what's out there. You're probably flicking off your CV to a number of businesses and not being worried about what happens. You haven't completely checked out of your current job. In the second phase of the job hunt you're starting to get impatient and want a new job. Everything about your current job annoys you from the way the office is laid out to the location to the people you work with, even if you used to like them. As tempting as it is do not pull sickies. If of course you're really hating your job then chances are that you'll end up getting sick anyway. Do not take off more time than you need to. It just won't do you any favours. As tempting as it is, until you find another job you are still an employee and must still show some loyalty to your employer, even if on the inside you don't want to.
Do not breach company policy
When you're job hunting, or even once you've found another job and given your notice it could be tempting to skive off, though the chances are you've been doing a bit of that anyway because you've been so unhappy in your job in the first place, but still try and get some work done. The company is paying you after all. It may be tempting to tell your friends all that is wrong with the company, but don't. Again, even if you're changing industries the world is a very small place and you want to leave on good terms. You may have no intentions of ever going back but you have no idea who knows whom or when you'll need a reference from them, so try and get work done. Try and be friendly to the other staff and though you've mentally checked out try to do the job to the best of your ability.
Do not burn bridges
This is similar to the other one but when you do find a new job it could be tempting to go to your employer and tell them to take their job and shove it, but don't because it will leave a really bad impression. Don't just quit on the spot either. No employer will forgive you for doing that. Instead, if your notice period is one month but you want to leave in two weeks then simply be straight up with your employer and ask them if that's okay. The chances are that because you've been unhappy in the job you haven't been working to the best of your ability and that being the case, although it will be an inconvenience your employer will actually be happy to see you go. Plus a month is a really long time. Two weeks is more manageable when someone doesn't want to be there.
There are so many things to consider when job hunting but these are just a few of the key points. And the main one, to summarise is, try to be considerate to your current employer and colleagues when you are job hunting and seeing out your notice. In the long run it will yield better results.
I've had many discussions with friends about this topic lately so I thought I'd lay out a few ground rules when you are job hunting so that you leave your current employer on good terms and possibly with the ability to get a reference once you've left.
When should you apply?
If you don't like your job anymore then naturally you're going to want to get out of there as soon as possible but what should you do when you apply? When should you apply? Should you use your work computer? There are certain behaviours that are acceptable and ones that are not. You should absolutely not even think of using your work computer to apply for jobs. Although it would be ideal for you to apply for jobs outside of work hours that is not always possible, so if you must apply during the day then use your smartphone. In today's age you can save your CV to job sites and apply from your phone by entering some text. The bonus of applying using your smartphone is that there is no record that anyone can trace, so long as it is your personal smartphone and it is subtle. This means that until you hand in your notice nobody at your current job will even know you're looking. Some people don't mind their current employer knowing that they're planning to move on but for most people it would be awkward so it's best to keep it quiet.
When should you schedule interviews?
This is a really tricky one. Even if you don't like your current employer a part of you still wants to do the right thing by them otherwise you wouldn't be there at all. If you can then schedule interviews in the morning before work, or after work, just make sure you allow for travel time. If the places are close to your current work then you may be able to wrangle an interview in your lunch break. Now, if you work in a casual job then you'll need a change of clothes. If you're like me and you go to the gym then to keep the hunt discrete you can put your change of clothes in your gym bag and change at the gym or using the public toilets at the train station. Even though you're not doing anything wrong by wanting to improve your future it feels like you're cheating on your employer by looking around for something better so be discrete. If you must schedule interviews during work hours try to schedule them first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon so you can start late or finish early under the guise of a doctor's appointment or some other urgent appointment. Of course, the level of the excuse you'll need to make will depend on the style of employer you currently have. The more laid back the employer, the smaller the excuse you'll have to make as to why you're late or have to leave early.
Do not pull sickies.
Look. Your job hunt probably has two phases. In the first phase you're sussing out the market and seeing what's out there. You're probably flicking off your CV to a number of businesses and not being worried about what happens. You haven't completely checked out of your current job. In the second phase of the job hunt you're starting to get impatient and want a new job. Everything about your current job annoys you from the way the office is laid out to the location to the people you work with, even if you used to like them. As tempting as it is do not pull sickies. If of course you're really hating your job then chances are that you'll end up getting sick anyway. Do not take off more time than you need to. It just won't do you any favours. As tempting as it is, until you find another job you are still an employee and must still show some loyalty to your employer, even if on the inside you don't want to.
Do not breach company policy
When you're job hunting, or even once you've found another job and given your notice it could be tempting to skive off, though the chances are you've been doing a bit of that anyway because you've been so unhappy in your job in the first place, but still try and get some work done. The company is paying you after all. It may be tempting to tell your friends all that is wrong with the company, but don't. Again, even if you're changing industries the world is a very small place and you want to leave on good terms. You may have no intentions of ever going back but you have no idea who knows whom or when you'll need a reference from them, so try and get work done. Try and be friendly to the other staff and though you've mentally checked out try to do the job to the best of your ability.
Do not burn bridges
This is similar to the other one but when you do find a new job it could be tempting to go to your employer and tell them to take their job and shove it, but don't because it will leave a really bad impression. Don't just quit on the spot either. No employer will forgive you for doing that. Instead, if your notice period is one month but you want to leave in two weeks then simply be straight up with your employer and ask them if that's okay. The chances are that because you've been unhappy in the job you haven't been working to the best of your ability and that being the case, although it will be an inconvenience your employer will actually be happy to see you go. Plus a month is a really long time. Two weeks is more manageable when someone doesn't want to be there.
There are so many things to consider when job hunting but these are just a few of the key points. And the main one, to summarise is, try to be considerate to your current employer and colleagues when you are job hunting and seeing out your notice. In the long run it will yield better results.
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Duncan Garner and Heather du Plessis Allan replacing John Campbell on TV3
A couple of months ago there was major controversy in New Zealand after it was announced that Campbell Live was being reviewed. Whenever someone says something is up for review you know instantly that it is going to be axed. Fans formed a union in their masses to support host John Campbell who had been with Mediaworks for 24 years and worked his way up within the company.
After six weeks of campaigning it came to a head and John Campbell decided to resign before the final decision was announced. Following his decision it was revealed that the show was going to be cut to four nights with another co host joining him.
Obviously that couldn't happen so Mediaworks management communicated with the public that they would be searching for new hosts to replace Campbell.
Two weeks ago it was reported that RadioLive talkback host Duncan Garner and TVNZ political reporter and Herald on Sunday columnist Heather Du Plessis Allan on a new show to air at 7pm Monday - Thursday in place of Campbell Live, Story.
The reaction to the appointments has been mixed with some still wanting John Campbell on TV3, however times change and media changes. Forgetting that John Campbell came to speak to one of my journalism classes in year two at the University of Auckland, (which Duncan Garner did at the Auckland University of Technology - a private lecture out of class hours) the time was right for him to move on. Up until his last six weeks the show was becoming stale with him obsessing about particular stories and with fluff stories at the end of the shows. The quality just wasn't there so it's no wonder the ratings dipped from around 300,000 a night to just over 100,000. That was not sustainable for advertisers who want to get bang for their buck.
Choosing Duncan Garner and Heather du Plessis Allan to host the new program is the right choice for Mediaworks. Garner has a strong history in political journalism, as does du Plessis Allan. Together they'll be a great mix. Unlike on TV One, with the exception of Nadine Chalmers Ross and Pippa Wetzell, TV One has a poor record with picking women to go with the strong male hosts like Mike Hosking. It seems as if TV3 management has finally struck the right balance between a strong male and a strong female. The woman will no longer play second fiddle or the supporting act and this is good to see.
A review of the first show will be written once it has aired but I'm feeling pretty confident that Duncan Garner and Heather du Plessis Allan are the right fit. It has been a long time coming for the two.
After six weeks of campaigning it came to a head and John Campbell decided to resign before the final decision was announced. Following his decision it was revealed that the show was going to be cut to four nights with another co host joining him.
Obviously that couldn't happen so Mediaworks management communicated with the public that they would be searching for new hosts to replace Campbell.
Two weeks ago it was reported that RadioLive talkback host Duncan Garner and TVNZ political reporter and Herald on Sunday columnist Heather Du Plessis Allan on a new show to air at 7pm Monday - Thursday in place of Campbell Live, Story.
The reaction to the appointments has been mixed with some still wanting John Campbell on TV3, however times change and media changes. Forgetting that John Campbell came to speak to one of my journalism classes in year two at the University of Auckland, (which Duncan Garner did at the Auckland University of Technology - a private lecture out of class hours) the time was right for him to move on. Up until his last six weeks the show was becoming stale with him obsessing about particular stories and with fluff stories at the end of the shows. The quality just wasn't there so it's no wonder the ratings dipped from around 300,000 a night to just over 100,000. That was not sustainable for advertisers who want to get bang for their buck.
Choosing Duncan Garner and Heather du Plessis Allan to host the new program is the right choice for Mediaworks. Garner has a strong history in political journalism, as does du Plessis Allan. Together they'll be a great mix. Unlike on TV One, with the exception of Nadine Chalmers Ross and Pippa Wetzell, TV One has a poor record with picking women to go with the strong male hosts like Mike Hosking. It seems as if TV3 management has finally struck the right balance between a strong male and a strong female. The woman will no longer play second fiddle or the supporting act and this is good to see.
A review of the first show will be written once it has aired but I'm feeling pretty confident that Duncan Garner and Heather du Plessis Allan are the right fit. It has been a long time coming for the two.
The role of schools and parents in children's education
A few days ago a 15 year old in New Zealand's Hawkes Bay region was tasked with an assignment where she had to write on something she felt passionate about. Her essay ended up getting her in trouble because her chosen topic was the failings of the education system in NZ. She said that rather than people learning Maths and English they should learn how to apply for jobs and how to manage their finances.
There are a few fundamental problems with her argument.
Finance can be incorporated into Maths and writing a legible CV can be incorporated into English. If people can't construct basic sentences, how can they get a job like the 15 year old Hawke's Bay student said? If they can't calculate basic equations then how can they manage their money? You'd be surprised how often basic secondary school mathematics comes up in every day life. I don't know about you but I use it doing my budget, as do governments. I use English every day when writing emails and speaking to people. These are basic skills and the reality is that without English and Maths (basic) you won't get very far in life.
Understandably there has been some controversy saying the term is misguided, which she is, however commentators are wrong about one thing - it is possible to know what you want to do from a small age. I decided what I wanted to do when I was six years old so as a result I never focused on maths or science as they aren't required in writing and journalism. I then studied media and politics at university where maths and science were not at all needed but as I mention, maths is needed on a day to day basis, more than you'd think.
Then there's the other question, what role do schools have and what should be done by parents? Isn't the purpose of schools to teach children the basics so that they can get into university, TAFE or get a job straight after school? Shouldn't CV writing and budgeting be taught by parents? It seems as if some people are expecting more from schools than is necessary when their job is simply to get people educated so they can get jobs or go onto further study.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
What to do when you're in the wrong job
Every day we read stories about people who dislike their jobs and their bosses. In these stories we read about people struggling to get through the daily grind of doing work in a field they do not care about. In fact more often than not people are so disgruntled in their jobs that some believe you're lucky if you enjoy your job.
Anyway if you despise your job and it's not a short term thing that will go away there are steps you can take to make it less painful.
Talk to your boss: if you have an approachable boss the first step is to talk to your boss about why you're frustrated and try and reach a solution both parties are happy with. If that means less responsibility or more responsibility then ask for that.
Weigh up the pros and cons: is it the job you hate or the company? If it's one or the other there are ways around that. You can focus on the positive attributes of the job or the company. Focus on what you do like to make things more pleasant for you.
Money is a big issue for loads of people. If you have issues with the money then talk to your employer about a pay increase. However, if not even money will make you happy then it's a definite sign you're in the wrong job and need to find something more suitable.
In this economy you'd be a fool to resign from a job without somewhere else to go so if you really hate your job and your manager then start looking for a better job. You shouldn't dread going to work everyday and it is much better to leave while you are still on good terms before you completely lose the plot and quit without notice.
If you know what you want to do then that passion will show and sooner rather than later you will find the right job, one that uses your skills. The fact is if you don't feel appreciated or valued in your job you're best to find something else. Nobody would suggest you should love every aspect of your job but if it's causing you anger, frustration and affecting your personal life you need to move on fast to somewhere that utilises your skills and will move you forward in the direction in which you want to go.
Happy job hunting, and if you really dislike your job and have a passion outside of that job focus on making your passion your employment. When you have passion you'll perform better and that will translate to more money in the long run.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)