If National wins ...

[Major von Tempsky]

There's lots of Labour lining people who read Whaleoil (some have even posted there/written articles there) which all helps to make it the most popular blog.

I believe the attempts to control John Key are ludicrous....how would the average man in the street take it if he was told he couldn't text with anyone he wanted to about anything that came to mind? That he wasn't allowed to delete any texts? Insanity reigns. Laughable. And people will vote against these personal liberty infringing efforts just as they did against Nicky Hager/Kim Dotcom's Dirty Politics.

[slimwin]

John key isn't any man in the street. He's the prime minister and publicly accountable for his actions. That's part of his job and I'm sure he'd agree.

[Major von Tempsky]

Even the PM is allowed some private life, to scratch his balls, pick his nose, fart when no one is around, to have private conversations with his friends, with Bronwyn, to make occasional provocative remarks which his friends know he doesn't mean and so they all have a good laugh together.

What is new is the effort to attempt 24/7 surveillance and reporting on the PM which has never been applied to any previous NZ PM. Did we get constant reports on which of Helen Clark's lesbian friends she talked to and about what? No way! Just be consistent is all I ask for - apply the same treatment to John Key as was applied to Micky Savage, Sid Holland, Walter Nash, Keith Holyoake, Norm Kirk, Helen Clark.

[Major von Tempsky]

Even the PM is allowed some private life, to scratch his balls, pick his nose, fart when no one is around, to have private conversations with his friends, with Bronwyn, to make occasional provocative remarks which his friends know he doesn't mean and so they all have a good laugh together.

What is new is the effort to attempt 24/7 surveillance and reporting on the PM which has never been applied to any previous NZ PM. Did we get constant reports on which of Helen Clark's lesbian friends she talked to and about what? No way! Just be consistent is all I ask for - apply the same treatment to John Key as was applied to Micky Savage, Sid Holland, Walter Nash, Keith Holyoake, Norm Kirk, Helen Clark.

[macduffy]

[QUOTEJust be consistent is all I ask for - apply the same treatment to John Key as was applied to Micky Savage, Sid Holland, Walter Nash, Keith Holyoake, Norm Kirk, Helen Clark[/QUOTE].

Yes, that would be great. But for better or worse, politics and communications technology have moved a long way since those years.

[artemis]

[QUOTEJust be consistent is all I ask for - apply the same treatment to John Key as was applied to Micky Savage, Sid Holland, Walter Nash, Keith Holyoake, Norm Kirk, Helen Clark

. Yes, that would be great. But for better or worse, politics and communications technology have moved a long way since those years. [/QUOTE]

The public appetite for 'news' - new and hopefully juicy - is probably much the same as it always was. The way the media, including online forums, treat 'news' has changed. Back in the day, there were oblique references and innuendo from the media, and rumour and whispering between people. These days much more explicit.

[elZorro]

The public appetite for 'news' - new and hopefully juicy - is probably much the same as it always was. The way the media, including online forums, treat 'news' has changed. Back in the day, there were oblique references and innuendo from the media, and rumour and whispering between people. These days much more explicit.

Just as well the press are letting us know more about what is going on. I think some politicians are bending the rules, and John Key et al are trying it on, more than others have in the past. It is normal for a party to have three terms to show NZ voters what they can do, and by the end of that, they are usually swapped out. I am of course hoping that we have just under another three years of National governing. John Key appears to be working on life after politics.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/ne...ectid=11379425

[artemis]

Just as well the press are letting us know more about what is going on......

Yes they are being more upfront than say back in the 70s and 80s. There is still some - maybe much, who would know - that is under reported in the main stream media, leading to accusations of bias from both left and right.

Appears that this year there will be a new media site - FREED - which will have a different take on the news. Remains to be seen how it compares to existing media. I daresay there will be plenty of commentary about the new site inside and outside the media.

[elZorro]

Yes they are being more upfront than say back in the 70s and 80s. There is still some - maybe much, who would know - that is under reported in the main stream media, leading to accusations of bias from both left and right.

Appears that this year there will be a new media site - FREED - which will have a different take on the news. Remains to be seen how it compares to existing media. I daresay there will be plenty of commentary about the new site inside and outside the media.

The only reference I can find for FREED is from Cameron Slater's blog? Doesn't sound very enlightening.

On further searching, here is a lot more detail, it'll be funded by Tony Lentino, Instra owner.

http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/tony-le...l-20-site-back

[BlackPeter]

The only reference I can find for FREED is from Cameron Slater's blog? Doesn't sound very enlightening.

On further searching, here is a lot more detail, it'll be funded by Tony Lentino, Instra owner.

http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/tony-le...l-20-site-back

Ah well, I must admit some of his companions sound a bit suspect. However if what the article says is true (that he is initiating the site because he is frustrated about the quality of news and journalism in New Zealand), than I can feel with him. Hardly possible to imagine that any new site can make things worse.