NZ Media is so untrustworthy
David Seymour has to bring his own camera crew
It’s a sad state of affairs when politicians in New Zealand are forced to carry a camera crew just to protect themselves from being misquoted by the very people meant to report the truth. But here we are, watching ACT Leader David Seymour take the smart step of filming all his interactions with the media. And who can blame him? The mainstream media have shown, time and again, that they are incapable of fair or balanced reporting - especially when it involves anyone who challenges their cosy relationship with the political left.
Seymour’s decision is necessary. The media in this country have long since stopped holding power to account. Instead, they’ve become loyal servants to the progressive elite. Their hearts still bleed red for Labour, and perhaps that has something to do with the $50 million "media rescue" fund Labour handed out during its last term under the most horrible leader we have ever had. Jacinda handed out ‘hush’ money.
I guess this is why there’s zero serious scrutiny of Te Pāti Māori, a party built entirely on race-based politics. It’s why there was no media outrage when Rawiri Waititi posted a video filled with anti-white rhetoric. In the clip, Black Americans hurl insults like "violent," "genocidal," and "thieves" at white people. Swap the races around and the media would have had a field day. Silence is the only response when it doesn’t fit the preferred narrative.
The same media that scream about hate speech conveniently ignore the fact that Māori, while less than 20 percent of the population, are overwhelmingly represented in violent crime statistics. These aren’t opinions, they’re facts, based on official data. But those facts are dangerous to a media machine built on grievance, guilt, and identity politics.
Right now, I’m reading Trust Me, I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator, a book recommended by
. It’s a revealing look into how the media manipulates emotion, distorts truth, and shapes public opinion for profit and power. It’s disturbingly familiar. The only difference is that in the US, at least some journalists are willing to expose the rot. In New Zealand, most are part of it.
David Seymour has done what any smart politician would do in a media landscape like this, he’s taken control of the narrative before the media can twist it. Good on him. Until the press is stripped of its bias and returns to journalism over activism, every right-wing politician should follow his lead.
I achieved a degree in Media & Cultural Studies in OZ in the late nineties…
Worked briefly for a State politician…learning what I did while achieving my degree was all I ever needed to give me the reason to never want to work in media…it’s entirely driven by advertising revenue…full stop.
What is “truth” or “news” is intrinsically linked to dollars.
The media lost all credibility during covid. The biased dramatic reporting was appalling. One Stuff story still stands out in my mind. It was an story on conspiracy theorists and vaccination. The story was centered around an anonymous teenager talking about his anonymous "Auntie" and how she apparently watched conspiratorial social media all day and therefore didn't want to get vaccinated. No names, no evidence, just third hand gossip and innuendo presented as journalism.