Almost all the media appear to be (perhaps under government financial guidance) still obsessed with something called Covid. Meanwhile, almost all of the population have moved on and are worrying about more immediate and pressing problems like inflation and the cost of living. The media are avoiding these topics as they reflect badly on their paymistress and her Government. Two notable exceptions are The BFD and Newstalk ZB. These two organisations appear to be the only media outlets regularly holding this Government to account.
It is a pleasure to read BFD articles from contributors writing with a high standard that more often than not surpasses the mainstream media for honesty and accuracy. The same applies to listening to Newstalk ZB where Mike Hosking, Kerre Woodham, Heather du Plessis-Allan and others tell it like it is. Their stablemate the NZ Herald appears to be on a different page. Whether the hierarchy of the business has decided to implement a left/right political approach is a question worth asking. More likely the NZ Herald is a hotbed of leftie journos whose narrative is out of step with public opinion, versus radio hosts who are in step and rate accordingly.
Last weekend’s Herald on Sunday was a case in point, where pages 2 and 3 were full of monkeypox and Covid. Monkeypox probably warranted an article of sorts, but the article on Covid told us nothing we didn’t already know. It featured further lecturing from Siouxsie Wiles and Michael Baker. These two were bemoaning the fact that not enough of the public was following their advice such as wearing masks and getting themselves tested. Michael Baker was hoping everyone at the rugby would be wearing a mask.
Wiles and Baker are ‘pissing in the wind’, as the saying goes. The reason the public is not cooperating is that they have moved on, not just here but globally. Governments around the world have moved on. Many people are saying the winter ’flu has been worse than Covid. In turn, the media need to move on. They need to stop giving daily numbers which are meaningless, as not everyone is reporting whether they have Covid or the ’flu and not everyone is testing.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that the media’s constant pushing of Covid is due to the fear of losing the money offered in the journalism fund. The fact Covid is no longer a big issue anywhere in the world is reflected in the polls. Inflation and the economy are the two big issues. An American poll at the weekend confirmed this. Even abortion, supposedly the big issue in America, was rated only by 10 per cent of the population as an important issue while Covid only rated 4 per cent.
Hardly any articles in the Herald on Sunday referred to either the economy or the cost of living. The media have preferred to continue to focus on the Government’s view on Covid, which has been a political issue rather than a health issue from the outset. The Government’s handling of Covid at the start reflected public opinion. Now it does not but the media are still pushing the same barrow, talking about the Government’s nonsense of going back to red or even lockdowns. If lockdowns were to happen again (as unlikely as it might seem) it would be a further nail in the coffin of Ardern’s political career.
It’s time for the media to start reflecting public opinion, which is that people want a return to normality and to be able to get on with their lives. People have had enough of the Labour Government’s narrative that the media continue to push. The media need to start talking more about inflation and the cost of living, which are worrying people far more than Covid. They need to stop following Government directives on what to say and start being the ‘free press’ they are supposed to be in a democratic country.
If that means losing government handouts then so be it. The way the money has been allotted reflects the saying that ‘money is the root of all evil’, and borders on corruption. The media need to reject any further Government bribes and start printing and featuring articles of importance to the people rather than constantly pushing the Government’s false narrative.
Until then the media richly deserve a slow handclap.
