Stuff Media has released an ‘investigation’ titled “OUR TRUTH”. Their investigation claims to go into how Maori have been reported on in racist ways, how racism is at the core of media bias, and how Stuff has failed.
A cursory look through the article exposes an incredible pattern and one that I was shocked to find.
Stuff alleges that the following publications have engaged in racism: The Dominion Post, The Evening Post, The Press, Marlborough Express, Waikato Times, Timaru Herald, Taranaki Herald, Auckland Star, The Dominion and the Manawatu Standard. All newspapers either now owned by Stuff or closed down.
However, the carefully crafted articles generally avoid mentioning Stuff itself in a negative way, instead repeatedly using all the names above in the articles. Words such as “we” and “our” are placed liberally to give the impression that self-reflection is the main thrust, but again, the name “Stuff” itself is kept away from being among the ‘racist media’. In fact, I could only find one mention of Stuff in the negative, with a highly benign sentence stating: “Trouble stayed away from Waitangi today,’ Stuff opened its report in 2015.”
In one of the articles, astonishingly titled “Stuff’s brave new era“, CEO Sinead Boucher denies that the collection of articles is about being Woke or PC.
There will be elements of that, of course. However, I agree with her: I think what Stuff has done is far worse.
In proclaiming their virtue, Stuff has been very careful in linking racism to other publications, not Stuff. This is clever, as Stuff can then be seen as ‘leading the charge’ while at the same time not really being guilty of what they have charged others with (whether owned by Stuff or closed).
As far as I am concerned, this is about money: a carefully constructed giant ad to make you feel nice about the media company called Stuff, which is using Maori and the term ‘racism’ as a marketing tool to increase market share.
And I find that despicable, both as a conservative who believes in equality, and a proud member of Te Atiawa, Ngati Raukawa who has fought for decades against the victim mentality that plagues many of our people today.
I end with the words of the CEO who bought the company and has been working hard with alternate marketing decisions to make more profit.
“We really have had an enormous impact in shaping public thought in New Zealand and societal norms, not just reflecting them, and I think it is only fitting that a progressive company can pause and have a look at itself.”
Sinead Boucher, “Stuff’s brave new era.”
Stuff’s investigation, “Our Truth”, is anything but the real truth, and has only reinforced my observation that in general, the true racists of today are those who have covered themselves in a self-proclaimed glory of ‘anti-racism’, while spreading and embedding their racism deep into our society.
Ki a monuina
Elliot Ikilei
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