Mike Hosking: Just like Joe Biden, the media needs to keep Jacinda Ardern honest

NZ Herald 28 January 2021
Family First Comment: More praise for our media analysis:
“The local media, or at least too much of it, are in love with the PM and her Government. The glaring truth was exposed last week by Family First and the work conducted by an emeritus professor over coverage of the Government’s cannabis vote last year. The vast majority of the major media players in this country were hopelessly one-sided towards the yes vote, and, despite that, pretended to play a straight bat… The beauty of the work by Family First was that the cannabis question was simple – yes or no. By the way, if this detail is news to you, that’s because not one of those exposed in that report for their own bias in the referendum covered the story of their bias, making them even more biased.”
Yeah – interesting eh!!

It’s been reassuring and yet a little bit surprising to be able to read the amount of material published questioning the arrival of Joe Biden.

My fear was that such was the relief at the demise of Trump, Biden would be given a free ride by a media that sadly shows less and less desire to be bipartisan, balanced, fair and honest.

To be clear, there has been no shortage of such material from the apparatchiks, but fortunately they’ve failed so far to totally silence the more reasoned observers.

But in the reportage questioning the new President and whether he’s more words and ideas than actions, there is a local irony – and a glaring one.

The questioning around our own Government appears so far this year to be underwhelming, if not lacking.

There has been coverage of the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s partner Clarke Gayford and his photo session of Jacinda and daughter at the beach, we’ve had reportage of Clarke and Jacinda and how they saw in the new year, and we’ve had reportage of a social media post from the PM with a shot of fireworks wishing us all well for 2021.

This is the sort of reportage we got for the previous three years. Also, reportage of a magazine that named our PM as the best politician in the world.

There is nuance and variation on policy and announcements, and there is debate to be had around approach and what was or wasn’t asked, and what was or wasn’t followed up.

The beauty of the work by Family First was that the cannabis question was simple – yes or no.

By the way, if this detail is news to you, that’s because not one of those exposed in that report for their own bias in the referendum covered the story of their bias, making them even more biased.
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/mike-hosking-just-like-joe-biden-the-media-needs-to-keep-jacinda-ardern-honest/W2LVENC5GQSHR74XFB2KLWXFY4/