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### Viewing cable 08WELLINGTON105, POLITICAL OBJECTIVITY OF NZ MEDIA QUESTIONED

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08WELLINGTON105 | 2008-03-19 23:11 | 2011-04-28 00:12 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Wellington

`

    VZCZCXRO9779
    RR RUEHDT RUEHPB
    DE RUEHWL #0105/01 0792329
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 192329Z MAR 08
    FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5153
    INFO RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 1640
    RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 5146
    RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0654
    RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
    RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 WELLINGTON 000105

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS
    SENSITIVE

    STATE FOR STATE FOR EAP/ANP
    PACOM FOR J01E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NZ
    SUBJECT: POLITICAL OBJECTIVITY OF NZ MEDIA QUESTIONED

    WELLINGTON 00000105  001.2 OF 003

    ¶1. (SBU)  Summary.  The Labour Government's relationship with the
    New Zealand media has become increasingly tense and prompted Prime
    Minister Clark to call into question its behaviour and political
    objectivity.  At the same time, opposition National Party leader
    John Key has received lighter press criticism, with Labour's dive in
    the February polls given front-page headlines and endless op-ed
    commentary suggesting the 2008 election is already over and Key has
    won.  Political analysts (and some media) admit that Labour simply
    produces more grist for media comment than the opposition or minor
    parties.  Once National begins to unveil more policy and a sense of
    how it will govern if elected, the media will provide greater
    scrutiny and any perceived notion of uneven media attention will
    dissipate. End Summary.

    NZ Media Objectivity Called into Question
    -----------------------------------------

    ¶2. (SBU)  Since the start of 2008 election year, the Labour
    Government and Prime Minister Clark have been regularly subjected to
    intense analysis and criticism by New Zealand's media.  Conversely,
    the opposition National Party and its leader John Key have had far
    less scrutiny during this period.  In response, the Government has
    lashed out repeatedly at the press, characterising the media as less
    than well-informed and calling into question journalists'
    objectivity.  One of the country's most seasoned and well-respected
    journalists, Richard Harman, dismissed suggestions of media bias and
    offered that this was "par for the course."  He noted that in the
    run-up to every election since the early 1970s he has been accused
    of bias by both major parties.

    Fissure in the Labour-Press Relationship
    ----------------------------------------

    ¶3. (SBU)  Since coming to power in 1999, Labour's relationship with
    the press has been reasonably good.  However, in 2007 two pivotal
    events signalled that the character of this relationship was headed
    for a downturn.  The first was the introduction of the highly
    contentious Electoral Finance Bill legislation, which sought to cap
    political campaign spending by an individual or organisation.  The
    Bill sparked uniform, and often acerbic, press criticism of Clark
    and her Government; the media argued it was an abuse of power which
    unfairly restricted free speech.  Leading the charge was The New
    Zealand Herald, the country's most widely read newspaper, which
    launched a visceral front-page campaign against Labour for
    introducing the Bill.  Even though the Bill became law on December
    19, 2007, the Herald's campaign continues unabated.  The Herald
    publishes a monthly 'name and shame' graphic of the Labour MPs who
    voted for the Bill.

    ¶4. (SBU)  The second event was a speech Clark gave shortly before
    the Electoral Finance legislation became law.  Embattled by the
    steady diet of press condemnation about the Bill, Clark questioned
    the quality and judgment of New Zealand journalism.  She asserted
    that Kiwi journalists lack general knowledge and are too young to
    remember seminal events in New Zealand's history.  Citing the
    Herald's anti-Electoral Finance bill campaign as an example, Clark
    questioned whether journalists are upholding their professional
    duties to be truthful, fair and balanced.  The Herald was not alone
    at the receiving end of Clark's wrath.  She also singled out New
    Zealand's second largest newspaper, The Dominion Post and the
    Political Editor for TV3 News for criticism.

    Clark Detects Right-Wing Bias in Some Publications
    --------------------------------------------- -----

    ¶5. (SBU)  In addition to questioning the professionalism of some
    journalists, Clark also suggested that Labour's difficulty in
    attracting positive press reviews in recent times was the result of
    an ideological bias against Labour.  She believes that The New
    Zealand Herald, in particular, lacks objectivity and has a long-held
    political prejudice against Labour.  On February 27, Clark accused
    The Herald of running "a silly campaign" against the Electoral
    Finance legislation and added that "it was a Tory paper which has
    shown no charity to Labour in the party's 91 years of existence."
    The paper rejected claims that its campaign is ideologically driven
    and maintained that it is simply fulfilling its role in questioning
    authority and meeting its obligation to guard against the outright
    abuse of power and constrictions against the freedom of speak.

    ¶6. (SBU)  Clark's assertion of right-wing bias was not limited to
    the mainstream publications.  In the March edition of the New
    Zealand Law Journal, its editor questioned whether free and fair
    elections could be held under new election funding rules.  The
    editor also characterized present conditions in New Zealand under
    the new funding rules as "Putinesque." Clark responded by saying

    WELLINGTON 00000105  002.2 OF 003

    that such comments came as no surprise, given the editor was "at the
    opposite end of the political spectrum" from her. (Comment: Clark's
    remark is accurate regarding Law Journal editor Bernard Robertson.
    End Comment)

    Liberal Media Also Critical of Clark
    ------------------------------------

    ¶7. (SBU)  Clark's assessment that competing ideology is behind some
    of the media's lack of enthusiasm towards her and Labour can,
    however, be challenged by the recent writings of Chris Trotter, New
    Zealand's most identifiable left-wing political commentator.  Over
    the past month, Trotter has been sharply critical of Clark's ability
    to lead her party to victory in this year's election.  In light of
    successive polls showing Labour well behind National in the party
    vote and Clark consistently coming in second to Key in preferred PM
    polling, Trotter has argued that Labour's only hope of winning the
    election is for Defence Minister Phil Goff to replace Clark as party
    leader.  Another openly left-friendly writer, Matt MacCarten, has
    also been as critical of Labour and Clark in recent columns.

    Journalist: Boredom Causing Uneven Media interest
    --------------------------------------------- ----

    ¶8. (SBU)  An Australian journalist who once reported on NZ politics
    for a major Australian newspaper and who also worked for The New
    Zealand Herald does believe that there exists an uneven balance of
    critical attention towards Clark and her Government at the expense
    of Key and his National Party.  But according to Australian
    journalist Claire Harvey, this bias is not based on ideology.  In a
    radio interview on March 9, Harvey opined that any bias against
    Clark and Labour is largely based on the NZ media's fondness for
    political novelty, with John Key representing a fresh face.
    Additionally, Harvey posits that NZ reporters implicitly yearn for a
    change in political management because they do not want to spend the
    next three years continuing to report of yet another Labour
    government consisting of many of the some personalities from
    previous years.  She believes that the NZ press are simply bored
    with Clark and Labour and claimed that "everything that needs to be
    written about this Labour Government has already been written."

    Clark Finds Disfavor, Key Gets a Waiver
    ---------------------------------------

    ¶9. (SBU)  Whereas the media appear to be relishing the problems
    facing Clark and Labour, with front-page banner headlines trumpeting
    its recent poor poll results, they seem to be savoring Key and his
    party's ascendancy in the polls.  Notably, two of New Zealand most
    distinguished political commentators have all but anointed Key as
    the election victor.  In his recent columns, The Herald's John
    Armstrong has referenced Key as the "Prime Minister-in-waiting."
    His Herald stable mate Colin James, normally seen to be relatively
    Labour-friendly, has been found to using "when" when talking about
    Key as Prime Minister, not "if."  Moreover, in an address to the New
    Zealand Institute of International Affairs on March 11, James
    forecast that "Clark will likely give way to Key" at this year's
    general election.  When asked by post to comment on perceived
    notions of media bias, James rejected the suggestion that he writes
    from one particular ideological perspective.

    ¶10. (SBU)  Key has not been completely free from critical media
    scrutiny in recent times.  In the week of March 3, Key received
    media criticism for a succession of gaffes he made relating to his
    misinterpretations of his party's policy and a lack of clarity on
    the issue of state asset sales.  Some of this criticism from
    columnists, however, resembled advice rather than censure.  Tracey
    Watkins of The Dominion Post, for example, appeared to warn Key that
    if he does not lift his game he would wear Labour's "slippery John"
    label.  Journalists have told Post's Media Specialist that they are
    becoming very frustrated with National's lack of stated policy and
    its unwillingness to take positions on issues of public interest.
    They have noted that Key sometimes has reacted angrily to their
    desire to pin down his position on issues and they have wondered
    aloud how he will stand up to the rigour of an election campaign.

    The NZ Media's Political Influence
    ----------------------------------

    ¶11. (SBU)  The degree to which mainstream media in New Zealand
    influence voting patterns is not fully defined.  There is little
    capacity for editors and publishers to become political kingmakers
    nor is there great receptivity among the New Zealand public.  Unlike
    in the United States, it is not customary for the mainstream media
    to explicitly endorse a candidate for political office.  Moreover,
    the tighter controls on publishing political opinion, as a result of

    WELLINGTON 00000105  003.2 OF 003

    the new campaign funding rules, give the press little leeway to take
    a biased position.  There does exist in New Zealand authentic
    political bias in the country's blogosphere, where some of New
    Zealand's main political pundits have their own blogs where they
    voice a more jaundiced perspective in contrast to their mainstream
    media reporting.  However, the ability of the Internet to influence
    the political landscape is limited because in New Zealand its viral
    reach falls far behind that of the mainstream media.

    Comment
    -------

    ¶12. (SBU)  Clark is no different from most politicians who are
    predisposed to blame their political woes on the press.
    Nonetheless, her criticism that the media are pacing public opinion
    rather that simply reporting it has some validity and has raised
    questions from more neutral observers.  However, Clark's hypothesis
    that the lack of positive stories on Labour and herself is
    ideologically motivated is excessive.  The media's true bias is
    often conflict and political drama, which is most compelling to the
    general public - and Labour has provided a series of bad news
    stories since late last year that make for good copy and sell
    papers.  One of Key's advisors also discounts that National is
    getting a free ride and has told us that the media can be just as
    vicious with National; he anticipates the press will be just as
    tough on a National Government, should it win, as they are with
    Labour.  End Comment.

    McCormick

`