Desarrollos relativos al marco normativo a Alcance

One of 7 Days’ characteristic parodic episodes concerned the media’s intense focus on New Zealand’s 2013 local body elections. Whilst the coverage pays a significant contribution to the ongoing political dialogue between political actors and the public and such high levels of coverage can be validated, many of the news items covering the local elections focused on the unconventional (“Rogers, rebels and rascals”, Taranaki Daily News, 2013), the not-so-serious (“Hamilton: Serious issues, not-so-serious candidates”, Lowery, 2013), the ‘sexy’ (“Local

106 body candidate in sexting scandal”, Mead, 2013), or the unorthodox campaigns of rural candidates (“Meeting the unorthodox mayoral candidates”, Akel, 2013). The stories coming out of New Zealand’s major news outlets were focused largely on the trivial elements of the elections and less on the serious policy issues faced by the regions. Of the 29 local body election stories on 3 News’ website leading up to the 12 October 2013 election day, only 4 looked at the campaign policies of the candidates, whilst 5 looked at the low voter turnouts across the country, and the rest were assorted stories on who the mayoral candidates were in various cities and who was leading the race (3news.co.nz, 22 April 2014).

PALINO VERSUS 7DAYS

7 Days’ approach to the coverage was to invite Auckland mayoral candidate John Palino for an appearance on Yes Minister and to question him in a way that highlighted the news media’s dependence on a sensational story (“7 Days: S05E22,” 2013). 7 Days’ coverage made obvious the facetious way in which the news media depoliticise this superficial approach to politics as natural and common sense. Chopper trivialises Palino’s status by likening him to pop-culture icon Clint Eastwood in his film Gran Torino (2008): “Can I just say, I loved you in that film where the war veteran befriended a Asian kid, bonded over the love of your classic car. What was it called? Grand Palino?” In Gran Torino American Eastwood plays an elderly racist war veteran, certainly not a persona Palino would want associated with himself or his political campaign.

Here the 7 Days crew focus on Palino’s heritage and name and place little to no focus on his potential-voters, running-mates, nor policies. The focus, as with the mainstream media’s coverage of his campaign, is usually the fact he is American and ‘not from here’. When Chopper attempts to highlight his foreignness at the beginning of the segment; “Ah now I believe you’re from Lodi?” Palino is quick to play on the Kiwi inclination to make fun of their neighbours Australia, “You’re from Australia aren’t you? That’s about the only thing that saves me here. Is the fact that there’s a lot of Australians here.” Palino swiftly points out that Chopper is Australian as sort of defensive disclaimer. Palino is reduced once again, by Chopper, saying “At least we race our own boats in Australia, when we’re not turning ‘em back and sending ‘em to Indonesia. That’s why they can’t have the America’s Cup in Australia. All the expensive yachts arrive and they’re like ‘no you’. Ah no, you’re from Lodi?”

Near the end of the segment Samoan panellist Josh Thomson undercuts Palino yet again with a reference to Pacific accents, “Mr Palino, Mr John-John Palino, do you understand what I’m

107 saying or do you need subtitles?” Whilst Palino responds with “Very clear”, the audience’s response is a strong burst of laughter. When Paul Ego asks “Team USA. Will you be cheating in the mayoral race also?” - alluding to the recent failure by Emirates Team NZ (who received a great deal of taxpayer funding) to beat out Oracle Team USA in the recent America’s Cup, Palino is quick to answer “absolutely not” thereby attempting to distance and differentiate himself from his ‘dishonest’ former homeland. This guest spot services the New Zealand national identity by stereotyping Palino as an arrogant, possibly racist, cliché American.

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In the wake of media personality Charlotte Dawson’s suicide there was strong backlash from members of the media against the role that social media can play in bullying and depression. TVNZ’s Breakfast programme did a spot, which later went viral, wherein television staff read nasty tweets aloud to illustrate the scrutiny they come under as public figures (“TVNZ stars read out their own online abuse,” 2014) – an idea undoubtedly lifted from Jimmy Kimmel Live’s ‘Celebrities Read Mean Tweets’ segment. It later came out that two featured stars, news anchor Peter Williams and Seven Sharp reporter Dean Butler, had made up their mean tweets after thinking the segment was to be a “light hearted parody” (“TVNZ apologises over fake abuse messages,” 2014). That Friday 28th _{of February 2014 the 7 Days team aired their own version} of ‘mean tweets’:

Jeremy Corbett: Unlike other networks, all of our tweets are real.

[Cuts to pre-recorded clip with Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” playing in the background] Dai Henwood: @DaiHenwood, I met you, turns out you aren’t that short

Urzila Carlson: @UrzilaCarlson, the recipe you’re looking for is in the Edmond’s Cookbook [winces]

Ben Hurley: Ben Hurley, you look a bit like a friend of mine, his name is Pete [shakes head]

Jesse Griffin: @JesseGriffin you’re really cool #awesome [scoffs]

Tom Furniss: @TomFurnissNZ, hey bro I think you left your sweatshirt at my house. (“7 Days: S06E2,” 2014, p. 2)

108 The sensationalism and emotive affect generated by the mainstream media, in this case Breakfast, is the target of the satire here. Corbett again plays up his everyday man persona when it becomes obvious he is not even on Twitter, whilst his crew proceed to demonstrate how well liked and normal they are. Fake sources and inaccurate news stories are nothing new to news media7 _{but the Breakfast segment’s ‘accidental’ mockery of Dawson’s death} undermined the credibility of the new outlet and broke all of the strategic rituals of journalism. In breaching this unwritten social contract between journalist and citizen, the core news values of accuracy and sincerity are significantly compromised.