Media: Web campaigners take aim at Target

TV3's Target is on the receiving end over an episode that aired this month.

TV3's Target is on the receiving end over an episode that aired this month.

Campaigners against a crackdown on copyright crime have taken aim at the TV3 consumer show Target.

The show featured numerous examples of copyright theft, including downloading music and videos.

But the episode's "shame on you" theme showed a "no questions asked" acceptance of record and movie industry arguments.

TV3 confirmed it had received formal complaints about the November 3 programme, but stood by the show.

Soon after being shown on TV3, the show was played on websites operated by the music industry body Rianz and by the New Zealand Federation Against Copyright Theft, to promote their anti-piracy messages.

Target was taken down from anti-piracy sites this week.

The issue of downloads has been fraught, with internet protests this year about Section 92a of the Copyright Act. Critics said the act would have forced internet service providers to shut out customers on the accusation of copyright owners.

Campaigners at the Creative Freedom Foundation said Target had shown just one side of the argument and it was little more than a video press release for industry lobby groups.

The overwrought delivery plus the fact that it was used as a direct plug by Rianz and NZFact suggests either copyright holders were 100 per cent right or Target should have been more sceptical.

TV3 and the Top Shelf production company said Target was explaining copyright obligations to consumers, not taking part in a debate.

TV3 commissioning executive Sue Woodfield said she had previously allowed programmes to be played on other websites because it is was good promotion.

Top Shelf's Vincent Burke said the company might treat the subject differently if it covered it again.

FLYING THE COOP

Saatchi & Saatchi refugees Andrew Stone and Mike O'Sullivan have been talking about a role in Air New Zealand's new open-source advertising regime.

The Saatchi chief executive and executive creative director have been in talks with global boss Kevin Roberts about leaving and setting up their own agency, creating a big question mark about Saatchi's direction.

But the big earners of New Zealand advertising are still working at Saatchi while quietly planning their future.

Ad industry insiders said the pair had been talking to Air New Zealand, which has dropped an exclusive agency relationship and opened the door to more creative ideas.

Mike O had a strong relationship with Air New Zealand when he was executive creative director at its agency Colenso BBDO several years ago.

"I like Mike and Rocky," said Air New Zealand general manager of marketing Steve Bayliss.

"They are great guys and I thoroughly enjoy catching up with them.

"I look forward to finding out what they are going to do some day," he added, playing down immediate prospects.

Asked if there were moves to work together, he said: "Not at this point in time."

Even if they did work with Air New Zealand after leaving Saatchi, it would not be an exclusive deal.

Air New Zealand has been a cornerstone account for Colenso BBDO - and the two maintain a good relationship.

But the airline says it has been walking away from a single source for ideas.

Baylis said that under its current approach Air New Zealand no longer had an exclusive relationship with a single agency, which it paid a hefty retainer.

ADVERTORIAL TV

SkyCity will be relieved to flick its cinema chain, which it agreed to sell to Amalgamated Holdings Ltd this week.

SkyCity chief Nigel Morrison credited SkyCity Cinemas general manager Jane Hastings with a new marketing focus that improved the chain's fortunes over the past 18 months.

She is a confident frontwoman and the new marketing focus has been apparent with her appearances as a regular guest or "reviewer"on the TVNZ programme Breakfast in the past two months.

Good on Hastings for using the promotional opportunity. But the deal where the head of the nation's biggest cinema chain talks about its offerings and is called a reviewer is another example of advertorial from TVNZ news and current affairs.

TVNZ spokeswoman Andi Brotherston said SkyCity did not pay for the spot, but the broadcaster received some free Gold Class cinema tickets for giveaways.

Hastings seemed practised at the advertorial technique of never raving, or giving the thumbs down.

The exception was Peter Jackson's Lovely Bones, which she said was "fantastic".

TVNZ says it is in the process of appointing an entertainment editor, and guests such as the SkyCity Cinemas general manager talking about movies will be less common in future.

BRIDGE TO NOWHERE

Ironbridge Capital, owner of MediaWorks, is set to announce a new capital structure for the company.

The firm, which owns TV3, C4 and half of New Zealand's commercial radio stations, has been labouring under heavy debts that date back to Ironbridge's May 2007 purchase of the company.

On August 31 last year the group had total borrowings of $530 million and finance costs of $92.8 million for debt, but there are no figures for the year to this August 31.

Brent Impey's departure from MediaWorks marks big change.

On a personal level Impey has cast a big shadow.

Sometimes terse and direct, he has been an expert negotiator, especially - and surprisingly - winning the respect of the Labour Government, which oversaw broadcasting through much of his tenure.

While openly focused on MediaWorks' interests, he convinced Labour politicians and public servants that the private sector could deliver Labour's aims for public broadcasting.

In radio - which was his true love - he has become aligned with Auckland Maori trusts led by his own announcers Willie Jackson and John Tamihere.

He took over Mai FM and George FM, boosting MediaWorks' reach in the Auckland commercial market.

Impey is an enigma. A passionate supporter of the private sector, he appears to be at heart a broadcaster - someone who likes the cut and thrust of business but who would love to be behind the microphone on night-time radio.

FULL-SERVICE

One view is that while Impey has a reputation for a tight budget, he had resisted calls from Ironbridge for more cuts.

The pressure is now likely to come on news and current affairs and especially the breakfast programme Sunrise - which is said to be the only news show not making a profit.

MediaWorks chairman Brent Harman insists there are no plans to change the business model for TV3 as a full-service channel that puts money into local production.

Ironbridge will want to maintain its brand profile if it wants to sell the title.

With TV3 to mark its 20th anniversary today, there will be a focus on its successes. But with a new era about to begin, the anniversary will also be a reminder of the dark early days of the network.

RADIO DAZE

Ironbridge New Zealand boss Kerry MacIntosh said the new set-up - with two separate CEOs for radio and television reporting to the MediaWorks board - did not signify that they would eventually be sold separately.

But buyers for media companies are few and far between, and with radio performing better than TV, it might attract more interest.

Who would buy? The name that comes readily to mind would be Impey himself - a man who has an intimate understanding of radio and whose commercial reputation would give him a good introduction to capital.

The recently appointed chief executive of MediaWorks Radio - Sussan Turner - has impressed Ironbridge's Aussie bosses by delivering on demands for cost-cutting.

The relationship between the radio and TV division has been tense this year with open animosity between TV3 and RadioLive over poaching of staff.

A PUBLISHER WRITES

Mango Public Relations managing director Claudia Macdonald noted in last week's column a trend for magazines to link editorial coverage with advertising, drawing a response from trade magazine publisher Stuart Freeman of ProMag Publishing.

Freeman said that over the past year there was increasing evidence of PR companies telling their clients to use public relations rather than advertising.

"We find that for many years some potential advertisers in the trade press environment have said 'we will only advertise if you give us editorial'.

"This has become fairly standard and is a line used by PR agents on behalf of their clients as well."

Freeman added: "This attitude firmly ties advertising to editorial and the extreme end result will be that there are no media outlets left in which to place PR."