TBR.cc

Hi definition TV - so what?

The Dominion Post has a story lamenting the fact that TV1 and TV2 will not be ready to broadcast the bulk of their programs in HDTV format until 2010.

I reckon HDTV is all well and good but they would be better focused on producing programs that are worth watching rather than increasing the definition of the garbage they currently broadcast.

I'd take substance over style any day of the week.

CBS takes a risk with a gritty crime drama

Here's a realistic plot from the CBS crime drama "Cold Case.

In the September 30 episode of the CBS forensics show, the devoutly religious teens in an abstinence club turn out to be sexually active hypocrites who murder one of their own members – by stoning her, as the Bible teaches – to keep their sins secret. Their youth pastor encourages one girl to describe her impure dreams to him, and masturbates while listening. 

The story takes place in the "Quaker State", Pennsylvania, long known as a hotbed of Christian fanaticism and intolerance, which helps give this story its ring of authenticity.

I shouldn't be at all surprised if the makers of this program spend the rest of their lives in  hiding lest they end up like Theo van Gogh. 

Either that or they will win an Emmy.

9/11 Conspiracy Theory crashes and burns, no survivors...

How many of us have not been exposed to the 9/11 conspiracy movie, Loose Change?

Well the History Channel in the US has allegedly done a state of the art debunking of the latest 9/11 theories, which is screening this weekend in the US.

Cox & Forkum have pointed out its strengths, including this programme precis:

Examines the various conspiracy theories espoused on the Internet, in articles and in public forums that attempt to explain the 9/11 attacks. It includes theories that the World Trade Center was brought down by a controlled demolition; that a missile, not a commercial airliner, hit the Pentagon; and that members of the U.S. government orchestrated the attacks in hopes of creating a war in the Middle East. Each conspiracy argument is countered by a variety of experts in the fields of engineering, intelligence and the military. The program also delves into the anatomy of such conspiracies and how they grow on the Internet.

Robyn Malcom wins best actress

Outrageous Fortune scooped the main pool at tonight's Air New Zealand Screen Awards (the old Film and Television Awards).

Robyn Malcolm took out the top female performance, while Anthony Starr was awarded best male performance. The show was also named best drama.

Shortland Street's Anna Julienne (Maia) was named best supporting actress - proudly announcing to the audience that it topped off a miracle day seeing as she'd given birth this afternoon (or her character had).

No big film nominations at all this year, although the short film Run scooped a couple of awards and the children's series Madigan's Quest took a swag of honours in the technical arena.

Jason Gunn won best host for Dancing With the Stars, while the show was also named best entertainment show.

Maori TV picked up best sports show for "Code", and 'Bro Town' was named best comedy.

PS..the pix were taken from row 'R' at the awards on the Treo 700 WX mobile phone camera...at a 300 pixel width (I'm experimenting with settings for optimal mobile blogging and will probably increase the resolution next time)

Mark Sainsbury should hang his head in shame

Just watched Sainsbury's "interview" with George Galloway on Close Up.

No question about his suspension from the British Parliament.

No question about the fact that his 'charity' (which even Galloway admits was really his own personal lobbying organisation) benefited by hundreds of thousands of pounds from illegal Iraqi bribes.

No question from Sainsbury about whether his stand on Islamophobia has anything to do with the enormous financial contributions he continues to get from hardline Islamists in Britain.

Mark...TVNZ hit a new journalistic low tonight...one only hopes its new former Labour party hack News Director Anthony Flannery had nothing to do with the editorial line the state broadcaster is taking.

If you wish to let CloseUp know what you thought of the Galloway hagiography, you can email them here

Classic! The Brits can't speak English anymore

Apparently modern mass media (broadcasting) has so corrupted speech patterns in old Blighty that TV and filmmakers are no longer able to find teen actors capable of good diction. In fact, they're blaming Australian TV soaps for their plight.

I would have thought on that basis we'd all be speaking American down here, but it appears not.

Still, it does raise fascinating questions about speech patterns and accents. After all, is the American accent really just a reflection of how the Brits used to speak at the time of Colonisation? Are the NZ and Aussie accents reflective of how much the British accent had changed by the time settlers made it downunder?

Whoops

The TVNZ charter took affect on March 1st 2003.

A typical social engineer's document full of platitudes and idealism but impossible to attain to the real world in  a manner that will satisfy everybody (or  probably anybody for that matter).

One of the things that TVNZ is obliged to do under the charter is

# ensure in its programmes and programme planning the participation of Maori and the presence of a significant Maori voice;

And yesterday Parliament's Maori affairs select committee grilled TVNZ Chief executive Rick Ellis on how TVNZ was meeting it obligations to Maori under this charter.

In particular he was asked which TVNZ shows provide a "maori perspective"?

His answer has caused some grief.

Rick Ellis rattled of a list of 24 programs including Dream Home, Intrepid Journeys, Shortland Street, Lost Children, Animal House and A Game of Two Halves.

He might have got away with that if he hadn't also included the reality shows Police 10-7 (the show where the public is asked to help catch criminals) and  Locked Down (a look at life in Rimutaka Prison).

But he did.

And some people are not happy.

For the curious the TVNZ Charter in PDF format is available here