It is not often that the users of Your Views critique the way the section is managed, the design of the questions or the quality of journalism in the related story. So when they do, their posts stand out and help to soften the blow of reading comment after comment full of gripes, groans and gullible geezers.
This very morning Your Views nominated the topic “How has National performed in its first year in office?”. Most of the users commenting feel adequately qualified to evaluate the National Party’s performance in government; being a taxpaying, true blue New Zealander is enough judging entitlement for a lot of these jokers.
However, Peaches points out that the Herald could have provided a few more hard facts in its related story before opening up the field for comments:
Peaches (Wellington City)
Could the NZ Herald please provide a bar graph showing the statistics of our debt levels and productivity levels compared to when National got into power. Also a policy general change list.
From here, I can comment.
As all of the topics or questions nominated in Your Views are linked to a related article or articles, a number of users come to the section after reading the Herald’s coverage of the issue. In saying that, news doesn’t exist in a vacuum, especially online news, so the users of Your Views might well shop around before depositing their opinions. But Peaches’ comment highlights one of the central problems with Your Views: that users are encouraged to respond to topics or questions which are closely linked to how the Herald has chosen to cover the issue concerned. Peaches seems to be critiquing the Herald and Your Views for not presenting factual information but instead privileging opinion.
In terms of criticising the Herald’s reporting and framing of opinion, Julian goes further than Peaches by suggesting the related article suspiciously paints National in a good light:
Julian (Vogeltown, Wellington City)
Did you get the Nats' press secretary to write your article?
The Herald received even more criticism of the quality of its journalism in the Your Views thread “Chris Rattue wants Wales to beat the All Blacks. Do you?”. Now usually I find the threads relating to sport in Your Views a wee bit dry (except when they intersect with something juicy like politics), but this one is off the chain. One of the Herald’s own sports columnists, Chris Rattue, wants the Welsh rugby team to beat the All Blacks, the beloved bastion of all things Kiwi, in order to give the ABs coaching panel a “giant kick up the behind”. What a disgrace!
William R (Piopio)
You are a p**** Rattue, your journalism style is absolute rubbish with your constant sarcasism (it is the lowest form of wit you know). You obviousley have a personal vendetta against Graham Henry and still cannot get over 2007. Grow up. The All Blacks will dominate Wales like they have for the last 40 years and 99.9% of New Zealand will be right behind them. Then hopefully the NZ Herald will finally see the light and get rid of you.
Dales (Sandringham)
Rattue has got to be worst sports journalist on earth. Can someone please sack him. Thanks.
There were many calls for the Herald to sack Rattue. This guy even promises to stage a boycott:
Ryan Pollock (Waitakere City)
I boycott the herald and Chris Rattue
Steady on Ryan, next thing you’ll be fronting up $450,000 for a protest march up Queen Street in the name of democracy.
mick (Kingsland)
The silly thing is, us responding to Rattue's article is exactly what nzherald would want. They want to stimulate conversation, no matter how controversal.
Yo Mick, I really like your point and I'mma let you finish, but you forgot the 'i' in controversial.
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