That was the lunch that was

An interesting snippet from Vincent Heeringa at Idealog blog:

Stewarts' arch humour and hard working researchers combine to make him far more credible than the real news acnchors. The New York Times asked if he was the most trusted man in America.

The closest we have is Jeremy Wells' Eating Media Lunch and the Unofficial History of NZ. But that's unlikely to appear again now that TVNZ is shutting down operations.

First Agenda, now Jeremy Wells. So long, intelligent and provocative programming. Hello, Dancing with the Stars, Top Town and NZ's Next Top Model.

Not far wrong

The well-respected Agenda got the boot last year. Too expensive, eh. Of course it would be much cheaper to adopt the same format but with a new name and set, starring Herne Bay chihuahua Paul Holmes.

From John Drinnan:

TVNZ will be paying Holmes much more than it paid Rawdon Christie under the old format, but the question is how Holmes adds or subtracts from the appeal of the old show to serious political junkies... The new show is to be produced by Mary-Anne Ahern - a longtime friend and admirer of Holmes who is steeped in old-school current affairs. Ahern has been working on Backbenchers - the rather overwrought Wellington-focused political show on the TVNZ 7 Freeview channel.

Nothing wrong with Backbenchers for what it is, but heavyweight it is not. And at least Backbenchers features new talent. The new show isn't hosted by Jason Gunn as I predicted, but I wasn't far wrong. Expectations have been lowered accordingly for Q&A's debut on March 22.

Back on the Agenda?

Is this for real?



Has Agenda been brought back from the dead intact, or is this some cruel Zombie Agenda?

Why isn't Agenda funded by NZ on Air?

I am both gobsmacked and pleased by Richard Harman's latest post on his Agenda non-RSS blog. I am gobsmacked because Agenda turns out to be funded by the Charter. "We are not eligible for NZ on Air funding because they currently do not fund Current Affairs programmes." Is this the same NZ on Air who gave one million dollars to the makers of Sensing Murder last year?

I'm pleased that the appointment of Jonathan Coleman as Broadcasting Minister has met a good reception. Harman reckons National's policy of opening the fund to all players is a good step. Now is a good time to get rid of uneccessary duplication. And woe betide any government who tries to cancel Agenda!

Feeding the monkeys

Welcome back Agenda, and a special Nice to See Ya to Jane Clifton, who begins a new column called Political Animals. Today's stream well and truly takes the piss.