While trying to calm down after reading John Armstrong's article on Winnie this morning we turned to Poneke and were delighted to read that this excellent blog had had a record day. Particularly pleasing was the suggestion that the great example of investigative journalism that is Poneke's post on how a BBC journalist was bullied by an environmental activist into changing a story caused a big spike in readership. This is a topic dear to our heart. In other lives at least two of us are regularly subject to hate mail, telephone and e-mail bullying by those claiming to be environmentally concerned, whenever we put our heads above the trenches and point out some inconvenient truths about policy implications - we are not even climate change deniers, but by questioning poor policy - such as those on biofuels - one gets classed immediately as a denier.
We hope that editors of TV, radio and newspapers take note of what quality journalism does for readership levels.........
We saw another case of bullying this week, not relating to climate change, but to domestic politics. Phil Goff rose in just about everyone's estimation by speaking the truth about Winston Peters' criticisms of the China FTA. But Winston could not cope with the truth emerging. So he used Parliament and a media doorstop outside Parliament - most unwise legally Winston - to say that The Herald had lied. Well actually The Herald had the told the truth and was even able to produce a witness brave enough to be quoted. It was good journalism and it was good to see Winston embarrassed and humiliated by the end of the week. And as for Goff, the sooner he takes over as leader of Labour the better (and in saying that we are not suggesting that he will move this side of the election).
