Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Mandatory and mediocre

One in five songs played on the radio are now NZ-made.

Thankfully not on the station the kids and I listen to, Hauraki. (Unless they have a whole programme devoted to such stuff of which I am unaware). If you are into 60's, 70's and eighties music there is just oodles of great stuff, only a tiny percentage of which was made by NZ artists. The state imposition of a local quota, innocuously called a "Code of Practice", is outrageous.

"This is a fantastic result for the music industry, and it demonstrates what we've known all along - that New Zealanders want to tune into more of their own music," Steve Maharey said.

What kind of logic is that? Making people have it proves they wanted it?

Private radio stations should be free to play whatever music they want to, not music deemed mandatory by the Minister. Butt out, Maharey.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you think Maharey is aware of the irony? I've heard he's not particularly bright

Lindsay Mitchell said...

In which case Mrs Danvers, we need him for the Blonde Party. If we steal him from Labour we would lower their collective IQ and lower ours. (Meaning govt is even more likely to appreciate we Blondes need more special privilege, affirmative action and compensation.) Win/win!

Oswald Bastable said...

It makes as much sense as saying we must have a percentage of NZ books in our homes!

Libertyscott said...

It isn't mandatory though - the code of practice is legally unenforceable because it would breach NZ's WTO and CER obligations. CER obliges New Zealand to treat Australian cultural content as if it was from New Zealand - national treatment.

It is a paper tiger as Chairman Mao would once say :)

Rick said...

Hobbs and the big stick; Maharey and the big pat on the head. What do we dogs know?

Meanwhile, over here in OZ, Dave Dobbyn featured on Planet Rock Show this week as a "one hit wonder."
Grr