quote:

Beyond the Hosking story, a list of the most influential New Zealanders under 25 came in for particular scrutiny, and become amongst the day’s most read. It was authored by Stephanie Lai, a then-unpaid intern (she was later put on payroll following a damning news story on the site’s search for unpaid interns in the National Business Review) who had recently featured on TV3’s show Reality Trip, and was the site’s fashion blogger.

The derision wasn’t entirely fair to Lai, who, Scout sources say, had Lorde, the obvious candidate, atop the list – until Glucina told her to alter it to place Max Key at its summit.

Still, the team remained busy throughout the day, and were grateful when the launch party arrived, meaning they could down tools and have a drink.

The Launch Party

There were very much two camps at the event. One, led by Glucina and Weldon, was celebrating the huge numbers the site had put up, so vast that it reached its monthly target within hours. They viewed the cruel jokes and incredulity at the site’s stories as sour grapes and jealousy.

The second camp, comprising most of the site’s content producers, were deeply affected by what the outside world was saying about them. Worse, by what their friends and acquaintances were saying to them. They found themselves blocked on social media, and received private messages saying that longstanding relationships couldn’t be maintained while they worked for Scout. This animosity was also felt as they worked the phones – when they called asking for an interview or quotes, they were nearly always turned down flat as soon as they revealed they worked for Scout.

As a result some were near tears at the launch party, the doomy mood of which was exacerbated by the tiny turnout: just 25 to 30 at the swish Wine Chambers on Shortland Street in downtown Auckland, a venue designed for twice that. In attendance were Glucina and her family, Scout staffers, Weldon and a bunch of salespeople. The newsroom was represented solely by Head of News Mark Jennings, a man never again sighted by Scout staff.

Two other noteworthy guests were a Scout social media operative, who had already made a kind of minor history by becoming Scout’s first official resignation – after a matter of hours – and longtime Glucina pal Judith Collins.

quote:

The derision wasn’t entirely fair to Lai, who, Scout sources say, had Lorde, the obvious candidate, atop the list – until Glucina told her to alter it to place Max Key at its summit.

quote:

Weldon listens intently, sitting unnervingly still, occasionally rubbing his clasped fingers together. He doesn’t flinch when she, echoing his own statement earlier, talks about how the company had been “lacking in entertainment news”. That statement particularly shocked the company’s long-serving entertainment reporters, watching at locations across the city. After eight minutes, the video ends.

...

While she was recruited in June, the first Scout staff weren’t appointed until August, with the bulk arriving in early September, just days before the site went live. The group really coalesced in the week leading up to the September 14th launch, writing features and columns with an air of excitement pervading their offices, atop the More FM building on Ponsonby Rd – hers with a spectacular view across the city; theirs nicknamed ‘the cupboard’ due its cramped, low-light nature.

...


Worse, by what their friends and acquaintances were saying to them. They found themselves blocked on social media, and received private messages saying that longstanding relationships couldn’t be maintained while they worked for Scout. This animosity was also felt as they worked the phones – when they called asking for an interview or quotes, they were nearly always turned down flat as soon as they revealed they worked for Scout.

As a result some were near tears at the launch party, the doomy mood of which was exacerbated by the tiny turnout: just 25 to 30 at the swish Wine Chambers on Shortland Street in downtown Auckland, a venue designed for twice that. In attendance were Glucina and her family, Scout staffers, Weldon and a bunch of salespeople. The newsroom was represented solely by Head of News Mark Jennings, a man never again sighted by Scout staff.

Two other noteworthy guests were a Scout social media operative, who had already made a kind of minor history by becoming Scout’s first official resignation – after a matter of hours – and longtime Glucina pal Judith Collins.


...


It’s a sad state of affairs for a venture which began life as a bold, brave move, one which saw a number of excited young journalists tasked with building something new. Unfortunately it was born into the heat of public anger at Campbell Live’s cancellation, making the hard task of building a brand that much more difficult.

This was compounded by the hiring decision to place Glucina at its heart. Weldon appears not to have been aware that, as Russell Brown noted ahead of the site’s launch her “columns since 2012 read increasingly like the work of someone no one would talk to any more”.

It seems Weldon underestimated the depth of animosity toward her which surged through key news and entertainment personalities, due to the stories she wrote about them and their friends during her time at the Herald. That made both her job, and that of her staff, immensely difficult.

Varkk posted:

Depending on the local contractor they may be able to tunnel under the driveway if they have the gear and care enough. Also it is a case of them putting the cable in the street. And then reporting to chorus it is in and finally chorus reporting to ISPs that it is available. Each step happens in chunks so while you street might technically be ready chorus might not know until the next street is also done.

Spiteski posted:

In other news, finally decided to get fibre in the new place. Had them tell us Chorus would be in 3 times over the next month to talk about plan, sign off on plan, set up outside stuff and finally wire inside.
Today, the local Chorus guy rocks up, says "yea nah we'll do it today eh" and 1hour later they've dug a trench, cut concrete, re-concreted set up and we're off laughing.

To me this is amazing because I've heard nothing but horror stories, and our old place had fibre before we moved in so no experience to draw on.

Ivor Biggun posted:

New Zealand Politics: John's a wonderful guy

https://www.facebook.com/abcnews.au/videos/10154567549334988/

Ivor Biggun posted:

New Zealand Politics: John's a wonderful guy

https://www.facebook.com/abcnews.au/videos/10154567549334988/

fong posted:

I cant wait to see how National's PR machine work this into a humble brag. Herald article tomorrow about JK receiving compliments from Obama?

Firstscion posted:

Yeah the ballots have been sitting at my mail center all week most should be out today.

Ivor Biggun posted:

quote:

The big bold branding plan came unstuck when it became known that Saatchi and Saatchi had also been awarded the National Party account for the 1999 election. The fact that Minister of Sport, Murray McCully, was also the National Party campaign strategist fuelled suspicions of fiddled funding. The Tourism New Zealand campaign went to M & C Saatchi and the 100% Pure positioning emerged. (Given that the All Blacks lost to France in the 1999 semi-final, and then to South Africa in the third-place play-off, it was probably a blessing that their brand was not extrapolated.)

Undaunted, the dogged bureaucrats dug in for the long game. The New Zealand Way programme adopted a black and white ‘Official New Zealand Fern Mark’ designed by Designworks. In 2003 it appeared on the hulls of Team New Zealand yachts defending the America’s Cup and on ‘Loyal’ flags.

Ivor Biggun posted:

Flag Referendum ballots should be mailed out soon.

Raithe posted:

Those are Rockit Apples (in the tubes). They're a company local to me and they print their own packaging in Havelock North. No Chinese trade conspiracy.

Fun Fact: All Rockit Packhouse staff have to wear Custom Chefs Jackets. Supplied by me. Cha-ching.

fong posted:

I cant wait to see how National's PR machine work this into a humble brag. Herald article tomorrow about JK receiving compliments from Obama?

Exclamation Marx posted:

Islamophobia can't be racism, because Islam isn't a race