Wednesday 19 August 2009

Another story about Hull and Briggs

Cairns Post Council reporter Thomas Chamberlin showed such potential, like the new editor of the paper he serves.

Both have failed their role in presenting a real story, hell-bent on spinning.

Today Thomas writes another piece of "investigative" journalism, clearly aimed to discredit the Val Schier, complete with a photo of the Mayor in their online version:
  • Cairns Regional Council has paid $ 55,000 to promote the region in a television series that bombed in the weekly ratings.

    In the program, Mayor Val Schier and other faces of Cairns spruik the region as a liveable destination packed with adventures and job opportunities.
He goes on to state how Townsville, Chinchilla, and other local government area s also went in on the commercial deal by Channel 7, and proves that it was a waste of money from the sadly-lacking audience.
  • Burnett Shire Council said it would support the project “morally” but not financially. Tara Shire Council rejected the proposal. The $ 55,000 investment by the Cairns Regional Council – revealed in purchase documents leaked to The Cairns Post this week – equates to spending about 80c for every viewer of the program.

    The council said it received 50 inquiries after the show, which equates to spending $1100 for each lead generated. Council sources claim no figures ever went before the council for approval and no direct references of payment have been found in public documents.
Chamberlin tries yet again, in a pattern that is becoming nauseating, that the Mayor, Val Schier was behind the dodgy mis-spent deal.
  • Channel 7 staff and thought the show was “good value”.
Then we find out, buried in the bowels of the "story" who was behind the latest scandal, regardless of the emotional mayoral-spin that Thomas Chamberlin and his angry editor wanted to make the copy read...
  • Documents obtained by The Cairns Post show an invoice dated in 2009, though it is believed negotiations took place before September 2008, with a payment order lodged by new communications manager Kerie Hull and signed off by former CEO Noel Briggs.

Of course, this was done in the days when Hull and Briggs were thick as thieves and you could have mistaken them for a pair of Easter bunnies with baskets of poison chocolates.

Why wasn't the Post headline, and the first paragraphs, about those who authorised the bloody video, just like that dodgy deal with Radio 4CA? Why? Well, the whole story reads like a press release from Councillor Alan Blake.

Will we ever get a paper that we deserve, or has the majority of Cairns given up? I really thought, following the first few editorials from new editor Andrew Webster, that he was going to turn the newspaper around. Sadly it's not happening.

In unrelated news, we read about "'Sexy snakes slip into suburbs', a pair of dirty dancers have become entwined in a suburban love story." Thankfully, it's not about a certain Councillor.

Phew.

15 comments:

colin in katterville maybe? said...

I too read the story online this morning BUT I thought well done val on promoting the region ,7 are responsible for having a shitty audience NOT val !
And that is because we don,t watch 7 in our home in protest to 7 not showing afl football live into cairns . We used to get 3 families in our home to watch the footy live. But stupid 7 count the audience by homes watching . Once again why knock val for trying to promote cairns ,if she bought macca a new toupe or something worhless yeah ,but gee knocking her for promoting the region ,really shows cairns compost bias.

Lillian at Yorkeys said...

"Sexy snakes slip into suburbs" - superb alliteration folks. Perhaps the ComPost has finally heard our please about enough bikini babes & decided to redirect that energy in a faunal direction. Does the Post's brilliance ever not dazzle us?

Tony Hillier said...

Re: the ComPost's other pathetic and inept recent attempt to besmirch Val Schier's name, someone should ask the florist who supplies the mayor's weekly bouquet of heliconias (or whatever they are) to inquire about the previous incumbent's order. They might find that it was a great deal more expensive than Cr Schier's.

MM's right — Thomas Chamberlin and Andrew Webster are no better than their predecessors. They sell readers short every day. Oh for a rival rag!

brad m said...

Is Kerrie back at work?
The "inside sources" have started their activities once again...

I missed the shows when broadcast too - but they're interesting to watch, thanks youtube - and I dare say they'll be recycled and re-used by 7 from time to time.

It will also be interesting to watch 7's spin on the reporting of this earth shattering incident too. Will they pile mud on their former client to perpetrate the sensationalism?

People of Cairns, please wake up and QUESTION the things you read/see/hear in the media, unfortunately most media have added their own personal bias, agenda or spin. Don't blindly follow their lead like lambs to the slaughter!

hieronymus bosch said...

yes, this 'leak' reeks of hull and blake, and probably has their bodily fluids all over it too

CBD Warrior said...

You've got to ask what kind of mayor doesn't know where expenditures of this size are being spent?

A Mayor that is asleep at the switch.

Clearly a cheque of this size would have needed someone's signature, including someone from the elected side of government. Did Val sign the requisition and not understand what it was? Is she lying to the community now?

I note that your "love affair" with Thomas Chamberlain looks to be well and truly over now, Mr. Moore. Your assumption that everyone else has bad motives and your hands are lily-white is hysterical to everyone in the community.

hieronymus bosch said...

hands up if you think this warrior clown is blakey

your leak is all gums and no teeth champ

Monty said...

Interesting revelation on the local news tonight with Seven alleging the Compost fudged the viewer figures in in its ongoing attempts to bring the Mayor down.

Like I've said before, we need car stickers made with something like: "Is that true, or did you read it in the Cairns Post?"

Thaddeus said...

The media bashing campaign against the current Mayor is, I fear, setting us up for SOMEONE. Come the next election, people will vote for anyone...."ANYONE but Val Schier" will be their reasoning. (You know I'm right.) I hope to GOD there are a few candidates for the Mayoralty.

nocturnal congress said...

Thaddeus, you are spot on mate. I dunno though if it is being deliberately done by some group so that their puppet can get the Mayoralty. The fact is though that the position of Mayor is now theirs for whichever criminal or puppet wants it. (Wait and see who puts their hand up.) That's what the media bashing has done. I thought it was pretty piss-poor to for The Cairns Post and Rugnut McKenzie to flog Val over the flowers. But it is a perfect example of the flogging Val is copping.

Syd Walker said...

Good story Mike

At least someone holds our rotten local Post accountable for its deceptive political directions.

Anonymous said...

CBD Warrior is obviously someone who has not a clue how local govt runs. The Mayor doesn't sign off on cheques for expenditure that is approved by the Communications Manager and the CEO. That is not the role of a Mayor. The Mayor doesn't run the day to day operations of the Council, she leads the strategic direction. If CBD Warrior is stupid enough to think that the Mayor sits down and signs every cheque for expenditure across the council he/she is a bloody idiot. It is the former CEO and Ms Kerie Hull who approved this expenditure and it was their call and their budgets from which the expenditure came. The Mayor was merely the "face" that they offered for the campaign to promote Cairns. If your Communications Manager comes to you and says look this is a great campaign to promote Cairns and both the CEO and I agree that we can fund this from our budget (that is "our budget" not "your budget") why would you not agree to be interviewed for the program and why wouldn't you see it as a good thing for Cairns.

Maynard said...

Thaddeus and Nocturnal - you're right.

i voted for Val.

Come the next election day i won't be voting for Val.

...and that's not because of the compost and their so-called Val bashing.

the woman has proven to be fucking useless and a liar - broken election promises much?

i'm not referring to the stupid "no rate rise" claim either.

what happenned to curbing hillside development?

or stopping inappropriate high rise development?

add to that a failure to accept responsibility or admit to knowledge of what happens EVERY SINGLE TIME something within council goes awry?

Sir Humphrey said...

It behoves us to remember that the Post is only ever functional when wrapped around some fish n chips. I think the sledging of Val is partly deserved but by christ the fishwrapper is playing second rate politics. Maybe I should have a dash for a laugh!!

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