Thursday, May 27, 2004
This could be very good, or very very bad
A live 'debate' between ordinary Pakeha and Maori is going to take place next month, is this a worthy exercise, or easy to make and guaranteed to rate television opportunism?
The nation is going under the spotlight and New Plymouth is going to be centre stage.One thing they have already done well is the choice of presenter, Anita McNaught, who is now fronting BBC World and is a very professional and capable choice of host.
Next month a hundred ordinary kiwis 50 Maori and 50 pakeha will take part in a live televised show, broadcast from Puke Ariki, and tell each other what bugs them about race relations in this country.
There will be no politicians and no radicals, from either side, just "middle New Zealand" facing off.
Called State of the Nation, the two-hour TVNZ show will broadcast live on TV One from the Puke Ariki foyer on June 10.
However, two things concern me. "Debate" by definition asserts that people disagree before dialogue has already commenced. A fair assumption, possibly, but it may speak to the pre-determined 'angle' of the program.
The second concern is the demographic, the show is between middle New Zealander's and apparently the Taranaki has this entire demographic covered. No disrespect to the hearty souls of the 'Naki - but although they and many other New Zealanders own four wheel drives - the majority of NZ's four wheel drives have never seen mud.
Anyways - it should be an interesting watch, and if treated responsibly, could be informative and entertaining. If done badly, it will probably rate through the roof as it manages deepens the discomfort between Maori and 'others' in the 'Naki and the rest of NZ.
