There was criticism of over-reaction on Twitter about the threat to boycott Spark after Whale Oil promoted them as sponsors of their Decade of Dirt party. Whale Oil later toned down their claims. See Sparks fly after Whale Oil sponsorship claim.

There’s been a number of examples of boycott vigilantism on Twitter, which began with a worth protest about radio coverage of Roast Busters which turned into an overplayed obsession.

The boycott bas-wagon revved up over the canning of Campbell Live, with campaigning to keep boycotting 3 news over a loss of Current Affairs on TV.

What the vigilantes didn’t seem to figure out was that beating 3 News into submission would further reduce news and current affairs.

This was pointed out yesterday in a tweet by producer @AngusGillies with a message image.

There has also been a post about this at The Standard – The TV3 boycott – where Antony Robins recognises the problem…

But boycotts are a two-edged sword. As well as sending a message to those in power they can also damage the innocent workers. Boycotts are on a spectrum that ends in “internet lynch mobs”.

But the first comment

Your logic of “don’t act because there is collateral damage” applies to every civic action.

Consumer boycott has the power of a strike.

If journalists are having the conversation you describe, imagine the conversations the Board members are having.

And, if TV3 fails again, perhaps out of it will come a different kind of investigative media hybrid altogether.

Perhaps instead there will be a further and far more substantial reduction in news and current affairs if TV3 goes broke. That seems more likely.

David H doesn’t car if the whole channel is lost:

“would cost journalists (workers!) jobs and thus weaken the media.”

Workers?? Jonolists like Gower, Obrien and Sabin? Ass kissing, Key loving, Labour hating, Make it up Jonolists. And the production teams that know they are spreading hate and bullshit? Yep I am really sad for this lot.

Does he only want journalists that serve up what he approves of?

Draco T Bastard

In war there is collateral damage and make no mistake, we are at war. It’s a war for control of our government and our lives and the journalists at TV3 are on the wrong side. It’s a war of if that control should be by us through our elected representatives or by the corporations through the government owned by them with us manipulated through the MSM.

Should we be afraid that a few people may lose their jobs? No.

But we also need to be working on other fronts to ensure that power is taken from the corporations and returned to the people, that we get a true public service TV and that our society shifts from the me, me, me type that the Fourth Labour government brought in in the 1980s and return to being a society about all of us.

But DTB wants it under the control of a government further to the left of Mana (remember them?)

AsleepWhileWalking:

Like the new version of Milo, Cadbury’s palm oil chocolate, and cheaper eggs coming from caged hens we have to stamp this out.

SaveNZ:

Having such a fucked out MSM actually also drives viewers to places like the Standard, for people hungry for real news and discussion. So although TV3 may not be benefiting, it does create other opportunities and appetite for alternative news.

“Real news and discussion” at the Standard? Little news, much discussion, but under the direction and control of draconian overlords who don’t tolerate input from outside their narrow collective.

Maybe they can get Labour to put forward a policy to state fund The Standard as a great new way forward for news and discussion.

That could come with a requirement to rename The Standard to Pravda. Or perhaps Ivestia might be more appropriate.