Tonight’s contributor is Brian Priestley. Brian began his career in journalism in England in 1952. Named Reporter of the Year by the Granada television programme The Papers in 1968, he specialised in, amongst other subjects, reporting on race relations.
“Good evening, and welcome to the news series Fourth Estate. There should be some sparkling talent on the show this year. Ian Cross is here next week, I’m delighted to say, and there’ll be more interesting people. One of last years regulars Sean Brown has joined the establishment - they made him head of television news, so we shan’t be seeing him. We’re very pleased of course, and in recognition of Sean’s appointment I’d like to give him a solemn pledge that I won’t say anything critical about television news, for two minutes, I think it is. And now to work, and not a happy programme I’m afraid.”
Brian Priestley comments on the coverage of the story of the ‘kill a white’ comment by Maori activist Ms Te Hemara (Hana Jackson), and critiques the coverage of race relations in newspapers in New Zealand.