Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

Gobsmacked! That's what I am after catching one of the top stories on State Television's news on Friday night.

I usually manage to stay well away from their 6pm One News broadcast (just before the dire Close Up & Go Home At 7), but caught a promo for an item their late night news, Tonight, that made me stick around and watch. (I'm guessing it was probably on at 6 as well).

One of their top local stories was a piece by one little Benny Tornquist, about how many Lions fans don't consider themselves part of the 'Barmy Army' (that's really a Cricket thing)... and about how Barmy Army organiser Freddy Parker has apparently over-hyped the impact his travelling crew would have.

Ben spoke to Lindsay McKinney, a Dunedin bar owner and local representative of the Hospitality Association. McKinney was encouraged by Freddy to bring in big screen tellies, and organise around the clock live music & entertainment for the onslaught of Barmy Army supporters.

Unfortunately, only a handful of Lions fans stuck around the official Barmy Army base at Dunedin's Railway Station. That left McKinney thousands of dollars out of pocket, with 77 kegs of beer and lots of food going back to suppliers.
Good wee story... problem is, it was actually done a lot better by TV3 and local station Channel 9 around a fortnight ago...

Come on State TV!! Doing a story a day or two after the others is fairly common... but trying to do it two weeks later, just because you missed it the first time around is a bit suss for a major national broadcaster?! There's been two test matches since the Lions game in Dunedin!

Freddy Parker apparently wouldn't talk to State TV on Friday... despite appearing on the items on 3News and 9 Local News a few weeks back.

The saddest part of all this is... How many other stories are viewers of State TV's news missing out on? Officially, One News was judged 'Best News' at this year's Qantas Media Awards. Good to see standards aren't slipping then... ;-)