Jury still out on Ralston Revolution success

By ALAN PERROTT

In just over a year the Ralston Revolution has culled some of Television New Zealand's most popular on-air staff, often making the broadcasters' comings and goings news in their own right.

TVNZ's new head of news and current affairs' first meeting with an unsuspecting staff in June last year saw proclamations of "more fun and more risks" and "no more boring stories", as some were lined up for the chopping block.

In swift succession, newsreader Richard Long, weatherman Jim Hickey and urbane host Mike Hosking left the building, a parade that now famously includes current affairs anchor Paul Holmes.

But apart from the changing faces, what has been Bill Ralston's impact after his first year in the top news and current affairs job?

Paul Norris, head of the Christchurch Polytech broadcasting school and TVNZ director of news and current affairs from 1987 to 1994, said his successor would have mixed feelings.

"I think Bill would be happy he has actually made some changes, some quite significant, but he's probably disappointed that things haven't moved a bit quicker.

"You have to remember that what he inherited wasn't exactly broken, but he wasn't comfortable with what he found and managed to lose a few key presenter figures.

"It's been quite deliberate, but the manner of Paul Holmes going [to Prime] probably wasn't to his liking.

"I don't think TVNZ ever expected that when Paul left it would be to a competitor."

While pleased with the coming of discussion programmes such as Agenda, Mr Norris was unconvinced of the worth of One News' highly-touted investigative team. "It hasn't seemed to have delivered; just one story and maybe one Zaoui documentary. You have to ask the question, what is this crowd doing and where are the stories?"

Ralston accepted there was plenty of work to be done, but said the state broadcaster first had to be dragged into the 21st century.

"That was my biggest challenge. TVNZ had been in much the same mould for 15 or 20 years in terms of style, approach and the people it had up front, and I think some of the viewing audience were getting tired. I think the brand itself was suffering from a bit of exhaustion."

Peter Thompson, a senior communications lecturer at Unitec, said Ralston would battle to meet his promises of harder news and maintain ratings. "They remain cautious of making radical changes to One News, which is a proven ratings winner and crucial in the competition for the early evening audience share.

"I think it will take time to change the culture of the newsroom and its audience. There's been over a decade of the brain-candy approach with easily digestable soundbites and he-said-she-said summary of complex issues."

Mr Thompson suggested the contract difficulties with Holmes were aimed at forcing such change.

"I believe losing Holmes' services was largely intentional, and with all due respect to his specific talents, it's the best news for current affairs on TVNZ for a long time."

He would like similar action in the network's international coverage. "It's an area that TVNZ does need to improve if our view of the world isn't to be perpetually filtered through American or British lenses."

Media commentator Russell Brown was happy TVNZ now employed journalists rather than presenters, but felt the 6pm news lacked consistency and was yet to deliver on Ralston's intention to go after the big "gotcha" stories.

"Some nights are much better than others. ... I can't explain it, but I know the journalists feel happier now most of the sacrifices have been made and they are getting the resources to do some serious work, although their late news doesn't work at all and isn't rating very well.

"I just wonder what they're trying to do with it and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that undergo considerable change."