OVER the past few days we have seen the media cover the deaths of two New Zealand men who have achieved much in their lifetimes.
Both were awarded honours in their particular fields and made their mark on the nation's sense of identity, yet there appeared to be distinct differences in how the media managed the stories.
One was Dr Ranginui Walker, a Maori scholar and intellectual, who challenged us all to look at our history and think. The other was Martin Crowe, a sporting great who represented New Zealand and was highly regarded in the world of international cricket.
The deaths of both Crowe and Dr Walker give pause for sadness. The one is no more or less than the other, but the media seems to have cast them in different ways with an obvious but perhaps unconscious bias inherent in the coverage.
The death of the famous cricketer has been all over the news, with many paying tribute to his sporting prowess and place in the international game.
