Sit tight and ask the right questions

Press, 22 October 1980, Page 22

Sit tight and ask the right questions

By

A. K. GRANT

“Mr Muldoon said Mr Scott, had made an issue earlier this year that his news conferences were for daily journalists. When told that . other weekly journalists had attended, Mr Muldoon said* that so long as they sat tight and did not ask questions there was not problem/*' .' ’

—“The Press,” October 21,1980.

The President of • the Weekly Journalists’ Association and Mutual Society of Arts,. Mr Tanqueray O’Bellamys, has welcomed Mr Muldoon’s definition of the function of weekly journalists at Prime Ministerial press conferences. “This is a vindication of the policy of our association,” he said. “Us weekly journalists have copped a lot of flak from daily journalists because of our policy of never asking questions at press conferences. But we have always taken the view that PrimeMinisterial press conferences are not held for the purpose of allowing the press to question the Priipe Minister. They are held for the purpose of allowing the Prime Minister to tell reporters how badly they are doing their jobs and how well he is . doing his. The sort of questions that the daily blokes keep putting to the Prime. Minister merely prolong press conferences, and us weekly journalists who pre itching to get back to the office and start recycling the Prime Minister’s ■ press department handouts have to sit there while a whole lot of grandstanders from the dailies ask questions which are none of their business.” Mr O’Bellamys said that it was ’ particularly. gratifying for members of his association to learn that-the Prime Minister, in addition to appreciating. the fact that they never asked questions, had also noticed how tight they sat. “We weekly journalists have always made, a point, of. sitting tight,’’; he said. “Indeed some of us sit so tight at press conferences that we can’t get ’ out of our chairs-

afterwards. Other members prefer to stand tight, falling heavily to the ground from time to time. Every journalist has his own way of going about his. job.” > In a related move, Mr Muldoon announced that "in future he would require that television interviews with him be transmitted with the questions edited out and only his answers screened. The Head of News and Current Affairs for Television Antipodes, Mr Bruce Crossword, asked to comment, said that he could see ho particular objection to this proposal, as it did not appear to affect the fearless gathering and dissemination of news and information by Television Antipodes journalists. Indeed, said Mr Crossword, he could see some practical advantages to the proposal, since it would mean that interviews with Mr Muldoon would be shorter in terms of transmission time, and this would leave more time for the screening of ads.

In spite of Mr Muldoon’s clarification of the nature and status of questions at press conferences, a weekly journalist fell foul of the rules at a Prime Ministerial press conference yesterday. The journalist' in question was from the weekly publication, “The Scrutinel,” and a transcript of the press conference follows: MULDOON: . . . and I can say with confidence that I have never had more loyal or unwavering support from caucus, the party and the public than over the last few

‘JOURNALIST: Mr Muldoon, I wonder —, . MULDOON: Get out. JOURNALIST: What? MULDOON-/ You’re from “The Scrutinel” aren’t you? . JOURNALIST: Yes, but — MULDOON: Then get out. JOURNALIST: Why, what have I done? f MULDOON: Done?. You’ve just asked two questions in the one sentence, that’s what you’ve done. Now, is anybody going, to remove this loathsome blob of ectoplasm or will I have to do it myself (At this point the weeping journalist was led from the room.)' MULDOQN: Poor fellow, he’s obviously under a lot of strain. Staying up too late, I shouldn’t wonder. I’ll go and see him after the conference is over and tell him he can come back and sit here and stare silently into space. Now, any questions? ANOTHER JOURNALIST: But I thought you said we weren’t allowed to . ask questions? MULDOON: Get out. Now, any other questions? SEVERAL JOURNALISTS: Mr Muldoon — MULDOON: Not you lot Him. (Mr Muldoon indicated at this point the reporter from “The Cook Strait Toady”). REPORTER FROM “THE COOK STRAIT TOAOY”: .Mr Mudoon, is it true that - under your leadership New Zealand has never been so wisely, resolutely and courageously governed, and that although hard decisions have had ,to be made, they are decisions which will be for the ultimate benefit of all New Zealanders? MULDOON: There now, that’s what I call a question,