Sky TV turns PR firm
Would you criticise your boss on live television to all of your company’s customers?
No, that’s madness you’re saying, I wouldn’t even do it in an email, nor would I say it in the work canteen; when it comes to my job I watch my lips.
And that is why the Sky TVNew Zealand Rugby broadcast deal should concern you, even if your name is not Spark Sport.
Sky Television has walked away with the rights to show Super Rugby and All Blacks matches until 2025.
NZ Rugby will take a 5 per cent stake in Sky as part of its renewed arrangement with the broadcaster – to make it clear, Sky TV is now part-owned by NZR.
It’s only 5 per cent in money, but with NZR so crucial to the future of Sky TV, it will be much more than that in influence. Why else would NZR invest in a company whose share price last week fell below $1.
It’s the end of any effort at rugby impartiality at Sky TV; it has just made the leap from fanboy to being a PR arm of NZR.
As a Sky TV viewer, expect to be bombarded with positive NZR spin at every turn.
It will be like watching NZR adverts, only the salesmen will be Goldie, TJ, Smithy, Nisbo, KT – all of whom will avoid even the most heavily veiled criticism.
But let’s leap past the commentators, who already tend to operate under the ‘‘never is heard a negative word’’ umbrella.
In their lexicon I’ve heard a massive All Blacks’ knock on from a poor pass, leading to an opposition try described thus: ‘‘These little mistakes are going to hurt the All Blacks’’.
Panellists who regard NZR as less than administrating angels with the interest of rugby fans, nay all New Zealanders, at heart, can forget about having their faces on Sky.
What Sky producer is going to run the risk of inviting anyone on air who might not follow the company line? None, I’d venture.
It could well be you love your rugby sanitised by Janola TV, but viewers will be the worse for that. From now on, the NZR point of view on any issue, any crisis, will be paramount.
Had World Rugby controlled the message around cancellation of the RWC games, do you think rugby fans would have been as well informed?
If the only message you got was ‘‘on safety grounds, blah, blah’’, ‘‘it was the only option, blah blah’’ you would have been sold a pup, much bigger than a Japanese Spitz.
Wrong? Would never happen? Sorry folks, it already has.
When Kerry Packer bought Australian cricket, he was known for phoning commentators to point out the ‘‘errors’’ of their words.
Englishman Mark Nicholas received a phone call during the innings break while calling a oneday international between Pakistan and Australia in Hobart on a cold day in January, 2005.
‘‘Son, it’s Kerry Packer,’’ said the gravelly voice on the other end of the line. ‘‘Son, stop bagging the f...ing game.’’
‘‘Pardon, Mr Packer? I’m sorry, I missed that,’’ replied Nicholas, struggling with a bad connection.
Packer: ‘‘I said stop bagging the f...ing game, son. Celebrate the game, talk it up.’’
Nicholas: ‘‘But Mr Packer, people tell me I’m too busy talking the game up and that I should toughen . . .’’
Packer (with raised voice): ‘‘I’m not people, son, I’m the boss. You listen to me.’’
Control the message is the No 1 rule of public relations.
Even if NZR vows it won’t interfere in broadcasting freedom, that little 5 per cent figure will be in the mind of anyone who works at Sky.
A wise employee will reflect ‘‘how does this pan out politically, what would NZR think?’’
And guess what Sky TV subscriber, you’re paying for that.