Confusion over AM Show 'debate' sparks criticism from vegan activists

Vegan climate activists are criticising "mainstream media" after an AM Show interview was framed as a head-to-head “debate” without the interviewee’s knowledge.

Chris Huriwai (Ngāpuhi, Ngati Porou, Te Ātiawa) co-produced the exposé documentary Milked, highlighting the harmful impact of the dairy industry across Aotearoa.

He says AM Show producers did not inform him beforehand that the interview would be framed as a “debate” , with DairyNZ CEO Tim Mackle being brought on.

“I was told that it was going to be an interview with me and either Melissa or Ryan or both about Milked and that’s all I was told it was,” he says.

Huriwai says he was naïve going onto the show and should have expected what happened given the “fickle” nature of "mainstream media".

“For Melissa to cut me off mid-sentence and then bring on Tim Mackle from DairyNZ, who is an industry representative, I was completely blindsided and surprised by the way it happened,” he says.

Huriwai says his team is looking into filing a formal complaint as he says framing this as a debate may breach Broadcasting Standards Authority Guidelines.

“I think it is a breach in terms of the producers of the AM Show having a responsibility to make me aware of my involvement with the interview,” Huriwai says.

Journalism Research Associate at Massey University Dr Catherine Strong says that there seems to have been a misunderstanding of what was expected.

“I thought Chris was really good and stood himself up very well in the interview and the debate is crucial … by debate I mean the media term of having both sides talk about it,” she says.

“Especially in the news media, people going onto current affairs shows think they have an unfettered channel to talk to the public through the media and don’t have to be accountable.”

She says there doesn’t appear to be a breach of any official standards in this instance.

The AM Show did not respond in time to comment.

Claire Insley of the Vegan Society of Aotearoa says within mainstream media vegans are either side-stepped or laughed at.

“The media are not helping, they’re on the side of big agriculture. I’m sure they’re lining their pockets with agricultural money and not telling the truth,” they say.

When asked about the latest incident on the AM show, Insley says the media tactics are despicable.

“Of course, the DairyNZ representative would have been told the full story before going on too,” they say.

Insley says, given the current climate crisis, society cannot continue in the current manner if there is to be an inhabitable planet for the future.

LISTEN: Chris Huriwai speaks about the ‘fickle’ media industry.

https://soundcloud.com/user-993834552/the-fickle-nature-of-mainstream-media