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PRESS RELEASE

31 October 2012

Internet shock jock goes mainstream

“Wellington, you’re on notice – be afraid.”

New Zealand’s number 1 news and opinion blogger Cameron Slater has today been appointed Editor of the Truth.

Truth is New Zealand’s last remaining Kiwi-owned national newspaper which this year turns 125 years old.

Slater has been brought on board to fundamentally change the way newspapers deliver to their audiences. Newspapers worldwide are in decline, due, Slater says, to a tired old business model that no longer works.

“We’re not going to spend $4 million on a paint job and then deliver the same tired old paid-for shit.

“Most of the media in this country is weak, and it’s paid for. The integrity in news went ages ago.”

Slater is adamant that the backbone of New Zealand – the people who work – are not getting a fair shake from government or the system. He aims to change that.

“Each and every one of us has got an investment in NZ Inc, and the majority of the people in charge of the place are taking the piss out of our investment.

“We’re going to keep the buggers honest. There’s no better disinfectant than sunlight.

“To use a tired phrase – if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear, so Wellington, you’re on notice – if you’re having a lend, we’re coming for you!”

Changes will be rolled out over a period of months and will include both print and a 24 hour news website to support the paper. Slater aims to alter the approach to news presentation significantly.

“We took the pulse of the nation, and it had nearly bloody died.

“No bastard wants to read old news – they can get that online. We’ll be more of a views-paper that promises to deliver REAL news, REAL opinion.

“The people are numb from the eyes down with the diet of PR’d crap they get now. I will not do it to them anymore – it’s not right.

“I assure you – the little paper that could still can!”

There will be further announcements regarding contributors and editorial direction.

Slater’s first issue will hit newsstands on Thursday 8 November 2012.

We can't even remember when we last read a copy of the Truth, much less when we last bought a copy. But we'll most certainly be buying a copy next week.

Cameron Slater might not be everyone's cup of tea, but for pretty much all of this year he has been New Zealand's most-read blogger according to Ken Perrott's monthly blog rankings at Open Parachute, relegating Kiwiblog to second place.

Slater may be able to shock-blog, but will he be able to translate this into a revival for the Truth? Time will tell, but there's one thing we've learned about The Whale in our online dealings with him (we've never met in person or talked on the phone); underestimate him at your peril. 

Cam Slater is nothing if not bloody-minded, a quality he'll need in spades. He has some very good sources, and he's broken a number of significant stories on his blog in the last couple of years, going places where angels fear to tread.And the political Left isn't going to like this one little bit!

We wish Cameron Slater well. 


UPDATE: For those who think that this is some sort of Halloween shock-joke, it isn't; Stuff reports:

Controversial Auckland blogger Cameron Slater is hoping to return tabloid newspaper Truth to its former glory, after being appointed editor today.
Slater, who runs the Whale Oil blog, will start in the role this afternoon.
He replaces outgoing editor Joseph Lose, whose departure was "amicable", according to a staff member at the publication.