A New Zealand reviewer thought that a line in a new novel by acclaimed Irish writer Caoilinn Hughes was about a “head-cold”. She has helpfully pointed out it was a period. “Very cool to be reviewed in New Zealand’s Dominion-Post,” Irish novelist Caoilinn Hughes wrote on the Twitter machine on Tuesday. This was in reference to … Read more
Yesterday, NZ Post broke hearts by ending the Twitter Secret Santa game. Emily Writes asked Libby Greatnews – social media specialist for NZ Post / social elf for NZ Secret Santa – what happened. Chances are if you’ve sent a message to the NZ Secret Santa Twitter account, the blue-haired delight Libby Greatnews has answered your … Read more
No platform has caused as much career havoc as twitter.com. Madeleine Chapman looks back (but not that far back) on New Zealand politics’ best worst tweets. This story was published in September 2018. There’s no greater marketing tool than the words “This tweet has been deleted”. The thrill of imagining what once was and is … Read more
Having axed nearly all the people he follows on Twitter, rich-lister Sam Morgan is proudly down to fewer than ten. They’re all men. In the interests of broadening his horizons, here are some real life female humans he might like to add. Hey Sam, We don’t know you, but everyone in New Zealand sort of … Read more
New Zealand’s blue-chip business newspaper is these days chiefly an online operation, and its owner has plans to boost the subscriber base to 100,000. Against a backdrop of social media grenades and staff disquiet, Spinoff business editor Rebecca Stevenson talks to the NBR’s outspoken head honcho Todd Scott. Todd Scott is a truculent tweeter, taking … Read more
Last week Red Nicholson tweeted a word of advice to Stuff, and found the system works. But to help us avoid bungling it in the first place, he offers some extra advice for journalists and editors on disability-related news and language Most days on Twitter are spent shouting enlightened reckons into the social media void, … Read more
The intricacies of social media were exacerbating her anxiety, eventually culminating in the loss of a close friendship. So she decided to go on a social media detox. I needed to detox from social media long before I had the willpower to do it. I thought: no need to self-flagellate about my social media habit. … Read more
NZ Art Parallels is the Twitter account which reveals the previously hidden connections between world art history and New Zealand politics and media. Now NZ Art Parallels has joined The Spinoff for a monthly column, collecting the best parallels from Twitter and exclusive Spinoff-only content. The Spinoff Parallel of the Month Putting Winston Peters first … Read more
He was an underemployed journalism graduate who on a whim created a Twitter account for PM Jacinda Ardern’s cat Paddles. Then it went viral. Then Paddles died. I was in the supermarket in Newtown, Wellington when my Radio New Zealand app alerted me that Winston Peters had chosen to form a coalition government with Labour. … Read more
The surprise Twitter hit of this election season has been NZ Art Parallels, the account which reveals the previously hidden connections between world art history and New Zealand politics and media. And now NZ Art Parallels is joining The Spinoff for a new monthly column. The Spinoff Parallel of the Month Here is Bill English … Read more
Broadcaster and sometime TOP communications director Sean Plunket is back in the news thanks to a searingly bad Tweet on the Harvey Weinstein scandal, which he later claimed was a ‘social experiment’. But it’s far from his first offence. The Spinoff’s editor Duncan Greive details his history with Plunket and asks if he’s the right … Read more
Listen to Alex Casey, Leonie Hayden and Michele A’Court tackle the past month in women, news and popular culture. This month the gang is back together to tackle the past month-ish in New Zealand media, news and general bullshit, with help from our glorious new sponsors at twenty-seven names. We dive deep into the horrific online … Read more
Most world leaders are content with typing their own name into Twitter, or coining new weird words. Not Helen Clark, who solves pub arguments and affirms her past deeds, writes Alex Casey. I’ll never forget the first time Helen Clark interacted with The Spinoff on Twitter. I think it was a fave, or maybe a … Read more
It is a succinct, disquieting, apparently context-less tweet that has become a classic of the form. But why did Piers Morgan write it? Calum Henderson investigates. At 12:51pm EDT on Sunday the 2nd of September, 2012, Piers Morgan tweeted “I want to die.” Those four words typed by the divisive television personality and former newspaper … Read more
Just another Sunday night for the fund manager, philosopher and new political party leader, discussing the issues with the people on social media. Yesterday on Q and A, deputy PM Paula Bennett dismissed the idea of a tourist tax. Gareth Morgan, leader of the nascent Opportunities Party, didn’t like that, particularly given the behaviour of some … Read more
Madeleine Chapman taks a tour through the so-called bishop’s mind via his ridiculous Twitter page. This story was first published in November 2016. This week, Bishop Brian Tamaki of Destiny Church claimed in a sermon that earthquakes and other natural disasters are caused by sexual deviance, for example, homosexuality. Tamaki, a self-anointed prophet who often … Read more
The rancorous fallout from Brexit reinforces one of the key failings of what passes for debate in the social media era: that neither side ever hears the other’s argument. Richard MacManus on the ‘filter bubble’, and some ways Facebook and Twitter can address it. The big news this week was the decision by 52% of British … Read more
It was the competition that captivated a nation. The busy working world of New Zealand ground to a halt as one tweet, featuring three identical, nondescript beanies, received 6,800 retweets and a bountiful supply of favourites. This is the oral history of the greatest online giveaway in New Zealand history, as told by key players. … Read more
For three decades, Jesse Mulligan has followed his favourite comedian to the point of obsession via every available medium, facsimile included. On Garry Shandling, who has died at 66 Before YouTube, it was so much harder to follow the careers of the comedians you loved. I’d fallen hard for the comedy of Garry Shandling when … Read more