Today Tonight giving wrong figures in Asian car story

[DoreSlamR]

Caught this on Media Watch, Today Tonight ran a story about Asian built cars coming in and destroying the Australian car manufacturing industry.

I didn't catch the TT episode because I despise it but it seems they got a lot of sales figures wrong, not too surprised about that really.

Figured it might be interested to some here.

You can catch the video and transcript here:

http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/tra...s/s3248775.htm

Interesting reading from Holden at the end too.

[kpcart]

please provide "correct" figures then to substantiate your theory.

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by kpcart

please provide "correct" figures then to substantiate your theory.

"his" theory? ......he isnt putting any theory forward.

[Withnail]

The correct figures are detailed in the link, and are provided by the federal chamber of auto industries.

They misrepresented year to date figures as figures for the past 12 months, which meant the figures were much, much lower.

More than that, the point is more that it was poorly researched and written.

[Bucknaked]

Would be expect anything less from Today Tonight?

[F6T]

Originally Posted by Withnail

More than that, the point is more that it was poorly researched and written.

No....I just won't have that said about Today Tonight.

[StrokedXT]

Originally Posted by kpcart

please provide "correct" figures then to substantiate your theory.

So are you an Asian car fan who can't read the post or a today tonight fan that can't read?

Typical today tonight trash, it's designed to pander to the thoughts of the I'll informed and uneducated dip ***** who would treat it as their primary news source, no wonder Aussies get dumber by the day.

[DoreSlamR]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

"his" theory? ......he isnt putting any theory forward.

Yeah..not my theory.

There's no doubt that Asian and more specificly Korean cars are becoming a lot more popular but not as popular as the TT figures suggest.

If someone is going to do a story like this, they need to get their figures right.

The average Joe would just take the figures at face value and form their own opinions, which are wrong.

[fordman302]

There's more substance to stories on play school than there is on today tonight, the sad thing is that there are people who take their word on everything

[munners]

I remember they did a story entitled "Is your computer terminal?" Geddit? Funny, funny stuff.

I've watched George Negus a few times and its heaps better than Today Tonight.

Munners

[ILLaViTaR]

I'm glad they did, These shows work by invoking fear into their audiences with the most out of context stories. People who believe them deserve the manipulation to be quite honest. The deception of the show is so apparent you'd think even the dumbest person would realise, yet these people trust the show and argue it's points with people who actually know what they're talking about constantly insulting their intelligence because they think they have a brain for once. And they'll fight the point right to the end (even though they don't even understand the point) not listening to reason, only these retarded shows.

Oh and the fact they've followed the same formula every week for the last 7yrs.
Fuel prices, mortgage prices, pitbulls. I guess that's not entirely true they got a new host!!!

[vztrt]

This report would be so funny if it was made as a joke. Yet morons still watch this rubbish and believe it.

[DoreSlamR]

Originally Posted by vztrt

This report would be so funny if it was made as a joke. Yet morons still watch this rubbish and believe it.

Yeah I chuckled heartily at that one.

Ford Australia are in cahoots with Ford USA

Holden seemed pretty ****ed about it too, obviously they've spent a lot of money on prime time advertising on channel 7 (TT being within the prime time slot) only to be shat on by TT.

Genius.

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by ILLaViTaR

I'm glad they did, These shows work by invoking fear into their audiences with the most out of context stories. People who believe them deserve the manipulation to be quite honest. The deception of the show is so apparent you'd think even the dumbest person would realise, yet these people trust the show and argue it's points with people who actually know what they're talking about constantly insulting their intelligence because they think they have a brain for once. And they'll fight the point right to the end (even though they don't even understand the point) not listening to reason, only these retarded shows.

Oh and the fact they've followed the same formula every week for the last 7yrs.
Fuel prices, mortgage prices, pitbulls. I guess that's not entirely true they got a new host!!!

In the USA its called FOX NEWS....
But yes the dumbing down of society and trashy "news" shows which report cats up trees and fence disputes have helped turn most aussies into lazy *** morons who will swallow anything fed to them without question.

[NeoBF]

I agree, this story was total rubbish...as a Holden employee to get to work on the localisation of the Cruze has been a real treat so to hear how it is now made in Korea is ridiculous and an insult to all the Aussie's who have busted their @$$ on this thing.

And spot on vztrt, those two comments....LOL, just LOL

[Till_Lind]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

In the USA its called FOX NEWS....
But yes the dumbing down of society and trashy "news" shows which report cats up trees and fence disputes have helped turn most aussies into lazy *** morons who will swallow anything fed to them without question.

Hah, in Qatar I would watch Fox quite a bit. Silly at times, but Glenn Beck and other segments were entertaining.

BBC or Sky definately better for news though.

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by NeoBF

I agree, this story was total rubbish...as a Holden employee to get to work on the localisation of the Cruze has been a real treat so to hear how it is now made in Korea is ridiculous and an insult to all the Aussie's who have busted their @$$ on this thing.

And spot on vztrt, those two comments....LOL, just LOL

Surely going by all recommended guidelines, if it is still 75% made in South Korea (and only assembled in Australia), then techinically it is still a South Korean car is it not. And I think one would be hard pressed to convince anyone that Holden are anymore concerned with the "truth" than anyone at Today Tonight.

Neo, maybe you could enlighten us to exactly what parts of the cruze are actually made in Australia. I understand the biggest supplier to Tier one suppliers to Holden for cruze parts is Holden itself. ie Holden import the cruze parts from Daewoo give them to suppliers, who assemble the parts and then send back to Holden. Whats more *** breaking, opening the boxes, or begging the federal government for $149 million to import a car in pieces.

Being productive would look to be *** breaking for those public servants at Government Motors Holden, wouldnt it.

[Struggo]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

Surely going by all recommended guidelines, if it is still 75% made in South Korea (and only assembled in Australia), then techinically it is still a South Korean car is it not. And I think one would be hard pressed to convince anyone that Holden are anymore concerned with the "truth" than anyone at Today Tonight.

Side note - How different is it from local produce producers?

Many claim Australian made and yet on the back of the label it clearly states, "Made in Australia from imported and local ingredients" or where the local content is greater "Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients".

[ieatsports_cars]

they winge and groan and compalin about the aussie cars ( lemon laws ) no wonder why shows like yours turns people away from the aussie market ! and now you want people to buy aussie cars WELL HELLO be dammd if you do and dammm if you dont go figure !

[SteveJH]

Remember its only got to be 50.1% Australian content by value in order to qualify as Australian Made unless i'm mistaken.

[vztrt]

Channel 7 faces Holden ire

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2578B700203995

Irate Holden reconsiders advertising on unapologetic, inaccurate Seven Network

22 June 2011

By RON HAMMERTON

AN error-riddled 'current affairs' report that drew the ire of the Australian motor industry and ridicule on ABC-TV's Media Watch might have serious financial consequences for the Seven Network that screened the segment on its Today Tonight show.

GM Holden, which was upset at several erroneous claims about the company and the industry in general on the report that was purportedly about the Asian cheap car invasion, is considering its advertising commitment to the network after the show's producers failed to commit to an on-air correction.

Holden director external communications Emily Perry told GoAuto today that Today Tonight had been unapologetic for the report by staff reporter Lynda Kinkade and contributor John Cadogan last Thursday.

She said the company's main concern was that Today Tonight had not bothered to seek comment from Holden to check the facts of the story.

In a statement to Media Watch, Ms Perry said: “We have serious concerns about advertising in or around a program that blatantly misrepresents the safety of our vehicles and the position of our organisation.

“We feel the same way about investing our media relations resources into a program that doesn't contact us for comment or conduct any fact checking.”

Asked today if Holden had any plans to alter its advertising commitment to the Seven Network, Ms Perry said: “Not that we can talk about.”

She said Holden spent a considerable amount of its TV advertising budget on the network across a range of programs.

Among the claims that rattled Holden and its rivals was a statement that Australia's car industry was “about to come to a screeching halt”, that the Holden Cruze was “now made in South Korea” (it is now made at Holden's Elizabeth plant in South Australia) and that Holden was now owned by a foreign parent (it has been since 1931).

“Our biggest concerns were the misleading assertions in relation to our vehicle safety and incorrectly stating the Holden Cruze is 'now' made in South Korea,” Ms Perry told Media Watch.

“However, another perplexing part of the story was the reference to 'foreign ownership' - particularly for Holden ('now owned by an American parent company' - well actually since 1931) and Ford ('now in cahoots with America' - which has actually been the case since 1903).” Ms Perry said Holden had taken up its concerns directly with the show's producers, but no correction or apology had been forthcoming.

“The fact that the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) issued a press release condemning the story and seeking a correction spoke volumes” she said.

FCAI chief executive Andrew McKellar said the report contained a number of glaring errors and misrepresentations.

“It was an extremely misleading and inaccurate story creating a seemingly deliberate false impression of vehicle safety and performance across all brands and models, whether imported or locally manufactured, and the global nature of the industry,” he said. “The reality is all new vehicles sold in Australia, whether imported or locally made, have to conform to Australian Design Rules which are closely aligned with the leading international standards.”

Mr McKellar said the report grossly misrepresented the reason for vehicle safety recalls and would have confused consumers.

“The fact is that the industry undertakes safety recalls on a proactive and precautionary basis,” he said.

“They are a reflection of the absolute commitment all brands have to have to product safety. No brand is immune from this process.”

Mr McKellar said the story had misreported sales for several brands, mistaking year-to-date sales for sales for the past 12 months.

For example, it said Toyota sold 72,000 vehicles – the year-to-date figure – when it sold 220,000 in 12 months.

In a scathing commentary on the report on ABC TV on Monday night, Media Watch said the Today Tonight report had made seven major factual errors in less than 30 seconds.

Host Jonathan Holmes commented: “I think that might be a record, even for Today Tonight. Ah well, at least we can't accuse Today Tonight of kow-towing to its advertisers.”

[fordman302]

Isn't there laws against this sort of thing?

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by fordman302

Isn't there laws against this sort of thing?

You have to take them to court.

Not to long a go they paid out a guy who they claimed was a property cheat. Ruined his business but he took them to court and won.

[Bucknaked]

It's surprising that with holden spending so much on advertising, that Channel 7 are still keen to run the story. I guess they want pie and to eat it too, even if the pie has more holes in it than swiss cheese.

[ltd]

David Kock and sMel, Today Tonight, Weynking with the alleged Stars, Packed to the Carbon Shafters; yep, channel 7 is the first channel in national history to deserve to have its broadcasting licence revoked. Kerry Strokes should kill the virus by sticking his network where the sun doesn't shine.

I hope Holden and Ford and Toyota sue the bastards for punitive damages.

[Rangas GTP]

WOOHOO,.......... Fence fight on tonight and to top it off Best Aussie Meat Pies. Riveting stuff.

[kpcart]

Originally Posted by Withnail

The correct figures are detailed in the link, and are provided by the federal chamber of auto industries.

They misrepresented year to date figures as figures for the past 12 months, which meant the figures were much, much lower.

More than that, the point is more that it was poorly researched and written.

ah yes sorry, i didnt watch the video story