Media Aware records.

Media Aware was active from 1988 to 1997 and grew out of a course taught at the University of Auckland. Its own account, A Brief History of Media Aware, outlines its beginning:

The formation of Media Aware really began in 1988 when a group of people, who had undertaken a course at Continuing Education, felt the need to continue to meet informally to discuss the issues raised in the course. Peter Watkins’ film The Journey formed the basis of the course and one of the central concerns of the film is the crucial role played by the mass media in shaping and informing contemporary society together with the very undemocratic nature of the relationship between the mass media and the public it supposedly serves…. A good deal of thought was given to the name of the group and finally Media Aware was chosen.

A paper circulated in a membership drive (see Item 81) spelled out most succinctly the group’s wide-ranging aims. - to promote increasing non-violence and social positivity. - to increase public awareness of the powerful role the mass media play in our society. - to promote public involvement in the media’s performance. - to achieve truth and integrity in news and current affairs. - to have media adequately reflect and nurture the diverse cultural interests and needs of our country. - to enhance the quality of adults’ and children’s broadcasting and print. - to ensure that the quality and timing of advertising reflects the wishes of media users.

In 1994, Media Aware was granted charitable trust status and, in 1995, became an incorporated society with a licensed logo. With a modest base of paid subscribers, around 150 members in 1993, the committee relied a great deal on voluntary staff to handle administration and promotional work, with the exception of a Taskforce Green-funded worker, Redmond Holloway, in 1993-1994, and Janene Muir who was funded by other means for the first half of 1995. A highpoint of activity in 1995 preceded a steady decline and meeting minutes January 1997, in Item 7, suggest going into recess if new blood for the committee cannot be found. Media Aware folded sometime after June 1997.

The founding members comprised a committee of eight people from a wide range of backgrounds, as noted in Item 15: Neil Smith, Betty Gilderdale, Angus de Lange, Paul Green, Irene Maloney, Bill Smith, Bill Saunders and Frank Graves. From 1990, Marion Hancock’s name appears frequently in the records, especially in correspondence. She held a co-chair role from 1991 onwards, firstly with Neil Smith, then Ashley Felderhoff and David Jacobs. Administrative assistance was also provided over time by Redmond Holloway, Janene Muir, Graeme Easte and Ngaire Seadon, It is clear that, from 1991-1997 Marion Hancock had a key role in much of the administration and organisational work of Media Aware. A lobbyist on a number of social issues, Marion was also active with the New Zealand Foundation for Peace Studies and Children’s Mediawatch at the same time, the latter an offshoot of Media Aware. In 1993, approaches to playwright Roger Hall and former Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer to act as patrons were unsuccessful.

The records show that different locations were utilised for administration purposes, including an address in Manawa Rd, Remuera, the University of Auckland’s Mclaurin Chapel Hall and Hamurana at 29 Princes St, and facilities shared with Small World Aotearoa at 537 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn.

Minutes show that committee meetings were held relatively regularly and, while based at Hamurana, a working group aimed to meet once a month. The first Annual General Meeting took place at this location on 21 Feb 1991. From 1989 a newsletter, Media Aware, was produced. In 1995 and 1997 the title was Media Awareness. There are no newsletters for 1996 and the newsletter for June 1997, in Item 216, appears to have been the last. In early 1991 a temporary committee formulated The Rules of Media Aware, largely to comply with their envisaged application for charitable status. This document set out the group’s principles and procedures and, although not termed as such, fulfilled the role of a constitution.

As a lobby group, Media Aware was involved in a wide range of projects and activities that promoted their stance on media issues, particularly violence and advertising. Records in each Series attest to public meetings and forums, campaigns, submissions to parliament, petitions and correspondence with national and international dignitaries. Notable amongst these was the Register of Socially Responsible Advertisers launched in 1993 by Dame Augusta Wallace and the bringing to New Zealand of American screen-violence campaigner Professor Rowell Huesmann for a 10-day speaking tour in 1995. Media Aware published a booklet of Huesmann’s lecture, Screen violence and real violence : understanding the link, copies of which are found in Items 212 and 214.

Fundraising to cover expenses required constant effort. Membership fees provided some, but not all, financial assistance, and Items 77-80 pertain to requests and applications for funding from a range of businesses and organisations. Huesmann’s visit, in particular, placed much pressure on Media Aware’s funds.

The accumulation of local and overseas printed and published resources was also a feature of Media Aware’s activity. Many of these are found in Series 6 and include conference material, pamphlets, periodicals and reports. However, a significant resource that is scattered across much of the collection is media clippings. These comprise specific Items in Series 5 and 6, but are also found in other sections. Amongst other uses, quotations and images from these materials were gleaned for insertion in posters and newsletters, and copies of material were supplied to school teachers, pupils and university students upon request for use in teaching and assignments – media education being an important focus of the group. Sound and video cassettes, largely in-house, in Series 9 and 10 were also part of the pool of resources.

As a group with broad concerns, Media Aware had dealings and affiliations with a number of other groups and organisations and these are evident in the records. Among these were the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA), the Group against Liquor Advertising (GALA), Voice of Women (VOW), Viewers for Television Excellence (VOTE), the Children’s Television Foundation (CTF), Friends of National Radio, Friends of the Concert Programme, the Association of New Zealand Advertisers (ANZA), and the National Association of Media Educators (NAME).