Continuous disclosure

There was another row last week over David Farrar, Lord of the Blog, not disclosing his octopus-like links across the media-politics sphere. Octopus in that he has tentacles to the National Party, to his own polling firm, to his blog, to the dodgy ipredict market, to the NZ Politics Daily news analysis service and to other media - and octopus in that he can change colour and form to suit the medium meaning the lines between political commentator and partisan PR activist may not be known by the observer in which medium he operates. That's not to say it's always his fault, it's just to mention that even with a disclosure page on his blog the conflict between a partisan insider being paid by the Nats and a 'political commentator' more akin to an academic does get blurred - esp. in the minds of those not familiar with who he is. That said it would be remiss not have a similar disclosure page for this blog.

Tumeke! blog readers are owed a disclosure function so that people can be made aware of any relationships the blog authors have that may affect what they write - and for that matter what they don't write about. Readers can assess it for themselves and make an informed judgment. To that end a "Bloggers' bio/disclosure" link now appears under the blog author buttons on the top of the sidebar. Rather than a central page it is a label tag to blog posts where the author makes a declaration of interest or some other disclosure that may have a bearing on their commentary. This will be a regime of continuous disclosure.

For example last week I wrote a post about my involvement with the Mana movement - that I had become the (unpaid I hasten to add) Secretary of the Waiariki Electorate Committee. Given most of my posts are to do with domestic politics it was appropriate to do that and if any significant change occurs I will mention it in a post and add a disclosure label to it. On this blog the authors wear their colours on their sleeves for the large part so it should be fairly obvious who is allied to what.

As for my co-bloggers -

Mr Bradbury is well known in political circles and the media as a supporter of left and centre-left parties, and of progressive social causes including civil rights campaigns, and worker, student and youth advocacy. He has appeared at numerous political and union functions over the last few years. He is a political consultant to organisations of the left and centre-left. Mr Bradbury also hosts TV current affairs programmes on the Triangle/Stratos network as well as Editor in Residence at the Wintec School of Journalism.

Ms Fletcher is undertaking a PhD at Auckland University in media. Previously worked for the Screen Directors Guild, for academic publications and in public relations. She has worked in the Pacific on climate change projects and presented at Oxford, Manchester University, Monash University, UCLA and the First Global Conference of Black Nationalities.

Any additional disclosures and biographical updates can be found with this label: