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South Pacific Independent News Network · 06-12-2021, 02:14 PM

Year 18 | 12 June 2021

JUNE 2021 CABINET ELECTION
MINISTER OF MEDIA INTERVIEW
Moderator: James D. Halpert | Participant: Rabbitz

Welcome to the June 2021 Minister of Media Interview!

I am James Halpert and I will be the moderator of this interview with Rabbitz, candidate for Minister of Media. This interview is sponsored by the South Pacific Independent News Network.

The format of this interview will consist of a single section:

• The only section will feature questions on the candidate’s qualifications, intended policies and their vision for the coming term.

The candidate is asked to clearly mark the end of their answers so that I may know when to move on to the next question and to answer no later than 3 minutes after a question has been asked.
Opening Remarks

[Rabbitz] Howdy! My name is Rabbitz, and I hope to serve TSP as MoM to the best of my ability. I plan on providing strict policies temporarily so that MoM may reap the benefits after. Thank you!

You have been critical, in your campaign, of the current state of the Ministry of Media. What exactly do you think has gone wrong? Is it a leadership problem? Is it something more cultural or structural?

[Rabbitz] Specifically, a leadership and structural problem. In leadership, there's no management and there's not much of an effort to contact those who have asked to write a an article and remind them, and there's also no proper calendar to mark due dates for articles leading to articles getting published after their due date. Structurally, I think that MoM would devoilve into having writer roles and statisitic roles and editor roles if leadership nudged MoM a bit. Thank you.

Your main proposed solution to the current issues with the ministry is adopting a firm hand approach when it comes to expecting results from staff. Why exactly do you believe this would be an effective approach, and what would you do if it failed?

[Rabbitz] Why it would be effective: essentially, it would get the members of MoM to actively participate and allow them to get into the habit of the way of MoM. Such as following the set due dates, planning the monthly TSJ before I would even ask them, etc.

If it fails, then I will relax the policies and see if that works in providing a proper managing style in MoM. I want MoM to succeed and flourish, and if my former strategy does not work, then I will accept the latter.

Do you have any concerns that this firm hand approach could have the opposite result and discourage citizens from participate in the ministry?

[Rabbitz] I don't have much concerns for this. Afterall, creating a poll, editing an article, and even writing an article are not that hard of tasks once the members get used to writing them. Once new members see how fluid and easy MoM can produce articles and polls, then the firmhand policies won't have muich affect on their judgement. In addition, in concerning my policy of aan activity check, it's doing three tasks a month. Writing a poll, an article, and edit an article are super easy to have gotten done in the span of a month. So I don't see how this could be of much conern. Also, I do see how the hounding policy would be very annoying, which is why I formally say that the notice will be half way of the due date.

Also, I plan that the firmhand policies to be relaxed in a gradual way once I see that MoM is taking on the role of self sufficiency; they won't last forever.

New members will receieve a guide teling them about the expectations of MoM, and if they have any concerns they could come to me about it and work something out.

What style of publication should we expect from the ministry under your leadership? Would publications be whimsical, serious, analytical, etc.?

[Rabbitz] The Souther Onion would be very unserious with satirical articles, poetry, and all around silliness.

The Souther [sic.] Journal would be moderatly serious with matters of regional affairs and recaps of varous events that happened in TSP, but I plan to have a sudoku section in it as well as have some NSBall creators for some lively comic fun.

The Llama Drama would be very serious with interviews with newly elected Delegates across the NS globe, breaking news, and more.

You said, in your interview for the February 2021 Cabinet Election, that if elected you would have publications show a clear defender bias. Do you stand by that position?

[Rabbitz] I stand by it when MoM members are addressing matters that relate to R/D that will be showcased at the front of the TSJ; however, raider-aligned authors will be allowed to voice their opinion on the matter. If my MoM members want to criticize defenderism, Independentism, Imperialism, or raiderism, then they may do so in the Opinion section of the TSJ.

How do you envision South Pacifican media across NationStates? Would you seek to publish content to foreign audiences? Or do you expect to focus your efforts on content aimed mostly at citizens and legislators?

[Rabbitz] I do envision South Pacifican media across NS to foreign and regional audiences; however, MoM must first take baby steps before then; as such, this will not be my main centerpiece of my term. The leadership and management of MoM come first, and if I also focus on this, then I think I will stretch MoM thin. If MoM does become self-sufficient to a high enough degree that this could be possible, then I will go for it; but if it doesn't, then I won't dwell too much on it.

Belschaft is running, for the second consecutive time, on a platform of abolishing the ministry due to what they consider to be its superfluous and inactive nature. What do you think of this? Is there a place for a Ministry of Media in the region today?

[Rabbitz] The place of MoM is to showcase the creative writing of TSP, provide the news of local media to the citizens of TSP, and to have a media center that can be counted on to provide the news. Although I do see his argument in having local news sources, they are generally managed by one person, and they frequently go inactive for long periods of time when the one player doesn't have time. With MoM, however, if one person says they can't do it, then there will be someone who will pick it up and write, edit, or create that specific task for them; thereby, being far more efficient then a one-person-run independent source could ever be.

Earlier in the interview you criticised the current state of the ministry. Could you give voters some insight into any actions that you have taken to try to remedy the situation, even if you yourself are not the minister?

[Rabbitz] One thing I have tried is Dming Islas and asking him to announce an opportunity to write about a topic whenever I hear news or arguments breaking out in the NSGP server, which has had success. Doge for instance signed up to write about the Nazi ban and Quebec offered to write a few pieces for us after the ping reminded him that he had some iirc. In addition, I have pinged Islas to remind those of article dates, which has also had benefits such as most articles being done by the due date.

Offtopic: I hope to standardize these practices when I'm MoM, and have specific roles that are dedicated to relaying information.

You have served in elected office before, only to resign before the end of the term. Can you assure voters that this time would be different? How would you handle the rigorous nature of serving in the Cabinet?

[Rabbitz] Can I assue them? As much as I would like to say that I can, I really can't and I admit that. What I hope is that even in my asbsences, which will be kept to a minimum, the members of MoM will be provided with enough instruction and habitual training that they will know what to do when I'm gone. Also, I plan to have a Deputy that will help and assist me in managerial crises.

I would handle the rigorous nature of serving the Cabinet by creating a checklist for myself. I write down what I need to announce to MoM, and check it off when I complete it.

Desserts are a contentious issue in the region. Do you prefer cake or pie?

[Rabbitz] Cake.

Closing Remarks

[Rabbitz] I hope that the Assembly of TSP will give me the chance to bring up MoM and make it to the fantastic ministry that we all want it to be.

Vote for me!

The South Pacific Independent News Network (SPINN) is an independent news organisation established in 2003 with the goal of providing good, insightful and timely commentary on regional events for the citizens of the South Pacific. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board. Content is published via pseudonyms. The SPINN is not associated with the Government of the South Pacific.