Journalists and
Lobbyists
A too cosy symbiosis?
Why should we care about lobbyists?
Introduction
First reading
Committee of
the whole
House
Select
Committee
Second
reading
Royal Assent
Third Reading
Why should we care about lobbyists?
Introduction
First reading
Committee of
the whole
House
Select
Committee
Second
reading
Royal Assent
Third Reading
Lobbying was once an activity based around gaining
access to decision-makers, but it has evolved into an
industry utilising: pressure and interest groups; policy
advice; social responsibility programmes; stakeholder
analysis; public affairs and lobbying work; to achieve a
strategic outcome
(Harris, 2002)

Lobby group or lobbyist

Advocacy group,

Rights group,

Interest group

Pressure group

Single-interest group

Front group
Of the thousands of articles …
Label
No. of times used
Lobby group/ lobbyist
68
Advocacy group
16
Rights group
2
Interest group
2
Pressure group
1
Single-interest group
0
Front group
0
Total
89
817 stories
900
800
78
Label
739
No
label
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Stories
817 stories included one of these groups
Only 78 labels were applied to groups (9%)
Federated Farmers
Chamber of Commerce
4
151
SPCA
6
130
Sensible Sentencing Trust
42
Grey Power
40
Taxpayers' Union
1
2
22
Hospitality NZ
18
2
Generation Zero
16
11
Family First NZ
16
EMA
5
4
26
Greenpeace
3
15 3
Environmental Defence Soc.
11 5
Forest and Bird
11 2
The NZ Initiative
9
10
ASH
9 6
Food and Grocery Council
9 2
Paw Justice
8
NZ Retailers' Assn
51
Business NZ
40
Straterra
3
273
8
11
0
50
100
Ocurrences
150
Labels applied
200
250
300
Labels used in the 78 stories
Other
31
Lobby group
21
Think tank
8
Welfare group/ organisation
7
Advocacy group
5
Charity
3
Business/ industry group
2
Interest group
1
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Examples

Hospitality New Zealand – part of the alcohol industry

Chamber of Commerce – voice of business

Taxpayers’ Union – watchdog group

Forest and Bird – conservationists

Sensible Sentencing Trust – child exploitation and sexual abuse advocates

ASH – anti-smoking purists

Greenpeace – not eco terrorists

Family First New Zealand – kill joys
Who was called a lobby group?
Generation Zero
8
ASH
3
Taxpayers' Union
3
Family First New Zealand
2
Sensible Sentencing Trust
2
Grey Power
1
The New Zealand Initiative
1
Federated Farmers
1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Comparing the news organisations
421
Stuff
NZ Herald
317
37
41
Conclusion

The media are inconsistent in whether or not they label lobbying
organisations in news stories.

90 percent had no label.

Lobby groups are left to operate under the radar.

The public is being left in the dark about why groups may be taking a
stance on an issue.