Auckland City Council - City Scene

A report on the 1999 Rally New Zealand says a new format was used to gain maximum publicity on the event, which was staged in mid July.

Coverage was obtained on both local TV networks, as well as radio and the press. In addition eight overseas TV crews filmed the event with coverage reaching 265 stations in 90 countries, with an estimated 700 million viewers. In total 217 sports media covered the event, which saw 87 competitors driving 14 makes of rally cars. The Rally of New Zealand website was accessed by in excess of 531,000 people.

More than 10,000 people viewed the Manukau Super Special stage, and 8000 watched the show at Aotea Square.

The economic impact report, commissioned by the New Zealand Tourism Board, indicates the total revenue generated through foreign exchange exceeded $12 million and had an impact on gdp of over $6 million.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>