One unexpected and somewhat sad event directly following last weekend’s general election is the sudden announcement from The Hive blog that it considers its mission accomplished and it is now ceasing publication.
I say sad because The Hive started up about the same time as I started this blog almost a year ago, so I felt an affinity. The quality of the postings on it made it a regular read for me, several times a day most days. It seemed a genuinely good Wellington blog written by someone who truly was, as claimed, at the heart of the city, very well connected.
Unexpected, because, despite the frenetic tone The Hive descended into during the run-up to the election, with its author feeding off a number of hysterical anti-Labour blogs that proliferated before the election but shut up shop straight afterwards, The Hive always appeared to have the substance to be in it for the long haul.
And then last week I discovered the identity of Queen Bee, the ruler of The Hive. I was astounded. He genuinely is one of the best connected people round town, with a very senior leadership role in our city and a distinguished career in the service of New Zealand prior to his present position. I emailed him expressing my hope that, the election out of the way, The Hive would now drop its hysteria and return to its quality blogging.
No further posts appeared on The Hive after I sent that email, till the one I have just found announcing the demise of his blog. Were these events connected? I hope not.
I also hope that Queen Bee may reconsider and continue blogging, despite seeing the election result and its various outcomes as being somehow his “mission accomplished.” It improves the standard of public debate, let alone the standard of the blogosphere, to have people of such background and experience blogging.
23 Comments
November 16, 2008 at 11:10 am
I second that. In particular, I found the Hive’s analysis on New Zealand Foreign Affairs, a topic not widely covered by the New Zealand media, very insightful and interesting. They will be missed.
November 16, 2008 at 1:47 pm
The Hive appears to have been up to 12 people, if what their final post says is true.
November 16, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Maybe you can now knock-off your frenetic comments claiming I am QB – Fran O’Sullivan
November 16, 2008 at 5:54 pm
At our VRWC hui recently I did discuss the future directionals with many of the bloggers who have now disappeared.
It seemed they simply suffered from burn-out.
Rather like the Maori Party, their blogs are narrowly focused to politics and public policy issues, therefore with a change of administration many were simply unable to continue.
Our readers don’t want to read The Standard type blogs that simply become mouth-pieces for the administration. In fact we discussed a motion to expel Kiwiblog from the VRWC for this very reason.
Mine won’t be a mouth piece for the administration. In addition to reverting to core topics of relationships and sex, I plan to slam any namby-pamby wishy washy thing this National Government sets upon us.
I am already pissed off the Tory’s won’t get rid of welfare for families.
November 16, 2008 at 6:26 pm
So Kate, do you want people to live in their cars while working in their low wage jobs?
The Hive was right-wing – good riddance
November 16, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Millsy
In China they happily live under their desk. To own a car would deem them middle class and is something for a true worker to aspire to.
You should go visit the true poor sometime and see how they live.
November 16, 2008 at 10:32 pm
“So Kate, do you want people to live in their cars while working in their low wage jobs?”
It’s not just low wage earners who get welfare for families. The TV ad deliberately showed a well furnished home and people with luxuries to encourage middle and upper income people to apply.
When you give taxpayers’ money to people who don’t need it there is less for those who genuinely do.
November 17, 2008 at 1:41 am
It’s not just low wage earners who get welfare for families. The TV ad deliberately showed a well furnished home and people with luxuries to encourage middle and upper income people to apply. When you give taxpayers’ money to people who don’t need it there is less for those who genuinely do.
I am truly gratified to hear that the new National Government will take money from people with luxuries and redistribute it to people without them.
Because it would be a first.
November 17, 2008 at 6:52 am
Maybe you can now knock-off your frenetic comments claiming I am QB – Fran O’Sullivan
Fran I have never suggested for a moment that you are QB. As you very well know, he is a man. One well known to you.
The Hive appears to have been up to 12 people, if what their final post says is true.
He tried to give that appearance, but not very well.
November 17, 2008 at 7:19 am
Poneke – I am aware of the email traffic – next time you have queries just call me I’m in the phone book Fran
November 17, 2008 at 8:19 am
Wow, I totally thought QB was some glazed eyed Nat Party intern – although I only started reading him in the lead up to the election.
November 17, 2008 at 10:31 am
I too was surprised to discover the identify of the person behind the Hive. I’d've thought a little more discretion and judgment could be expected?
Like others, there was lots I enjoyed about the Hive however I thought the editorial line was seriously deteriorating. It’s hard not to see it as part of the cluster of government attack blogs given that it has discontinued so soon after the election?
November 17, 2008 at 10:54 am
It seemed obvious who it was even to someone as unconnected as me, so surely was an open secret around wellington. (Although I am not in the ‘in crowd’ so have no definite knowledge of QB’s identity).
There can’t be that many people who have a strong interest in foreign affairs and the view from the Majestic Centre?
November 17, 2008 at 11:20 am
Ah, ’tis sad the see the end of the Hive. Their insights were extremely good. Despite what you think there was definitely more than one on their team. I have met them in the flesh.
And yip burn out is one reason some of the “hysterical” blogs as you call them, have gone down. I think our attempts at humour and piss taking were often misread by those with a limited number of humor receptors, as hysteria. But there was an appetite for “hysteria” it seems. Tumeke rankings showed that.
Hive, Roarprawn Hooton and Whaleoil became must reads for many of the influencers around the traps – How do we know? Simply from the email traffic we got off line and the number of people who gave us info to blog. It has been a very interesting experience and a great result. I’m just not too sure what to do next – do I write another blog? Do I take Roarprawn in another direction? Do I take up the old craft and do I join forces with some others and do a real news/commentary blog? Do I continue to do a serious pisstake, hysterical but well read blog on politics food and wine? Do I finish my kids book about possums, duncan the duck and a dexter calf and a kid called Sooz? Not sure yet, all I know is that the last two months have been one hell of a ride. And under the same circumstances ( now there is a story that still needs to be told) I would do it all again. For the record RP was never paid by anyone. Apart from a couple of story planning sessions with some informants at Dockside and Beaujolais, where someone else picked up the wine bill. In fact I am paid up member of the Nats so, I suppose I bought the ticket to ride.
Poneke, your blog is good, you were one of the best journos this country produced, but be rest assured we never took ourselves as seriously as you took us.
Tina and the team at Roarprawn.
November 17, 2008 at 11:57 am
So Kate,
You want to kick people out of their homes and make them live under their desk?
November 17, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Oh dear, perhaps we should send a few bottles of DB Bitter to cheer poor old rejected millsy up?
November 17, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Darn it sucks to be on the outside, I just cannot think who it might bee.
November 17, 2008 at 8:28 pm
It all smells a bit bloody fishy to me.
November 18, 2008 at 11:04 am
Cactus Kate said… “In addition to reverting to core topics of relationships and sex, I plan to slam any namby-pamby wishy washy thing this National Government sets upon us.”
I didn’t know National had anyone fitting that description, but feel free to do to him what you like (assuming consent), and blog about it, please.
November 18, 2008 at 11:17 am
Poneke, your blog will continue to be well read because it is extremely well written and it isn’t a ‘political’ blog…. in fact, in my humble view, it is absolutely the BEST trolley bus blog in the world!
I’ll enjoy coming back again and again. Good work
November 18, 2008 at 11:23 am
your blog… is absolutely the BEST trolley bus blog in the world!
There are others??????
November 19, 2008 at 8:18 pm
The hive is pretty empty now, the Queen has flown. It must be good for the Bee to know that everyone can properly credit his efforts to the right person, after so much speculation.
November 19, 2008 at 10:06 pm
The secret to surviving blog burn-out is to not publicly doing a “Waaah! It’s all to much! Or it’s not enough! I quit!” post, but rather to just quietly take a break from blogging for a while. Eventually your blogging mojo will return in one form or another.
I’m disappointed in the Queen Bee, whoever he is.