Wayne Brittenden

Wayne Marsden Brittenden  is a New Zealand journalist, author, historian, and documentary film-maker. He worked as a political journalist for the British Broadcasting Corporation, as a correspondent for Radio New Zealand, and a writer for various local publications. He is the owner of the The Political Compass website.

Early life
Wayne Brittenden, born in the 1940s, is the son of Cedric Hugh Brittenden and Eila Marsdon Brittenden (née Brown). At 19 years of age his father began managing The Roxy Theatre on Princes Street, Dunedin in 1930. Cedric managed the TET Kings Theatre, a cinema in Stratford, in the early 1940s. Cedric enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force around 1942 and resided in Christchurch. Cerdic continued to work as theatre manager for the Kerridge Odeon Corporation.

As a child, Wayne used his bike to ride around Gisborne after school, and would also change movie posters for theatres his father managed. Wayne used any discarded posters to make kites or cut into scrap paper. He later recalled an incident where an elderly woman, holding a biblical pamphlet, would discourage people from entering his father's theatre due to the religious belief that cinemas were the work of the devil.

During the day at the theatre, Brittenden strategically planned promotions to attract audiences, aiming to divert crowds from the competing Amalgamated Theatres' chain. On six evenings a week, in addition to hosting a charity screening on Sundays, he would preside over the foyer, dressed in a tuxedo, personally welcoming guests.

Pace News Limited
On 19 October 1982, Brittenden incorporated Pace News Limited and assumed the position of director. The company, a New Zealand limited entity headquartered in Saint Heliers, Auckland, is categorized under Internet publishing and broadcasting. As of 2023, the company remains incorporated.

Radio New Zealand
In 1978, he was a correspondent in Tokyo, Japan, and reported on the Japanese reaction to an alleged UFO sighting located in Kaikōura, New Zealand, dubbed the "Kaikōura film footage" and highlighted a local woman who claimed to communicate with UFOs.

In September 1985, he was situated in Copenhagen, where he boarded the USS Iowa to interview the commanding officer about the presence of nuclear weapons on the ship and its compliance with Denmark's prohibition on hosting nuclear-armed vessels.

Started around December 2001, he wrote articles under "Counterpoint" for The Inquirer. Counterpoint transitioned to an audio podcast for RNZ's Sunday Morning series and lasted from 2008 to 2016 according to RNZ's search results.

British Broadcasting Corporation
He was a political journalist with the BBC, making at least one contribution to the Sunday Supplement series for The Westminster Hour in the year 2005. The article is titled "Whatever Happened To Anarchism?"

Other publications
Brittenden penned articles for the Dominion Sunday Times, New Zealand Listener, Heritage New Zealand, New Outlook, and The Dominion Post, and The Christian Science Monitor. He is referred as a movie theatre historian by New Zealand History.

Consultancy for Auckland Unitarian Church
In 2001, Brittenden was involved in the "Denominational Involvement Media Project" and the "Social Responsibility and Media Consultancy Project" for the church. His work includes providing "valuable" perspectives from an outsider's viewpoint, influencing the launch style and content of projects like Counterpoint, and contributing to initiatives aimed at promoting Unitarian perspectives in the media.

Specifically, Wayne Brittenden is noted for monitoring relevant media daily on behalf of the church, identifying potential opportunities, and developing guidelines to counter public misconceptions about Unitarianism. He also visits congregations at the local level, suggesting ways to raise their profile. In the Social Responsibility and Media Consultancy Project, Wayne Brittenden collaborated with the Information Officer, offering public relations advice on various matters. The church contributes a success of letters sent to the national broadsheet press on issues such as gay rights and the church's opposition to an expansion of state-funded faith schools. Additionally, Brittenden gave personal interview training to several of the church office holders. The 2001 report summarizes the help: "Wayne has provided useful public relations advice on numerous matters."

In 2005, he remained as a Media Consultant on a retainer basis. The report speaks positively of the successes made by the media team.

Investigative team
Around December 2008, Britten left New Zealand for the United Kingdom to run an independent investigative documentary team in London's West End.

Zentropa project
In 2002, Zentropa Entertainments, a Denmark-based film studio, planned a major production about Scandinavian settlers in New Zealand during the 1870s. Brittenden was hired to write the feature film script in English, focusing on the story of settlers abandoned in the wilderness instead of receiving promised farmland. Zentropa envisions a significant production shot predominantly in New Zealand, featuring both local and Scandinavian actors. Brittenden asked for contributions of anecdotes, diaries, or records related to the settlements in Dannevirke and Norsewood for research.

Summerhill: The Oldest Children's Democracy in the World (2003)
The DVD video authored by Wayne Brittenden, provides a presentation of Summerhill School, which is claimed as the oldest children's democracy globally. Released in 2003, the documentary is conducted in English and has a duration of 21 minutes. The publisher is identified as Summerhill School, located in Leiston. The content delves into experimental methods in education and is associated with educator Alexander Sutherland Neill the founder of the school.

New Zealand Eksperimentet (2002)
On 10 September 2002, the premiere of the Danish documentary film "New Zealand Eksperimentet" took place. The film, produced by Hans Kragh-Jacobsen and researched by Wayne Brittenden, delivers a cautionary message to the Danish audience. It urges them to be wary of adopting neo-liberal policies akin to those implemented in New Zealand over the preceding 15 years. The 36-minute documentary, available on VHS, is authored in both Danish and English by Hans Kragh-Jacobsen. Published by Specialarbejderforbundet i Danmark/Jensen & Kompagni A/S in Copenhagen in 2002.

Anthropology 101: The Ultimate Lecture (2007)
The lecture, "Anthropology 101: The Ultimate Lecture," was released in 2007 and is available in the DVD video format. Set in the future on a distant planet, the presentation is conducted by an anthropology lecturer who observes Earth's inhabitants on the brink of self-destruction. The lecturer utilizes a diverse array of images, ranging from trivial to evocative, to craft a compelling and often disquieting narrative that portrays life on Earth. The production includes musical contributions by Brian Eno and narration by Mark Rylance. The content of the lecture was written by Wayne Brittenden, with Lee Herrick serving as the producer.

The Invisible Wall (1993)
Published in 1993, this documentary is available in VHS video format and intricately explores the intricacies of food politics, multinational corporations, Third World debt, and trade barriers. It highlights how these factors contribute to the ongoing issues of poverty and environmental degradation in less affluent nations. Co-authored by John Gaffney, Ole Alshov, and Wayne Brittenden, the film includes insights from prominent critics such as Noam Chomsky, Susan George, and Kenneth Galbraith, who express their reservations about institutions like GATT, The World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. Distributed by Filmakers Library and Pace News, this approximately 54-minute video delves into global disparities in the post-Cold War era, emphasizing their potential to worsen inequalities between the rich and poor. Wayne Brittenden takes on the role of the presenter.

Background
According to Pamela O'Connell of the New York Times, Brittenden is responsible for The Political Compass website. The website first appeared on 20 December 2000, and is a copyright under Pace News Limited. As reported by marketer Neil Patel's website traffic checker, as of 4 February 2024, the total estimated traffic the website gets (considering the organic keywords) is 420,000+ visitors per month.

Brittenden collaborated with the organization "One World Action" in the development of the website, which is led by Glenys Kinnock, a prominent member of the Labour Party and the Party of European Socialists. The site was initially featured on the One World Action's web server.

According to information from the One World Action website, the creators of the compass acknowledged their indebtedness to individuals such as Wilhelm Reich and Theodor Adorno for their pioneering contributions to this field.

Content
Visitors can engage in a political test to determine their ideological stance, receiving a personalized certificate based on their results. The test prompts users to express agreement or disagreement with 61 propositions on social and political subjects, positioning them on a compass. The east–west axis signifies economic tendencies from left to right, while the north–south axis represents social tendencies ranging from authoritarian to libertarian.

The site provides analyses of global political topics, offering counterpoints and speculative content. A reading list is also present to understand various political ideologies.

Specific sections dedicated to countries like New Zealand, Latin America, Italy, Australia, France, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, USA, and Ireland provide insights into political events and elections.

The site also connects to a Buzzsprout podcast titled "The Political Compass", hosted by Brittenden himself to discuss various political issues. Brittenden has invited guests such as Harry Vassallo, Jason Stanley, and Robert Dunham.

Political views
Brittenden is opposed to capital punishment.

In December 1986, Wayne Brittenden presented an article titled "Porn Asunder," advocating for a New Zealand perspective on pornography akin to Denmark, where it is legal and generally regarded with indifference.

On 14 July 2014, on his Counterpoint podcast, criticized Israel by highlighting the negative press it had received during the 2014 Gaza War. Further stating "All too often it seems, the victims end imitating the stereotype of their own oppression."

Is opposed to the CIA's Enhanced interrogation techniques, calling it a "Horrifying torture techniques on prisoners."

He supports the Occupy Movement in Hong Kong, calling it an "unambiguous and genuine public campaign [for democracy.]"

He is against aspects of the Five Eyes surveillance. Calling it "Orwellian clock ticking." Further stated, It is only justified if its targeted, only deployed when necessary, never carried out without a court with records scrutinized by a public advocate. That individuals should be able to do whatever they want to public, as long it does not violate others privacy rights.

He expresses strong criticism of Barack Obama, labeling his approach as "Illiberal conservatism" due to his recruitment of former Clinton and Bush staff, as well as his associations with Wall Street bankers. Obama's Nobel Peace Prize is viewed as being primarily based on rhetoric. The critique extends to his handling of drone strikes, pursuit of whistleblowers, expansion of the surveillance state, and the perceived failure of Obamacare to establish a universal healthcare system. Additional criticisms include Obama's limited discussions on race and avoiding certain issues.

Brittenden sarcastically remarked "Its about the freedom to own arms, not encountering a crazed gunman" regarding the political climate around guns in America. He paraphrased Justice Warren E. Burger's remark: "[The Second Amendment is] only to ensure state armies were maintained for defense, special interest groups have defraud the real intention."

Brittenden believes the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was unjustified as it was a political decision rather than military.

Lauded Thomas Paine as an "extraordinary Englishman" for championing a range of progressive ideals, including human rights, animal rights, women's rights, the abolition of capital punishment, universal franchise, pensions, minimum wage, and the distribution of wealth.

He has commented Donald Trump is a "Bull in the China shop" regarding his personality in politics.

Brittenden is critical of neoliberalism, particularly the implementation of Rogernomics. Furthermore, he critiques the global trend of neoliberal policies, mentioning terms like "best value" and Margaret Thatcher's "There is no alternative" (TINA) being applied in various European welfare states. Additionally, he believes that important works such as universal healthcare, job security and state pensions are being curtailed.

Personal life
In his review for Scoop Review of Books, Chris Bourke depicts Wayne Brittenden's 2008 book "Celluloid Circus" as a well-informed and anecdotal work reflecting Brittenden's deep connection to the film industry. The review summarizes it as an enthusiastic effort to preserve memories from New Zealand's golden era of cinemas, resulting in a nostalgic endeavor.

Reverend Clay Nelson of the Auckland Unitarian Church claims to be a friend of Britteden.

As of 2015, Brittenden currently spends his time between New Zealand and London.

While in Copenhagen, Brittenden came across a plaque commemorating Denmark Queen's visit to Dannevirke, New Zealand, in an exhibition. Convinced of its significance, he believed it should be relocated to Dannevirke. He approached the Dannevirke district council, encouraging them to acquire it. Along with contributions from the Scandinavian Society and local residents, the district council purchased the plaque for $1200. Subsequently, in 1988, Brittenden personally brought the plaque to Dannevirke Gallery of History and presented it to district manager Glen Innes.