Wayne Marsden Brittenden is a New Zealand journalist, author, historian, and documentary filmmaker. He has worked as a political journalist for the BBC, a correspondent for Radio New Zealand, and a contributor to publications such as The New Zealand Herald and The Christian Science Monitor. Brittenden is the creator and owner of The Political Compass website and podcast, and has authored the book The Celluloid Circus: The Heyday of the New Zealand Picture Theatre (2008) and documentaries including Summerhill: The Oldest Children's Democracy in the World (2003).
Early life Wayne Marsden Brittenden was born in the 1940s to Cedric Hugh Brittenden and Eila Marsdon Brittenden ( 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.Auckland Museum. (n.d.). Cenotaph record: Cedric Hugh Brittenden. Home War Memorial – Online Cenotaph. Retrieved from https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/130229 Cedric 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. 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.
Career in journalism
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.
Starting around December 2001, he wrote articles under "Counterpoint" for The Inquirer.The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches. (2001). 73rd Annual Report (p. 42). Unitarian Headquarters, University of Sheffield. Retrieved from https://www.unitarian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2001_GA_Annual_Report.pdf 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,Brittenden, W. (20 January 1991). Technology takes us centre stage. Dominion Sunday Times, p. 6. New Zealand Listener,Brittenden, W. (1 January 2000). The friendly free market. New Zealand Listener, 172(3112), 32–33. Heritage New Zealand,Brittenden, W. (2009, Autumn). Picture palaces. Heritage New Zealand, (112), 20–25. New Outlook,Brittenden, W. (1986). Porn asunder. New Outlook (Auckland, N.Z.), Dec 1986, 18–21. ISSN: 0111-8811. INNZ. and The Dominion Post,Brittenden, W. (7 June 1990). NZ's two-faced nuclear stance. Dominion (Wellington, N.Z.), p. 12. and The Christian Science Monitor. He is referred as a movie theatre historian by New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage.Research and Publishing Group of the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Manatū Taonga. (NZHistory team). (n.d.). Standing for the Queen at the movies. New Zealand History. https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/standing-queen-movies
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 Unitarian 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.The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches. (2001). 73rd Annual Report (pp. 30–40). Unitarian Headquarters, University of Sheffield. Retrieved from https://www.unitarian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2001_GA_Annual_Report.pdf
Brittenden monitored media daily for the Unitarian church, identifying opportunities and creating guidelines to address misconceptions. He visited local congregations, advising on profile-raising, and collaborated with the Information Officer on public relations. The church attributed successful letters on gay rights and faith school opposition to his input. He also trained office holders in interviews. The 2001 report noted: ‘Wayne provided valuable public relations advice.’
In 2005, he remained as a Media Consultant on a retainer basis. The report speaks positively of the successes made by the media team.The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches. (2005). 77th Annual Report (pp. 28–29). Unitarian Headquarters, University of Sheffield. Retrieved from https://www.unitarian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2001_GA_Annual_Report.pdf
Film industry 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.Packer, A. (6 December 2008). Fade to black. Dominion Post (Wellington, N.Z.), sup.p. 7.
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 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 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.Te Kauae Kaimahi. (10 September 2002). Danes warned against New Zealand Experiment. Scoop Independent News. Retrieved 4 February 2024, from https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0209/S00043/danes-warned-against-new-zealand-experiment.htm
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 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 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. Brittenden takes on the role of the presenter.
The Political Compass
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,DomainTools. (4 February 2024). PoliticalCompass.org – WHOIS, DNS, & Domain Info. WHOIS. Retrieved from http://whois.domaintools.com/politicalcompass.org 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.Mitchell, Brian Patrick (2007). Eight Ways to Run the Country. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 143. .
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.