Rodney Hide Fails Miserably

Monday 18 Aug 2003 Rodney Hide Press Releases -- Economy

ACT New Zealand Finance Spokesman Rodney Hide said today that he was very disappointed to have failed so miserably and comprehensively to have boosted the ratings of Dr Brian Edwards' show `Edwards at Large' last Saturday night.

"I did my best. There was no shortage of publicity. But still the people chose not to watch it. The show's a dog.

"We followed `Antiques Roadshow' and `Waking the Dead'. I did my utmost to wake the antique interviewing me but failed. The show is boring.

"The only person that likes the show is Prime Minister Helen Clark. Sadly, for Dr Edwards his Number One fan was watching the All Blacks beat the Wallabies.

"Dr Edwards' ratings were down even from the disaster of the previous week. He had ten percent of viewers over age five the Saturday before. Last Saturday he pulled a miserable six percent.

"Dr Edwards' show is a blatant example of non-users having to pay. Everyone has to cough up the $190,000 to fund `Edwards at Large' but very few watch it.

"The show wasn't a complete waste of time. It was a good training for me. I am sure the studio practice will pay off for when a professional and politically independent interviewer like Paul Holmes is asking me the tough questions when New Zealanders are actually watching.

"Dr Edwards also trained me on how to handle a crotchety old interviewer coaxing you to defame their wife on their state-funded show so that they can sue you. Quite why taxpayers have to pay for that beats me. I suppose that's just the privilege that comes from being the Prime Minister's personal media coach," Mr Hide said.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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