Sunday 11 February 2001

Government bullying that has forced Paul Holmes to take a pay cut is the Chinese Cultural Revolution Television New Zealand-style, National's Broadcasting spokesperson Katherine Rich said today.

"The edict to from Helen Clark to cut individual's salaries shows that this government is happy to beat anybody who has done well back into mediocrity.

"While the government and TVNZ board will wave around this decision like a prize scalp we really need to question where scapegoating like this is going to lead broadcasting and New Zealand in general.

"I can see Holmes' point about breach of confidentiality. When it is well known that there is only one person in the top income bracket at TVNZ, you don't need to be Einstein to work out who Mr Armstrong was referring to. TVNZ's desire to crow about the scalp has compromised an individual's right to privacy.

"From an international perspective, Paul Holmes' salary isn't even in the league of many TV weatherman in the United States. Here he is our top broadcaster who fronts one of New Zealand's most loved shows that is one of the biggest revenue earners for TVNZ.

"While it's true that his salary is 'taxpayers' money' his show has generated more money for the New Zealand taxpayer than any other in New Zealand's broadcasting history. In my view he's justified his existence many times over. Paul Holmes is not the devil here, the politics of envy and mediocrity are.

"The Government doesn't understand that TV people can leave New Zealand for better opportunities just like our nurses, teachers and professionals are doing. If New Zealand wants to be a world class country where talented people want to stay we've got to stop this jealously of those who do well.

"While Helen Clark scoffs at the portability of many of our broadcasters' skills there are plenty of examples where other New Zealand TV people have taken off for better opportunities," Katherine Rich said.

Ends

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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>>