24 July 2014

Mike Hosking for PM?

The Coalition for Better Broadcasting is adding its voice to the many appalled at TVNZ’s choice of Mike Hosking as moderator for the upcoming political debates.

"This is not good broadcasting "says Chief Executive Myles Thomas, "in fact this is terrible broadcasting. TVNZ’s decision to use a famously biased interviewer for the most important political debate of the election is very poor indeed.

“Choosing a debate moderator with public links to the ruling party would be expected in Russia or China. But this is New Zealand, a western democracy where journalists are expected to be impartial, and to hold the ruling party to account. Mike Hosking does not hold this government to account, and when he sometimes seems to, it comes across as being part of National’s communications strategy, invariably helping them dig themselves out of a hole.

“Meanwhile Stephen Joyce attempts to compare Hosking with John Campbell. The difference is of course that Campbell has never endorsed a politician, never hosted a Labour Party event, and never shied away from seriously challenging politicians of all stripes. But heck, he lives in Grey Lynn so he must be left-wing.”

As New Zealand’s most watched political debate for this election, it is vital to the integrity of our democracy that it is impartial. Mike Hosking is a great television presenter but he is not impartial as his many quotes show. Here’s a few we found after just two minutes on Google:

“We have bright prospects for the future, so long as you keep them in Government.” Mike Hosking on National

Labelled Cunliffe a “moron” for giving his state of the nation address on Auckland’s Anniversary Day

“Is David Cunliffe incompetent or mad?”

“Very few people worth $50 million get the real world better than Key.”

New Zealanders deserve quality, informative and responsible journalism. Unfortunately TVNZ fails to deliver.

ends

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