Hosking’s party political broadcasts

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 1:06 pm, October 28th, 2016 - 75 comments
Categories: accountability, broadcasting, Media, spin - Tags: BSA, media bias, media ethics, mike hosking, party political broadcast

As reported by John Drinnan:

Giving Hosking the all-clear

The broadcasting standards watchdog has given Mike Hosking’s prime-time editorials the OK, but TVNZ says it will have to look at how they fit into covering issues next year, an election year.

News and current affairs boss John Gillespie said he would need to “work through” how that content was dealt with. It was the same with any other presenter who had a viewpoint, he said.
…
The decisions effectively clear state TV’s use of conservative comment from Hosking – also a broadcaster for Herald publisher NZME – to punctuate news stories and issues aired on Seven Sharp.
…
Dr Hayward – an assistant professor of political science – said she was not surprised by the BSA decision, but was disappointed.

State ownership meant TVNZ had to be especially careful in reporting on politics, said Hayward.

Use of Hosking was akin to state TV in China, she said, arguing that the decisions showed the BSA codes were not suitable to deal with Fox News-style comment on New Zealand television. …

Read the full piece for plenty more.

https://twitter.com/BMHayward/status/791748368934408192

75 comments on “Hosking’s party political broadcasts ”

Comments are now closed

Richard Rawshark 1

28 October 2016 at 1:27 pm

White male syndrome and white female too, come on Judy and Pa paul.., her

Yeah blazingly obvious right wing white power.
dukeofurl 2

28 October 2016 at 1:54 pm

With Hosking the glass is always 95% full- even when its hot air.
- esoteric pineapples 2.1
  
  28 October 2016 at 2:25 pm
  
  And everything great about New Zealand is thanks to National
tc 3

28 October 2016 at 2:02 pm

‘Work through’ = see how nationals spin team want it pitched. Gillespie knows where his bread is buttered.

Personal opinions are not journalism and a decent broadcaster would not allow such blatantly one sided rants.

Also we’ve all heard of how mikey treats producers who stand up to him and with every incident the bullies ego inflates more.

tv has becone red neck rantland radio with pictures, as designed.
- Garibaldi 3.1
  
  28 October 2016 at 4:01 pm
  
  There must be something we can do about this meathead hosking (He doesn’t deserve a capital ). Surely there is an obligation for a state owned broadcasting station to be politically non aligned, or are we indeed morphing into a fascist state ? How can the TVNZ management be allowed to condone his rantings?
  Perhaps it is Labour’s fault for what they did to Broadcasting post 1984 ? Whatever the reason we sure as hell aren’t going to see National do anything.
  Don’t underestimate the damage this prick hosking is doing to this country – he basically has a captive audience following the TV1 news.
  - Chuck 3.1.1
    
    28 October 2016 at 4:10 pm
    
    “There must be something we can do about this meathead hosking”
    
    Simple Garibaldi, change the channel on your TV remote. Now if you and every other person whom dislikes Hosking does that…well it will be a few hundred less viewers 🙂
    
    But seriously…change the channel if you dislike him.
    - In Vino 3.1.1.1
      
      28 October 2016 at 8:11 pm
      
      Disingenuous drivel, Chuck. You are suggesting that Goebbels would never have succeeded in Nazi Germany if most Germans had somehow, magically decided not to listen to him. A minority did turn away, and probably ended up in concentration camps.
      
      You are spouting free market rubbish: State TV can spout propaganda, and you tell Garibaldi to have confidence in market forces, which should force them to improve their act.
      
      Goebbels proved that wrong many years ago, Chuck.
      
      By the way – you should avoid the word ‘whom’, because once again you have used it wrongly. Keep it simple and just write ‘who’.
      - Chuck 3.1.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2016 at 8:54 pm
        
        Wow comparing Mike Hosking to Goebbels…
        
        Do I really need to give you a history lesson In Vino on how and why the Nazis came to power in Germany?
        
        Can you at least come up with a half decent response…
        
        In Vino 3.1.1.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2016 at 9:40 pm
        
        Better than half-decent. We no longer have any impartial form of TV broadcasting in this country. TVNZ has officially admitted that it is now a commercial broadcaster. That means we have nothing but commercial TV broadcasting, run on the commercial model. Shareholders (majority right -wing) elect Board of Directors (definitely right-wing at this level) who appoint CEO, etc. I believe a man from marketing (!) is now head of TVNZ.
        
        Monopoly control of broadcasting, (commercial only), definitely right-wing – getting very close to where Goebbels came in.
        
        I am glad you think you know more about how the Nazis came to power than I do – you should now start to learn from your knowledge.
        
        Neuseeländer – Wehrt Euch!
        
        NZJester …
        
        28 October 2016 at 10:45 pm
        
        Maybe the same way the Taxpayers Union uses the Union in their name to make their right-wing organization sound more left wing the National party will add socialist to the end of their parties name to sound more left wing!
        
        Incognito …
        
        28 October 2016 at 11:20 pm
        
        You nailed it In Vino,
        
        Commercial does not mean partisan unless your clientele is partisan and wants you to broadcast a partisan message or ‘tone’, in which case it becomes a medium for political propaganda.
        
        It’s amazing what you can mask or hide behind/beneath the predicate “commercial”; commercial sensitivity has become as powerful as the 5th Amendment.
        
        Thinkerr …
        
        29 October 2016 at 7:36 am
        
        “Sieben Scharf” mit mike hoskins und Toni Strasse
        
        And in each episode they could play a viewer’s request for a clip from their favourite Wagner opera (or the Horst Wessell song)
      - Mike the Lefty 3.1.1.1.2
        
        29 October 2016 at 7:52 am
        
        Changing the channel does not make the problem go away, it only removes you from the immediate source.
        The point is are we going to let meatheads like Hosking continue to pour their right-wing claptrap to New Zealanders disguised as news with TVNZ just letting them do it without any consideration to what used to be journalistic standards – neutrality, thoroughness and professionalism?
        If TVNZ continue with this line they run the risk of being seen simply as a government spin agency. Arguably they already are.
        TV3 is a private company – they can take whatever political views they like and although we can fret about it, we can’t change it except by mass consumer boycotts.
        But TVNZ is government owned, which means it has a responsibilty to uphold standards, although perhaps they have forgotten that in the mad ratings mania that pervades all media sources these days.
        A fair neutral state owned news service is a vital component of true democracy. An unbalanced one is characteristic of faux democratic states like Russia.
    - Gabby 3.1.1.2
      
      29 October 2016 at 1:20 pm
      
      Well I certainly don’t watch Horeskin. I also steer clear of Dipshit Henry but his job seems to be independent of ratings. Maybe Horeskin is similarly favoured.
    - Philj 3.1.1.3
      
      29 October 2016 at 11:20 pm
      
      Thanks Chuck, I figured that out and turned off the idiot box. Now I am better informed and happier.
esoteric pineapples 4

28 October 2016 at 2:29 pm

“We are a commercial broadcaster – and we act commercially,” he said.” – in a nutshell
- In Vino 4.1
  
  28 October 2016 at 8:27 pm
  
  Yeah – true, and we can thank bloody Helen Clarke’s Govt for destroying the charter and pushing what should be State TV that last step over the brink into the Commercial Cacklemush zone.
  - Marcus Morris 4.1.1
    
    30 October 2016 at 1:19 pm
    
    Get it right In Vino,
    
    A charter for TVNZ was established by the Labour Government in 2003. Amongst many others, it contained the following clause:
    
    “provide independent, comprehensive, impartial, and in-depth coverage and analysis of news and current affairs in New Zealand and throughout the world and of the activities of public and private institutions;”
    
    The charter was abolished by the Nats in 2011 and it has been all down hill ever since. The arrogant and narcistic Hoskins gets no time on my screen but that doesn’t solve the problem.
    - In Vino 4.1.1.1
      
      30 October 2016 at 3:25 pm
      
      Fair enough – I remember being miffed and annoyed at Helen Clarke, but maybe that was for some other nibbling away at the role of State TV, making it more commercially oriented. As I remember, the Charter itself was contaminated..
mary_a 5

28 October 2016 at 3:25 pm

Hosking is a no talent, paid up National party windbag! Of no practical use to credible media at all.
- Chuck 5.1
  
  28 October 2016 at 3:56 pm
  
  “Hosking is a no talent, paid up National party windbag!”
  
  Then why does he have good ratings? lots of people tune in each morning and night…
  
  For someone with “no talent” he does pretty well.
  - stigie 5.1.1
    
    28 October 2016 at 4:17 pm
    
    What is different about Hosking being upbeat about the economy and your favorite broadcaster Campbell banging on about child poverty in election year ?
    I know, Hosking doesn’t fit your narrative.
    - Sacha 5.1.1.1
      
      28 October 2016 at 4:20 pm
      
      Child poverty should not be a party political issue. What sort of country do we want to live in?
      - stigie 5.1.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2016 at 4:31 pm
        
        Agree Sacha, but we can also be upbeat about the economy !
        
        One Anonymous Bloke 5.1.1.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2016 at 7:44 pm
        
        Hoskings is a megaphone- the New Zealand version of Comical Ali.
        
        Why are you such a lickspittle?
    - Incognito 5.1.1.2
      
      28 October 2016 at 11:23 pm
      
      If you cannot or will not tell the differences [plural] between MH and JC then you have zero credibility. Just saying.
  - Richard Rawshark 5.1.2
    
    28 October 2016 at 4:47 pm
    
    Really, what’s his viewership then? What’s 7 sharps nightly viewing numbers Chuck.
    
    He’s a proper fuckwit, no one really watches him at all, unless your just like him, and there’s not many like him thankfully, Paul Henry gets viewers, Hosking your fkn kidding right.?>
    
    I don’t know many people watch 7 sharp anymore comments I hear around here is funnily about 7 sharp how bad it was and how no one watches it anymore.
    
    Different circles, you posh fuckwits must love his hate eh,
    - Chuck 5.1.2.1
      
      28 October 2016 at 5:12 pm
      
      “He’s a proper fuckwit, no one really watches him at all”
      
      Then if that’s the case you have nothing to worry about. Hosking will be shown the door and told to leave.
      
      “Different circles, you posh fuckwits must love his hate eh,”
      
      I have been called many things…posh is not one of them RR 🙂
      - Richard Rawshark 5.1.2.1.1
        
        28 October 2016 at 5:17 pm
        
        well still i’m under the impression 7 Sharps, pretty sad on the popularity ladder,.. and the only people who’d watch the arrogant yuppie probably have issues with self gratification..
        
        Red 5.1.2.1.1.1
        
        28 October 2016 at 7:16 pm
        
        Well unfortunately for you Richard your impression is wrong as it is on many issues but that’s ok you are allowed to think what you want just don’t let it control your emotions, it’s not healthy
        
        Richard Rawshark …
        
        28 October 2016 at 7:20 pm
        
        Still never got a viewership number, should I google it or are they that low he hasn’t got one?
        
        Richard Rawshark …
        
        28 October 2016 at 8:23 pm
        
        21-27 oct 2016, no sign of 7 sharp and we are down to 49.4k viewers
        
        at QNA just shows how dead NZ TV is, the highest rated program for last week was country calendar.. then 7 days at 260k of 4.5 million people, they are glued to our national broadcasting because it’s just so well run aye people. Full of interesting doco’s and political discussions with really bi partisan, intelectuals advising us of the best way forward..NOT.
        
        1. Hyundai Country Calendar
        393,600
        TVNZ 1* · 7:00pm Saturday
        2. 7 Days
        261,200
        TV3* · 9:30pm Friday
        3. Dirty Laundry
        179,200
        TVNZ 1* · 8:45pm Wednesday
        4. Jean
        169,700
        TVNZ 1* · 8:30pm Sunday
        5. Funny Girls
        129,700
        TV3* · 10:05pm Friday
        6. Jono and Ben
        115,300
        TV3* · 7:30pm Friday
        7. Grand Designs New Zealand
        95,200
        TV3* · 8:30pm Sunday
        8. Rural Delivery
        67,700
        TVNZ 1* · 7:00am Saturday
        9. The Nation
        52,100
        TV3* · 9:30am Saturday
        10. Q + A
        49,400
        TVNZ 1* · 9:00am Sunday
        
        BM …
        
        28 October 2016 at 8:26 pm
        
        Can’t believe there are people who actually watch Jono and Ben
        They suck so bad.
        
        halfcrown …
        
        28 October 2016 at 8:29 pm
        
        +1
        
        North …
        
        28 October 2016 at 9:53 pm
        
        You’re right BM……..not a patch on Key and Hosking. Those two do the reciprocal suckee-suckee soooo well !
        
        Chuck …
        
        28 October 2016 at 8:39 pm
        
        These are the viewing figures for NZ on air funded programs only.
        
        Last time I saw 7 sharp numbers it was around 400,000 or so.
        
        Its all pay walled now so can’t check.
      - stigie 5.1.2.1.2
        
        28 October 2016 at 5:28 pm
        
        Pleased you didn’t call RR a fuckwit Chuck, you would’ve got banned !
        
        Richard Rawshark 5.1.2.1.2.1
        
        28 October 2016 at 7:33 pm
        
        What I dish out I expect in return and have no problems with good heavy banter, what I don’t expect is childish racism comments on nationalities, call me anything within reason but don’t slag of my heritage or nationality.
      - Richard Rawshark 5.1.2.1.3
        
        28 October 2016 at 7:36 pm
        
        ten four on the posh then Chuck you bum.
        
        i’m not worried about Hosking anymore, I turned him off and never listen to him ever. He is not worthy of my resentment and hatred I save that for Key, Bennet and the smirking pig.
  - In Vino 5.1.3
    
    28 October 2016 at 8:22 pm
    
    Why does ‘Real Housewives of Auckland’ get any ratings at all? You approve of the rush to the bottom? People get used to what they are fed, and we are being fed an awful lot of rubbish – including Hoskings.
    
    The best thing about Hoskings are the excellent piss-takes that Jeremy Wells does (More Like Mike).
    - Katipo 5.1.3.1
      
      28 October 2016 at 10:48 pm
      
      In light of …
      (A) TVNZ saying it “will have to look at how they” (the Hosking editorials) ” fit into covering issues next year, an election year.” and
      (B) the Court of Appeals recent decision to overturn the Electoral Commission decision to ban Darren Watson’s “Planet Key” song.
      Perhaps TVNZ can ensure they stay onside with the law by getting Jeremy Wells to broadcast his satirical “Like Mike” in lieu of the Hoskings Rants.
      http://www.watchme.co.nz/entertainment/like-mike/
    - Wensleydale 5.1.3.2
      
      29 October 2016 at 10:18 am
      
      Why? Because people tend to be their own worst enemies. You could put a rotting beef carcass on television, call it ‘Real Maggot Farms Of Aotearoa’, and someone would tune in. It’s like Women’s Day and Cosmopolitan strategically placed next to the supermarket check-out. You know they’re about as intellectually stimulating as a bowl of instant pudding, but you’re going to flick through them anyway, because there’s a fat bloke on the front who lost tons of weight by eating nothing but kidney beans and tapioca… and that’s amazing.
      
      Humanity, eh? We’re fucking legends.
      - In Vino 5.1.3.2.1
        
        29 October 2016 at 11:28 am
        
        Nicely put!
  - left_forward 5.1.4
    
    29 October 2016 at 9:29 am
    
    Henry has good ratings too, but judge for yourself about who he, his values and talents, by reading the Herald’s interview today.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11737753
- Richard Rawshark 5.2
  
  28 October 2016 at 7:23 pm
  
  Without the mouth, what practical use is there for a Hosking at all?
  
  If he was rendered mute tomorrow, boy, that would be so terrible for mike.
- fisiani 5.3
  
  29 October 2016 at 8:56 pm
  
  Hosking is NOT a paid up member of National. He is just telling the truth as he sees it. The Truth is unpalatable to the Left. No wonder no one has ever tweeted ‘Labour win’ and never will.
  - ropata 5.3.1
    
    29 October 2016 at 10:59 pm
    
    hosking is a dunce leading the blind off a cliff.
    
    fisiani aspires to be like that, but he failed dunce school
  - peterh 5.3.2
    
    30 October 2016 at 9:49 am
    
    Bullshit
    Done by dirty deals like through SKY CITY
  - joe90 5.3.3
    
    30 October 2016 at 10:05 am
    
    You seem so sure about who is and who isn’t a paid up member ….
  - Richard Rawshark 5.3.4
    
    30 October 2016 at 10:07 am
    
    Fisiani talking the crap since crap was invented, dude you post some dickhead stuff here, do you actually think any one of us see’s a micometre of truth in your statement.
    
    It’s like saying racism is illusionary. Don’t come here telling us Hosking’s good, he isn’t, about 300 of us will tell you that,, I think in a democracy, our opinions based on events well overrides your bullshit.
  - Richard Rawshark 5.3.5
    
    30 October 2016 at 10:09 am
    
    He see’s the truth as John Key tells him, and he’s such a suck up to the halls of power and hob knobbing with the elite, he’s blowing his tune.
HenryG 6

28 October 2016 at 3:45 pm

It’s A two way street. http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/tvnz-manager-resigns-over-fundraising-revelations-2014021716
- joe90 6.1
  
  28 October 2016 at 7:26 pm
  
  Of course, meetings in the donko are just like free prime time TV,
  /
Stuff The Politicians 7

28 October 2016 at 3:48 pm

Why any body would watch that little Dipstick is beyond me.

Compared to TV 3, Story, which is surprisingly good, lots of very good stories and heaps of laughs at times.
The presenters and reporters leaves Dipstick for dead.
- Richard Rawshark 7.1
  
  28 October 2016 at 5:19 pm
  
  TV’s off at 6.20 here, until mum wants to watch cooking, the first 20 mins of the news is usually enough unless Key features a lot and it goes off quicker or a I search for a not National are awesome lies piece.
  
  seriously, if your getting your world view from our TV whatever the flavour, your not getting the real truth.
  
  NZ TV is absolute shite, it really is.
Maria Sherwood 8

28 October 2016 at 4:37 pm

I started a petition to take Hosking off the debates last election, got thousands to sign, ignored, but picked up by Whaleoil, who named me ‘face of the day’. Not the thing to see as you are in recovery after an op, and my son had heaps of texts.
- Richard Rawshark 8.1
  
  28 October 2016 at 5:22 pm
  
  I signed..we failed the dicks still there. Did you see them say Pam Corkery was on late at night when labour were in power so it’s all fine.. balance and all that, some nobody counters Hoskings view anyways
  
  OMFG
  
  These (I don’t know what to call them) are pro’s at lying right to your face.
North 9

28 October 2016 at 8:30 pm

Hosking is not even about supporting the National Party per se……it’s personal……seems to understand that he’s a major actor in John Key’s piss-arse attempts at a “New Camelot”. Jackie Kennedy would recoil at the brazen, scarlet pretentiousness. Reciprocal stroking of vanities (although Key unlike Hosking has not yet publicly offered troth), vanities pompous in the one case and gauch in the other. In the round……who cares I guess. The upside is that poor Richie gets a break.

It is though the nakedly entitled utilisation of a publicly owned vehicle to indulge both, and their respective flaky demeanours, which affronts me. It should not happen. It is corrupt. It is silly little boys’ fellating. It uplifts none.
- In Vino 9.1
  
  28 October 2016 at 11:52 pm
  
  Agree, but esoteric comes to mind.
Incognito 10

28 October 2016 at 11:26 pm

Good post!

I have one pedantic correction: Bronwyn Hayward is an Associate Professor; in NZ we don’t have Assistant Professors.
adam 11

29 October 2016 at 12:21 am

Simple really, watch the shows hes on – look at the ads and then attack the advertisers. For example a boycott, or a bombardment of emails, I’m sure people can think of other ideas – non-violent ideas. Remember, you only need to cut into about 5% of sales and they through there hurting, Hosking is gone.

So here is one, ASB is the principle sponsor. Go into ASB and close your account, if they ask why, and they will. Say it’s becasue the sponsor seven sharp, and the rapid anti-democrat Hosking.
- Chuck 11.1
  
  29 October 2016 at 8:21 am
  
  Adam you are kind of on the right track. Don’t agree with you wanting to attack the advertisers…but I know its the activist left wing way.
  
  Turn the channel…if enough people do the same, ratings tank…and then your wish becomes reality, no more Hosking.
  - BM 11.1.1
    
    29 October 2016 at 8:44 am
    
    Yep, he’ll go the same way as that pimper of the poor, John Campbell.
    - Wensleydale 11.1.1.1
      
      29 October 2016 at 10:28 am
      
      Yes, dirty old Communist whinge-bag, John Campbell, pimping the poor again, eh? Because the notion that someone with any sort of national platform might actually give a shit about the state of the nation is anathema, right BM? Hosking only gives a shit about “his sort of people”. Campbell, for the most part, was concerned about everyone, irrespective of their wealth, politics or personal foibles, and his annoying habit of highlighting the failures of the system and the blatant injustices that have become so routine in this country is why he was jettisoned into space. Three cheers for the ‘Brighter Future’.
  - Richard Rawshark 11.1.2
    
    29 October 2016 at 8:48 am
    
    No Chuck, he’s spot on, that’s the most effective way. I’m so glad he said that as it makes absolute perfect sense.
    - In Vino 11.1.2.1
      
      29 October 2016 at 7:05 pm
      
      Chuck is still pretending that Market Forces will cure all problems. Market Forces are blind, Chuck, and create or exacerbate problems – possibly more often than they cure problems. Market Forces have led our TV medium into a race to the bottom.
Nick 12

29 October 2016 at 7:10 am

Hosking leads with ignorance, follows up with immaturity adds in dollop of arrogance and finishes off with stupidity……
- Richard Rawshark 12.1
  
  29 October 2016 at 8:50 am
  
  That seems like the perfect recipe for brain damaged kiwi’s who played rugby at 7 YO and who’s heads are now damaged and full of nothings.. absolute perfection for the NZ thug.
mosa 13

29 October 2016 at 10:09 am

Lets face it TVNZ has had a right wing view point at 7 pm weeknights since Paul Holmes started in April 1989.

Like Hosking he was host on ZB Drive Mon -Fri and then back at 7pm on TV1.
He never hid his right wing leanings and would regularly bash his left wing victims including the late Helen Kelly who he could be immensely rude to.

Unlike Hosking Holmes at the same time would show compassion for the underdog much the same as John Campbell.

Mike Hosking is fronting the all important 7pm slot because he happens to have a right wing view point of view and he reflects the view point of most major media outlets in NZ , its nothing new in radio , print or television and now the news on the net in the form of Stuff controlled by Faifax media.

Its an embedded bias that has become even more prevalent with the rule of the National led government and without a sympathetic fourth estate this government would not have survived unscathed and be looking at a possible fourth term this time next year.

This approach has helped to turn NZ into a one party state in all but name.
fisiani 14

29 October 2016 at 8:58 pm

None of the NZ media can credibly be called Right wing. We do not have a right wing in NZ.
- North 14.1
  
  29 October 2016 at 10:42 pm
  
  We do have weirds like tu Fuzy Annus. Note I say “tu” to show how closely I feel your bewilderment.
- ropata 14.2
  
  29 October 2016 at 10:52 pm
  
  *choke*
  
  yeah Act are a bunch of pinko poofs and the PM is a great humanitarian
  
  oh wait, he is a Wall St banker intent on privatising and asset stripping NZ
  
  what more do you want Fizzbang?
- Stuart Munro 14.3
  
  29 October 2016 at 11:28 pm
  
  There’s some truth in that – NZ politics doesn’t divide left/right, it divides left/criminal.
JustMe 15

30 October 2016 at 10:30 am

How much money ‘changed hands’ and went into someones’ back pocket for the ‘Broadcasting Standards Authority’ to give its ‘Okay’ for Mike Hosking rants?
Was there some political influence from say the PMs office that meant the outcome was, as per usual, nothing to see move along please with Key probably saying “I am comfortable with that(the decision)”?
As time, and in particular the past 8 years, has gone by I am noticing in the NZ media a bias towards the Key government and the National Party.
Even such previously highly respected NZ papers like the NZ Herald has become more biasted and pro-John Key. And to this day there are hardly any articles in the Opinion column that allows for NZers to post their comments.
We all know John Key hates being criticised and is slowly clamping down on media organisations that are critical of his ‘state of government(lets call it mis-government)’.
But all Hoskings’ ranting and ravings should reflect back upon John Key. Lets observe the Key-Hosking love affair of each other and each time Hosking or Key has a rant then it is reflecting badly upon the National Party. And so I do hope those in the more senior parts of the National Party are beginning to wonder what the Hell has happened to the Party.
I am not a National Party supporter. By golly I wouldn’t want to be ever again. In 2008 I voted for Key. It’s a mistake I regret to this day. But as each day comes and goes and we get closer to the next election then all I see of John Key is a weakling when it comes to standing up to his more beloved United States.
Indeed Key will leave a legacy. It will be one of someone who would make even Adolf Hitler proud as he steadily clamps down on freedom of speech and protesting.
He then tries to give us the impression he is a nice guy by saying he wanted to go the Helen Kelly’s service. Yeah Right Key. I just saw a Tui-billboard advert with that hollow comment of yours.
Doogs 16

30 October 2016 at 10:42 am

Here’s the thing . . .

Hosking is a no count. He has been given a platform, two actually, above his station. He uses this opportunity to put out propaganda with a strong right emphasis. TVNZ is allowing him to do that for reasons already expressed in this thread.

The fault is not Hosking’s. Culpability lies squarely with our (not so) public broadcaster. In this social media, corporate greed, everyone for themselves world that has pervaded the social consciousness, we have regressed to survival of the fittest. There is no care for the weak, underprivileged, incapable, disabled, etc. and they are left to fend off the ebullient and self-promotional BS as promoted by the Natzis and their ilk.

Meanwhile, the sheeple listen to Hosking, who has perfected the art of spouting turds with such a gloss on them that they look respectable. Those shallow thinkers who can’t or won’t change the channel at 7pm lap up the spittle and think it means something.

I never watch. I have not listened to ZB since Paul Holmes left. TRN is something else to spit tacks about – another time.

TVNZ ought to be taken to the ombudsman, the commerce commission, the human rights tribunal, the . . . god knows where . . . wherever the fuck they can be dealt to for their complete abrogation and dereliction of their duty to the NZ public.