TVNZ reviews Maori radical left wing militant bias as Tamati Coffey decides on hard Labour

How TVNZ see their relationship with Maori 

Former television star Tamati Coffey wants to be Rotorua’s next MP, but an ever-widening political scandal at TVNZ and questions over bias may yet upset another recruit from Labour’s newly formed Hobson Street branch.

RNZHerald

After a decade on TVNZ as one of the few Maori presenters able to host general shows, Mr Coffey has joined a number of them now signing up to the Labour Party in the belief they will become Broadcasting Minister in a new government ahead of sitting MP and ex-TVNZer, Kris Faafoi.

Mr Coffey has rejected claims he is a novice, describing his work with children on the long-running What Now programme as “invaluable for understanding the dynamics of caucus”, but said he “can’t honestly remember anything relevant” from his time on poorly performing Seven Sharp: “it’s like a water cooler chat with the water cooler – a water cooler that isn’t into news, politics, social issues, economics, science…”

The 34-year-old graduated with an honours degree from the acclaimed neo-liberal Auckland University political studies department that produced baby-boomer Blairite politicians such as Helen Clark and Phil Goff.  Despite this disadvantage he sees a bright future for himself in one of the only two parties that can realistically form a government.

His fill-in presenter work on primetime comedy program Seven Sharp however is now to be caught in a review dragnet widened to all Maori and Pacific staff in the organisation following the resignation of Shane Taurima for the holding of Labour Party meetings in the offices of his department. 

To ensure impartiality against the staff TVNZ management have excluded Maori and hired two non-Maori consultants from outside, including guru of conservative-reactionary talkback radio, ZB’s Bill Francis, to review content by Maori and Pacific staff dating back to 1960.

The TVNZ board met on Thursday and chairman Wayne Walden expressed concern that perceptions of the integrity and balance of news and current affairs were now at similar levels to reality.

A subsequent memo by Chief Executive Kevin Kenrick to lock the remaining Maori out of the building to prevent ‘political activism incompatible with TVNZ board’s clear directives to support the re-election of a John Key-led National government’ was retracted only after Mr Walden (Ngati Kahu) found himself unable to get in on Friday.

There is no suggestion from Head of News and Current Affairs John Gillespie that non-Maori have anything to fear from the review or that TVNZ management now regard Seven Sharp as current affairs.  “I assure viewers that politics and any discussion of a political nature has never occured on Seven Sharp and never will”, Mr Gillespie said.

“We’ve tried very hard – scrupulously – to keep political debate out, but now we know another Maori is involved we will have to look at the tapes.  This is very disappointing and a profound regret and embarrassment, a devestating blow to TVNZ’s prized journalistic integrity.”  Media academics contacted by the Herald today could not verify the claims to integrity and some expressed concern that Mr Gillespie may be smoking methamphetamine.

TVNZ has faced criticism of their management of conflicts before.  Mr Gillespie would not comment specifically on Mike Hosking’s undeclared Sky City endorsement scandal or the in-house support for domestic abuser Tony Veitch, stating: “that had no affect on the ethical standards at TVNZ, they are as as high today as they were then.   I’m not interested in mainstream views aired by reasonable, sensible people who don’t wear their colours on their sleeves – straight up blokes like Hosko – but if we can identify any other Labour members, Maoris and Unionists – same diff – then we will.  That’s my focus; that’s what the board expects, that’s what the taxpayer expects”.

Mr Gillespie said the panel’s brief included body language that may have favoured politicians, including smiles, winking, touching and nodding.  ‘Eyebrow empathy’ was marked out for particular scrutiny.  Panel members are understood to have been instructed to rank each item out of ten with the top three from each presenter going forward to compete in the final.

Mr Coffey’s bias as weatherman will also be assessed after initial results using the ranking method suggested Labour strongholds like West Coast, Dunedin and Gisborne may have received disproportionate and favourable coverage.

The panel will report back to the board next month with their recommendations which may include sacking, spanking or suspension of staff members found to have been Maori on TVNZ property.