Mike Hosking “De-Platforms” The PM
THE STAND-OFF between Newstalk-ZB’s star host, Mike Hosking, and the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, continues. Yesterday morning’s (7/4/21) encounter, the first since the PM discontinued her weekly interview with Newstalk’s morning host, was said to be the usual battle of wills. According to Hosking, it will also be the last.
Clearly exasperated with the Prime Minister, Hosking told his listeners: “We’re involved in this, this discussion at the moment. I don’t want her [Ardern] back on the programme is what it boils down to.” The “we” in this sentence refers, presumably, to the management of Newstalk-ZB and quite possibly of its ultimate proprietor, NZME.
In all likelihood, Hosking will get his way. Newstalk-ZB would be loath to lose their highest rating host, and, let’s face it, Hosking doesn’t need the money. Decades of hefty, six-figure remuneration packages have left the broadcaster in the enviable position of being needed more than needing – and his bosses know it.
The question, therefore, is not whether Hosking will get away with “de-platforming” the nation’s leader from his morning show, but whether or not heshould be allowed to get away it? Because, there is a curious political dynamic at work here which, upon examination, is more than a little unsettling.
“So the overarching question I would ask”, said Hosking, following his interview with the PM, “is are we not better on this programme, you and I collectively, not having her on the show? She didn’t want to be here, she doesn’t add anything when she is here so who is the winner and who is the loser?”
Pick that apart, and what we’re left with is a set of assumptions about politics and politicians radically at odds with what is generally understood to be the fundamentals of democracy.
Not the least of these is that the ultimate source of political authority in a democratic society is the people. Their will, manifest in the outcome of the most recent general election, determines the identity of the politicians and parties entrusted with the power of government. To suggest, as Hosking does, that he and his listeners might be better off not having the duly elected leader of the country on his show, insults not only the person who holds that office, but the office itself, and, by implication, the majority of New Zealanders who put Jacinda Ardern where she is.
In justifying this radical proposition, Hosking argues that the PM “didn’t want to be here” and that she “doesn’t add anything when she is here”. Putting to one side the fact that Ardern had made herself available to Newstalk-ZB and the broadcaster had asked her to participate in Hosking’s programme; the most disconcerting aspect of Hosking’s argument is how oddly lacking it is in professional curiosity about why the PM might be reluctant to appear on his show, and why she might find it difficult to contribute anything useful when she does.
It is, after all, the view of more than a few New Zealanders that Mike Hosking’s on-air encounters with Jacinda Ardern have been an unpleasant mixture of lofty condescension, contemptuous disdain and outright aggression. His demeanour has resembled that of a furious “People’s Prosecutor” angrily demanding a guilty verdict from his listener jury. Hosking appears to regard his studio as a People’s Court, from which the show-trial of the criminally inadequate Citizen Ardern can be broadcast live to the nation.
But, is that really the role of a professional broadcaster? Surely Hosking’s listeners would be better served by a radio host who, through a combination of thorough preparation, astute questioning, and palpable on-air charm, was able to elicit from the country’s political leader information from which his large radio audience could draw its own conclusions and form its own judgements?
If the Prime Minister finds herself unable to add anything to Hosking’s show, is that her fault – or his?
Undoubtedly, the network executives behind the scenes, and Hosking himself, would scoff at the capacity of such “old-school” broadcasting to attract and hold an audience of any size. In a media world in which everything that bleeds, leads, gentlemanly conduct would appear to be regarded as ratings death.
This gladiatorial approach to news and current affairs broadcasting is, however, also death to the political civility that underpins all properly functioning democracies. Respecting the person in whom a majority of the people have reposed their trust shows that you respect the democratic process itself. By the same token, to disrespect the Prime Minister and dismiss her contributions to the news and current affairs (which are your show’s stock-in-trade) as “nothing”, suggests a not insignificant measure of contempt – not only for Jacinda Ardern’s judgement, but for the judgement of the people themselves.
Mike Hosking’s bosses should, perhaps, ask themselves what message Newstalk-ZB (and NZME) is sending to the people of New Zealand if Mike Hosking, their self-appointed “People’s Prosecutor”, is accorded bragging rights for “cancelling” the democratically-elected Prime Minister of New Zealand. Especially when said prime minister’s only “crime” was indicating her willingness to be interviewed by their star broadcaster about the decisions which she – not he – had made.
I could not care less. ZB’s talkback format may be a hit in rest homes and retirement villages and people scared of change but that is it.
He is a lover scorned. His Everest sized ego took an equal sized hit when the PM decided going into interviews with a National Party bore and then being aware of his sniping behind her back on air and in print was not worth the time of day. How could do that. How dare she do that, to me?
Hosking the great will now launch a rhetorical Jihad on the PM to exact his revenge not for his audience sake but for the good of his own self inflated importance. And you will know everything is just fine in the world when Mike Hosking and his ZB cronies are slating Jacinda.
What a tool!
Hahaha,…. ‘Hosking the Great’ 🙂
Exactly right Xray well said.
Careful, Xray.
My observation, from very close quarters, is that the vast majority of those senior citizens in our rest homes and retirement villages have much more to do and think about in the early mornings than listen devotedly to the drivel and dribblings of Mr (or Mrs) Hosking.
They don’t ALL own mobile homes, regularly travelling to the next ‘stop’, so they can be in time for ‘foursies drinkies’ and, with their right-wing, red-neck mates and matesses, rail against and rubbish the government.
Most Boomers have much better and more edifying things to do and think about.
“He is a lover scorned.”
If anyone saw the video where Hosking and Ardern exchange gifts last Christmas, they would have seen a giggling, almost-smitten Hosking. He would even admit to the media that “I like her a lot”, and that they “always get on”.
After making Hosking feel accepted, the popular girl didn’t want to spend as much time with him, only when she felt it was necessary. Boy, did he feel played. Putting on a brave face he claimed “To be honest, I’m pleased” and “I lose no sleep”.
And after yesterday “I don’t want her back.”
The good thing for Hosking is that his audience like the personal attacks on the PM, and his hurt will motivate him to delve deeper into insults. And maybe one day he will be able to convince himself that he truly doesn’t want her back.
His audience are sheep that is why the texts from his audience are pro his opinion as they cannot think for themselves, they just rely on a dog barking.
Hoskins gets gold from having a watching audience.
It may be hard to stop idiots from watching the prick but no excuses for those who claim to know better but give his diatribe headspace.
Many of my friend join with me in starving ourselves from his very unhealthy offerings . We prefer a diet of attempting research from testable sources rather than soaking up hearsay and worse from that idiot.
What channel he is on and when are unknown info as far as I am concerned.
If you really want to foul up your cerebral intake then why not try CNN. Lol.
One exception worth noting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8ZiYtS10CM
It is likely to have you smirking.
My apologising for posting this link for a second time but some may have missed it.
He, Hoskings, is a small man.
This is Mike throwing his toys out of the cot. He was happy to have the PM on regularly for years, but when this regular appointment was withdrawn it has obviously hurt Mike’s ego; this is his way of getting even. The sooner Mike is shown the door the better, then I can get back to listening to ZB.
Yes agree with ya Kiwijoker and would like to add, he is a small man with a small mind and right now he is throwing his toys out of his cot, poor bubba, can someone please put a dummy in his mouth.
If Mikey falls through Jacinda has always got the garish Australian breakfast show circuit to get her message across, they adore her and she laughs heartily with them ( [whispering] just don’t mention the 501s Jacinda and these same Aussie ‘journos’ mocking deportees on departure)
‘negating or disrespecting the office of the PM.’
Ha!
When Adern does something truly worthy of respect she might get some.
At the moment her performance ranges between average and deplorable.
I personally think it is a big mistake to give politicians any respect, since they are all self-serving professional liars or fuckwits.
AFKT T. – I said that Hosking was negating or disrespecting the Office of the PM, not Ardern personally, which is a different matter.
His demeanour has resembled that of a furious “People’s Prosecutor” angrily demanding a guilty verdict from his listener jury.
Very well said.
Hosking appears to regard his studio as a People’s Court, from which the show-trial of the criminally inadequate Citizen Ardern can be broadcast live to the nation.
Exactly!
“So the overarching question I would ask”, said Hosking, following his interview with the PM, “is are we not better on this programme, you and I collectively, not having her on the show?
The overarching question Hosking is really – “are we not better off not having you on the radio at all”. Jacinda, quite properly, made the first move. She dumped you, so your childish and laughable rant about not wanting her on your programme is specious in the extreme.
His show is there to entertain and inform so having the PM who is endlessly evasive is neither.
Well then why is he still on air, he’s already cost his employers thousands thanks to his “information” on John Tamahere and as for being entertaining, only when he claimed idiots crashed their cars, then he himself crashed, was he entertaining. Mind you some with lower I.Q.’s find him hilarious.
New Talk ZB’s website doesn’t even work properly on the browsers; FireFox, Edge or Brave. I’d be interested in a study detailing the links between mental decline and listening to News Talk ZB.
Mike Hosking’s “Mike’s Minute” other than an affront to time keeping, frequently contradicts itself and often relies on questionable/debunked presuppositions and/or half-truths.
I think it was a World Fair/Expo where ice-cream in a cone was invented. The ice-cream stand ran out of bowels [or some such] and the waffle stand’s business was slow.. both merchants got together and the rest is history.
Listening to Mike Hosking interview Jacinda is like watching a Soft Serve being put into a Waffle. Though to be “fair”, like the MSM, Jacinda is both a Soft Serve and a Waffle.
Hosking is a defamation case waiting to happen as soon as he opens his mouth such are his questionable/debunked presuppositions.
In theory I agree it’d be better if PM’s returned to the “old days” of only coming out of hiding, or speaking publicly, when there was something coherent to say, and to say it in a way that people felt certain someone was in control, even if they weren’t. A bit like hope, you can’t sprinkle it around all day everyday and not diminish it’s positive effect. In the same way, the office of the PM shouldn’t have turned into a personality cult/talkshow competition. I liked it better when radio stories began, “The Labour Party enacted changes to employment law today….” instead of just having a PM soundbite commenting casually about nothing and everything. There are some obvious flaws to the old way of doing things, but if it’s all we can do by trying to mimic that older style then it might still be better than what we have.
But then we have consider our present reality and how we got here. Things have been on the downhill slide since Muldoon. Lange became somewhat of a rock star unintentionally. The Rogernomics division of Labour became notorius gangsters with big mouths. Helen Clark started talking publicly in a casual-but-direct manner on topics she shouldn’t have, as if she was just chatting with friends and had no clue of the influence her title carried. John Key played at being one of the boys, excrutiatingly poorly, and then went on Letterman to play their games, of all the dumbass things to do. Grant Robertson sells stories to monthly magazines. Jacinda is just one in a lengthening line of publicity monkeys. Facebook and Twitter should be totally off limits to any intelligent politician. It can’t be too long before one of our PMs starts an OnlyFans channel.
People like Mike Hoskings take advantage of the foolishness of the style of PM we now have, because he represents people in politics who would rather do away with politics. He and them have nothing to lose. The bizarre thing is that people who he and his type hate are listening and agreeing with him, oblivious to what he’s doing.
Poor ol’ Sad Mike.
Still butt hurting over being jilted by the Phantom Ponytail Puller of Parnell
Due to some sense of delusion Mike Hosking thinks he is a big fish in a little pond and he doesn’t need to hold himself accountable for his actions(and rants albeit on radio or the tabloid NZ herald).
He is nothing short of a bottom dweller in the murky pond that is the NZ National Party.
Recently I had a dream(may as well call it a nightmare for a much better description)of Mike Hosking. It was like a cartoon with two boxes. One box contained pink hearts of varying sizes with an occasional photo of John Key thrown in for good measure. That box was captioned Mike Hosking and the NZ National Party.
The next box contained his thoughts on those who are NOT NZ National Party. It had some of his weird looks(is he on drugs of some class?), a noose, conspiracy theories etc. That box had no colour in it. Not the lovey-dovey box of the pink hearts to express his love affair with ALL things National Party.
Hosking is a Wannabe National Party MP. And hence him only seeing things through Blue Tinted glasses. But he is too volatile and unpredictable for National as an MP but they keep him in the media to be its Mouthpiece on the radio and the NZ herald.
All in all Hosking contributes in the media losing any credibility let alone respect. The NZ herald ends up being used to wrap up the poo in a kitty litter.