Hosking’s rudeness became too much to suffer

Sharon Brettkelly
Wellington, March 12, 2021

      The decision does not mean that Jacinda Ardern will not appear on Newstalk ZB again

(Newsroom Photo by Lynn Grieveson)

Mike Hosking has made the most of (Prime Minister) Jacinda Ardern’s decision to ditch him – spinning it as her running for the hills. But what gave him unfettered access in the first place, and did he abuse the privilege?

If you are the most popular Prime Minister in years why would you put up with a radio host barking questions at you by appointment every Monday?

https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the-detail/story/2018787081/talking-to-the-prime-minister

Because you also promised to be the head of the most transparent government ever.

That is the argument from RNZ Head Of Podcasts Tim Watkin.

Earlier this week, Newstalk ZB breakfast show host Mike Hosking lashed out at Ms Ardern for breaking a 35-year tradition. He claimed that she had cancelled her weekly slot with him because she was running scared.

“She hates a hard question, she hates fact, she hates accountability, she hates not being fawned over,” he said.

News from multiple sources

Ms Ardern said that she cannot do everything and people get their news from multiple sources these days.

“What I have tried to do is make sure that I get as much spread as I can.”

The regular slot was actually cancelled about four weeks ago and Ms Ardern has appeared on the Hosking show twice since then speaking on issues of “national significance.”

She also cancelled her regular weekly interview with Morning Report but under the new arrangement, she will be available for an interview once a week to talk about a newsy topic of Report’s choosing and at a time of the show’s choosing.

Not good enough, says Mr Watkin.

“Ms Ardern must cope”

During a lively debate, he argued that Ms Ardern has to suck it up.

“Even if you see him as the most poorly behaved, rudest interviewer in the country, if you cannot handle that, then you are in the wrong job,” he said.

Mr Watkin, who has produced political programmes and written about the power battles between the media and politicians, said that politicians seem to think that they can pick and choose who they answer, who asks them the questions, and how they deal with the media.

“That troubles me in terms of how we actually run a democracy,” he said.

No tough questions

Many commentators have said that the current government does not look like it can stand up to tough questions, when you have been the government that promised to be the most transparent government.

“They were supposed to break this slide, this slide since the 1980s of less and less accountability and the politicians having more and more power over the media, and the reluctance from the politicians to debate and engage and face tough questioning. She had promised to change that,” Mr Watkin said.

The Detail also talked to Mike Munro, former Chief Press Secretary to Helen Clark, who said that Ms Ardern has made the right decision.

“She is not obliged to talk to Hosking and does not have to put up with his hostile questions,” Mr Munro said.

Want more from The Detail? Find past episodes here.

Sharon Brettkelly is the Co-host of Newsroom’s daily podcast, The Detail. The above article has been published under a Special Arrangement with Newsroom.