TVNZ news star Paul Holmes blasts 'reign of fear' boss
Title -- 3814 NZ: TVNZ news star Paul Holmes blasts 'reign of fear' boss
Date -- 24 October 2002
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- New Zealand Herald, 24/10/2
Copyright -- NZH
Status -- Unabridged
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HOLMES GIVES 'REIGN OF FEAR' BOSS A FAREWELL SERVE
www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3000727&thesection=news&thesubsection=general
by Louisa Cleave
AUCKLAND (NZ Herald/Pacific Media Watch): Television New Zealand news star Paul Holmes has taken a swipe at departing TVNZ chairman Ross Armstrong, saying he was feared within the company, the New Zealand Herald reports.
Holmes described Dr Armstrong's reign at state-owned TVNZ as that of a "prissy bed-and-breakfast owner with a world view".
On his Newstalk ZB breakfast radio programme yesterday, Holmes claimed Dr Armstrong developed a network of informers at TVNZ and had cast aside good people as worthless.
"People who should not fear the chairman lived in fear," said Holmes, [TVNZ's highest paid broadcaster].
Dr Armstrong had no comment yesterday. His resignation as chairman of TVNZ [under Government pressure in the wake of a controversy over so-called private-public partnerships] takes effect from midnight on Monday.
The outburst appalled Christchurch media academic Jim Tully.
"I find it an astonishing personal attack in which a news presenter has taken advantage of that position to do a hatchet job on someone for whom they obviously have no admiration or respect," said Tully, Canterbury University's head of mass communications and journalism.
"The language is intemperate, to say the least. It's very much a personal attack against someone who, I suppose, can be seen to have been responsible for your salary cuts."
Last night, Holmes would not say whether he took legal advice before making the comments, but said they were "carefully considered".
He said there were "lighter, brighter hearts" around TVNZ than there had been in years.
"The climate of fear has lifted and my colleagues can get on with the charter and the business of broadcasting and journalism in an environment of freedom."
Last year Holmes was forced to publicly apologise to Dr Armstrong for impugning his integrity in a row over the presenter's pay.
He wrongly accused Dr Armstrong of revealing details of his salary to the Herald.
Newstalk ZB acting manager Peter Everett said the network had not taken legal advice on yesterday's comments before they were aired, but they would have been discussed with the show's producer.
Everett had not heard the segment, but said Holmes was "pretty aware of where he can go and where he can't go".
TVNZ spokesman Glen Sowry said the company had no editorial control over the Holmes radio show, and would not comment on the statements about Dr Armstrong's time as chairman.
Later in his programme, Holmes jokingly asked contributor Brian Edwards to withdraw a statement that he was a regular visitor to corporate boxes - after a Herald report that Holmes was a guest of Dr Armstrong at a function in the TVNZ corporate box at Wellington's Westpac Stadium two weeks ago.
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