A long-awaited demise...

One of my favourite hates is the fad that has existed for some many years now for the replacement of true news reportage and analysis with masquerading "personality" news commentators. The US has a plethora ranging from Limbaugh on down (or up if that is your point of view). I make no comment on Limbaugh or any of the other American "news presenters" as I have only second hand knowledge of their style and ideas. I know that many have their own websites, and reading gives an idea of their politic but there is also much in tone and intonation that needs to be considered.

New Zealand is not left out in that respect. There are as many "personalities" as there are talkback show shifts on the various stations and networks around the country. In television terms there have been in the past the odd "personality based" news and op-ed comment programme; names such as Brian Edwards, Kim Hill, Geoff Sinclair and Dougal Stevenson come to mind. Many of these people ran true "analysis and comment" shows with their personal preferences and beliefs kept in the background instead of being the principle raison d'etre for the show.

Is it too much to hope that this fad, this fashion is at very long last coming to an end?

During the past week, the death was announced of what (to my regret and shame) has been something of a NZ institution. The half hour "news" programme that was the excessively overpaid infomercial, presentation vehicle and ego stroker for the over-blown "personality" that is known around these parts as "Paul Holmes" has been canned about 16 years after it should have been consigned to the waste skip at the back of the studio.

As far as I am concerned his whole persona, the entire basis for his entertainment show, was one of his first interviews. That interview should in my humble opinion live in infamy in NZ journalism. It was a two minute, one sided harangue, inappropriate language included, at Dennis Connor of America's Cup fame following that person's "get off the stage...you are all losers..." jibe at the Team NZ management and crew. It ended when Connor, quite rightly in my opinion, stood and walked out.

Over that sixteen year interregnum, there has been no improvement or modification of the Holmes' style.

If he agreed or sympathised with you, then the interview would be polite, and you would be given ample opportunity (between his five minute expositions that pose as questions) to say a few words.

If he disagreed with you then there would be no gaps, the person being interviewed would be reduced to sitting like a stunned mullet trying to get in a word while the Holmes ranted and raved at you.

I wait, breath bated, for the possibility that TVNZ might have the gumption to replace the overpriced, over-stated, over-opinionated, Holmes with a programme that examines the news objectively and presents an honest appraisal of events.

Then I might have something better to watch than the 7.00 soap that my wife likes to tune into.