Who is New Zealand's worst television journalist?
There are many candidates competing for this 'title' but my vote goes for TV1's Breakfast co-host Pippa Wetzell.
Consistently she fails to ask the right questions and, indeed, she often doesn't seem to know what the right questions are.
This morning she 'interviewed' Michael 'Barmy' Barnett from the Auckland Chamber of the Commerce and the man responsible for banning the the Falun Dafa from the Auckland Santa Parade next week.
Barmy's real reason for banning the Falun Dafa is because his mates in the Chinese Stalinist regime don't like them and Barmy doesn't want to upset mates who have a lot of economic clout. He probably wouldn't have any problems with the Falun Dafa if they came from, say, Zimbabwe.
However the dimless Wetzell allowed Barmy to portray the Falun Dafa as a political movement. The only other people who describe them as a 'political movement' is - no prizes for guessing - those jolly Stalinists in the Chinese regime. These are the same people who do not recognise the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader.
Barmy said he wouldn't have National or Labour in the Santa Parade so he wouldn't have the Falun Dafa either.
Did Wetzell suggest to Bamy that the Falun Dafa was actually a spiritual movement?
No, Wetzell just sat there in serene silence and allowed Barmy to do his hatchet job.
And, to top it all off, the very-right-wing Paul Henry chimed in with his support for Barmy.
'I'm glad common sense has prevailed,' said Henry, the man who thinks John Key isn't right wing enough and who has been a consistent supporter of George Bush's economic policies.
To be honest, I'm having a hard time thinking of ONE good TV journo - John Campbell, who I used to have a bit of time for is a giant sell out,sold his soul to join the infotainment industry... they're all rubbish and we're poorly served by a news industry thats about as deep as a puddle.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've got to confess I'm having difficulty thinking of one.
ReplyDeleteJohn Campbell is a disappointment. His show has largely turned into another soft magazine show - big on 'human interest' stories and lifestyle features.
And, of course, last week we learn that TV1 has axed its only half-decent current affairs show, Agenda.