RNZ announced this week that Karyn Hay had resigned as Nights presenter.
One of RNZ’s biggest stars, night-time presenter Karyn Hay, has been the subject of an independent employment investigation following a complaint from a producer about her alleged behaviour.
Hay had been off air at the taxpayer-funded state broadcaster since February, the same month that terms of reference were drawn up for the investigation, conducted by external employment barrister Richard Harrison.
On Tuesday, RNZ – which has already been dealing this week with the fallout from a journalist who allegedly “inappropriately” edited foreign news wire stories – announced Hay’s resignation.
Harrison’s investigation followed a complaint from an RNZ Nights producer, with the original terms of reference for the inquiry focused on three areas: that Hay allegedly spoke negatively about others, including producers, presenters, and management; that she had allegedly behaved aggressively using a tone of voice that conveyed hostility; and that she had allegedly undermined colleagues in the studio environment, including maintaining unrealistic expectations.
The producer – who has not answered multiple calls or responded to messages over the past weeks – complained of an allegedly toxic and discordant work relationship and claimed that in all his years of employment, he had felt the work culture and environment had been the worst he’d encountered.
Harrison’s investigation was to look at whether Hay’s alleged conduct occurred and – if it did – whether it breached RNZ’s code of conduct and dignity at work policy, or could be construed as general bullying, as recognised by WorkSafe.
Harrison told the Herald his work had been completed. “You will appreciate I am not able to say anything about these things, or my involvement. My involvement is finished. I can’t say any more to you than that. Obviously, the matter is an employment matter and confidential.”
Neither Hay nor RNZ would answer a list of questions sent to them this week, including their responses to, and the outcome of, the three specific areas of focus of Harrison’s investigation.
On Tuesday, 24 hours after we sent RNZ an original list of questions, the state broadcaster released a statement to the Herald. “We have just informed our radio team that Karyn Hay, ONZM, has resigned from the Nights programme to concentrate on writing projects. RNZ wishes her the best for her future.”
In an email to all RNZ staff at 4.28pm, head of radio and music David Allan described Hay’s departure as a “sabbatical”. The Herald has confirmed she has resigned.
“We acknowledge Karyn’s contribution to and mana within the industry and wish her the very best for the future,” Allan said.
In a written statement to the Herald last month – in response to questions about the whereabouts of Hay – the broadcaster said: “We do appreciate the strong relationship between our presenters and their listeners, however, RNZ policy is that as a responsible employer, it does not share or discuss personal information relating to any of its staff with media. I’m sure you’ll appreciate the importance of that relationship with our people.”
The Herald visited Hay at her home on Monday after attempts to contact her via cellphone and by letter to a previous address had been unsuccessful. She did not wish to comment but advised we could send questions to her RNZ email address. These – and a follow-up text message and phone calls – have not been answered.
Another staff member interviewed as a witness for the independent inquiry said they had not been told of the outcome. “I was not one of the key figures,” he said, adding he did not wish to be drawn into the Herald’s inquiries.
It is understood another person who was interviewed as a witness has been away from the workplace. They responded to emailed questions about their own employment status at RNZ with: “Can’t help with this sorry.”
Hay is broadcasting and music industry royalty in New Zealand, with a long heritage. She started as a cadet with the state broadcaster but she is best known to a generation of New Zealanders as the host of TV’s Radio With Pictures.
In 2022, she won the Independent Spirit Award at the Taite Music Prize event for her contribution to the music industry. She also has an ONZM for services to broadcasting and New Zealand music.
She is an acclaimed author, having won a Montana New Zealand Book Award for her debut novel, Emerald Budgies, while another novel, The March of the Foxgloves, hit No 1 on the New Zealand fiction bestseller list.
She became host of RNZ’s weekday Nights show (7pm to midnight) last October, following a stint, since 2018, as host of Lately (10pm-11pm).
At the time, RNZ head of radio and music David Allan said: “Karyn is a broadcasting icon and a popular and versatile radio host. We’re excited to be able to give her the whole evening and I know listeners will enjoy hearing more of her on-air - including that wonderful trademark laugh.”
Hay said at the time: “It’s a great privilege to be doing Nights on RNZ National. I very much hope you’ll come and lounge around with me in the evenings.”
In 2016, in an interview with freelance writer David Herkt, for Stuff, Hay said that hosting five nights a week talkback show on – at the time – RadioLive was one of the hardest jobs in broadcasting.
“And I have done everything in broadcasting,” she said. “I liken it to the finishing school of broadcasting. That’s because if you can do talkback, you can do anything. It is like tightrope walking. Music radio is just so easy because you have a song to go to – all this inane banter and then you are into the song – that doesn’t happen in talkback. There is dead air if you don’t talk.”
She told Herkt that as she got older, “you do change”.
“With responsibility, you sometimes have to get along with authority. I still have an unsettling relationship with it. I feel that for part of my life, I have done my duty. Now I’d actually like to get back to having more problems with it.”
Revelations of the investigation into Hay’s alleged behaviour come as the state broadcaster deals with the fallout caused by a digital journalist who allegedly added pro-Kremlin content to a number of international stories on the Russia-Ukraine war.
RNZ has also identified several “inappropriately” edited articles involving Israel-Palestine and Taiwan-China. It is not clear whether this editing was the work of the same journalist.
The RNZ board on Tuesday night formally commissioned an independent review, while an internal audit continues into how many stories – so far 22 have been identified – have been altered.
A digital journalist, Michael (Mick) Hall, has been placed on leave, with no access to RNZ editorial systems. He is based remotely, in Northland, and told RNZ’s Checkpoint programme this week that he had been editing copy in this fashion for the past five years, without being told he was doing anything wrong.
RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson has fronted for interviews for his own organisation this week, to speak about the audit into – and fallout from – the edited digital stories.
However, Thompson, who has been considered a frontrunner to be the new boss of TVNZ to replace outgoing CEO Simon Power, has yet to agree to a request for a one-to-one interview with the Herald.
In response to a range of written questions about Hay and other staff, spokesman John Barr said: “RNZ policy is that it does not share or discuss information relating to any of its staff.”
In response to a question of whether RNZ treated all allegations of bullying, aggressive behaviour or undermining of colleagues seriously and professionally, Barr said: “RNZ is committed to providing our people with a positive working environment that is healthy, safe and professional and where all our people are respected, valued and treated with dignity.
“Any action or intent inconsistent with our Dignity of Work policy, such as discrimination, harassment or bullying is considered inappropriate and unacceptable and treated seriously.”
Asked, in light of the Herald questions and the recent independent inquiry, whether Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson would be briefed on staffing matters, Barr said: “The minister doesn’t get involved in any operational matters at RNZ.”
In late March, Cabinet Minister Kiri Allan criticised RNZ during a farewell function for her partner, Midday presenter Māni Dunlop.
“There is something within this organisation that has to be looked at,” Allan said, in edited comments of a transcript later released by RNZ to the Herald under the Official Information Act.
Although Allan later said her comments were made in a personal capacity and were off the record, she apologised for them. She acknowledged they could have been interpreted as telling RNZ how to manage its staff or company. “That was not my intent and it is certainly not my job”.
RNZ released these edited comments made by Allan at the farewell: “There is something within this organisation that has to be looked at. Now I know that you said that you would pick up that, the wero [challenge], that Māni left. It is not for just you, it is for your SLT [senior leadership team] to pick up. It’s for your SLT to pick up. It’s for your boards to pick up. That there is something within the organisation that will not and has not been able to keep Māori talent, and that is a question that I think deserves some deep reflection.
“We are looking at these two, and we are looking at this organisation and how it treats its talent. Want to know... she doesn’t need to do it, it’s not her role to carry that anymore. So it’s to this room, and the people within this place to grow and nurture, show that they have a viable future within this organisation. That you can come in as an intern and that you can get to the top spot, not just because you are Māori but because you have trained them well, you have nurtured them well.”
Following Allan’s speech and RNZ’s likely dilemma over how it should cover that story itself, the Herald raised questions with Thompson about his dual role as chief executive and editor-in-chief of the state broadcaster.
No other major media business in New Zealand operates in this fashion – their newsrooms operate with independent editor-in-chief roles, normally reporting directly to the CEO.
“This is not my first experience of managing these competing tensions over my nine years as CEO nor before in previous roles,” said Thompson.
“I reiterate, I have to balance RNZ’s journalistic responsibilities to our audience but also prioritise the well-being of our kaimahi. It’s not a situation that is unique to RNZ. Decisions are made by NZ media companies all the time that balance conflicting demands.”
However, there may be changes within the editorial team structure itself. RNZ’s website is run by a digital team, rather than the news division.
Thompson has indicated this week that he will consider changing the editorial structure within RNZ because of the issues uncovered by the journalist who allegedly added pro-Kremlin content to the Russia-Ukraine war stories.
“I haven’t made any decisions yet, but I think that will be something I will be reflecting on, and I’ll be looking to do anything which can make a positive difference because we need to get to the bottom of this and we need to improve things,” Thompson told Checkpoint’s Lisa Owen.
“I think that is one area where I’ll be giving it some thought and the independent review, no doubt will be giving me some advice. I’m giving the board some advice on that as well.”
RNZ chairman Jim Mather, when asked on Checkpoint whether he had concerns about the judgment of RNZ senior editors or senior managers and their oversight of the employee, said: “I certainly have judgment about the systems that we have in place and I am going to await the findings of the review in terms of the judgment of our management around the whole issue.
“But clearly at this point, our systems are not adequate or have proven not to be adequate emphatically… it should raise questions about why was this not identified at this particular point in time.”
He said the board retained confidence in Thompson.
Meanwhile, in some good news for the state broadcaster, it is welcoming back Jim Mora this weekend, as co-host of Sunday Morning alongside Anna Thomas.
Mora - who has been away since February – was back on air briefly last Sunday, speaking to actor Michael Hurst about his upcoming role in the Auckland Theatre Company’s production of King Lear.
In an introduction to Mora’s interview, host Susana Lei’ataua said: “There’s something many of you have been looking forward to; me too. Hearing from the wonderful Jim Mora. As you know he’s been off air because of an issue with his voice but things are improving and this week we welcome him back for one interview.”
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor.
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