Clark told to take 'creep' Campbell on

By BERNARD ORSMAN

Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday continued her battle with TV3 presenter John Campbell by saying people were telling her to take the "little creep on".

Campbell said he was surprised at being called a little creep.

"I consider it entirely legitimate journalism to ask the Prime Minister questions without allowing her to prepare a strategy of obfuscation and prevarication in advance of the event ... " he said.

" ... frankly, I thought it was a feature of dictatorships that leaders tried to dictate what questions they could be asked.

"I didn't think that is how flourishing and robust democracies behaved. Bugger me."

Helen Clark made the "little creep" comment on Radio Pacific in reference to the TV3 leaders debate on July 25, when Campbell is scheduled to quiz her and National leader Bill English. The Prime Minister is mulling over whether to appear, as well as whether to lodge a Broadcasting Standards Authority complaint against TV3, which she accuses of ambushing her in an unethical manner.

On 3 News last night, TV3's director of news, Mark Jennings, said not bowing to politicians was the hallmark of a good news service.

Mr Jennings later told the Herald that TV3 was standing by Campbell, who won the best presenter award at this year's Qantas media awards.

"He is a very fair and talented interviewer and treats all politicians the same."

TV3 was flooded with responses to the Wednesday night interview. Comments made in 300 emails and by more than 200 callers ranged from absolutely disgraceful, bullying and disrespectful to congratulations, brilliant and exposing a side of the Prime Minister not seen often.

Campbell fronted the "corngate" issue again last night on TV3 news - without Helen Clark. Instead he was granted an interview with Marian Hobbs.

Marian Hobbs got "very personal" with an analogy of a mammogram scare that told her she had breast cancer.

She said she had a series of tests, but it was not until a large needle was inserted in her breast that it was found to be a cyst.

Campbell said the analogy did not necessarily hold in so far as the Environmental Risk Management Authority said it knew the sweetcorn was contaminated.

"Do you know what I think you have done, you guys? You have convinced yourselves that a very low amount of corn equals no corn," Campbell said.

Marian Hobbs replied: "Absolutely not. There is a zero tolerance. We find one seed that is contaminated, the whole lot goes. We had positive tests ... and we looked at those tests again and people came back to us and said those tests don't stand. Like my breast. I had a positive test. Thank God they didn't take it off because then they found it was something else."

The free-to-air code of broadcasting practice says people appearing in any programme "should be dealt with fairly and should, except as required in the public interest, be informed of the reason for their proposed contribution and participation and the role that is expected of them".

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