Hide complains over TV interview

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

Act MP Rodney Hide has made a broadcasting standards complaint alleging Brian Edwards broke balance and impartiality standards when he was interviewed on the veteran broadcaster's show on Saturday night.

The tense interview on Edwards at Large came after the MP questioned a New Zealand on Air decision this year to give the show $190,000 while Dr Edwards' wife, Judy Callingham, was a NZ on Air board member.

Mr Hide yesterday handed TVNZ a written complaint but said that if he was dissatisfied with its reply he would go to the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

In Parliament last week he asked how the public was supposed to escape the "inevitable conclusion" that Judy Callingham's board position and the NZ on Air funding for her husband's show was "payback" for their role as media trainers for Prime Minister Helen Clark and other Government ministers.

Mr Hide referred to a letter drafted by Dr Edwards to former Broadcasting Minister Marian Hobbs in 2000 on a proposal he had put to Prime TV for his own show.

In the letter, which Dr Edwards could not remember sending and which Ms Hobbs' office has no record of, he noted the channel was not eligible for NZ On Air funding and labelled that an anomaly.

Dr Edwards says his wife, appointed to the NZ on Air board by Ms Hobbs, stepped aside from the board's consideration of funding for Edwards at Large.

Mr Hide's complaint alleges that Saturday's show breached the guidelines that say programmes dealing with political matters, current affairs and questions of a controversial nature "must show balance and impartiality".

He said it was impossible for the show to have been balanced or impartial because Dr Edwards was on Helen Clark's payroll as her "media coach and spin adviser".

"Dr Edwards also helps out Helen Clark's ministers whenever they hit trouble," he said.

"An interviewer who is at the same time on the Prime Minister's payroll simply cannot be balanced and impartial to an opposition member of Parliament.

"The interview technique adopted by Dr Edwards is proof of that."

Mr Hide said Dr Edwards tried to manoeuvre him into a position where he might be able to be sued. At one stage Dr Edwards said: "You know why you can't answer this question, because the moment you answer this question you are at risk of defamation proceedings."

Mr Hide replied: "So you have got me on your show for that?"

Mr Hide said there was no way TVNZ would allow broadcaster Paul Holmes to moonlight as media adviser to National Party leader Bill English.

Dr Edwards has said he is a "lifestyle" broadcaster, not a current affairs broadcaster, so his job as a media trainer for Labour does not give him a conflict of interest.

He declined to comment yesterday.

Mr Hide said there had been little off-screen banter with Dr Edwards.

"I have to say he was pretty grumpy at the end of it. I shook his hand and it was more his demeanour than anything he said."

Edwards and guest go hammer and tongs


Things get heated between Brian Edwards and Rodney Hide on Edwards at Large.

Hide: I am asking you this: Do you get paid to advise Helen Clark?

Edwards: I give you the answer. The answer is yes. Carry on.

Parekura Horomia? - Well, most of them.

Marian Hobbs? When you get paid, do you get paid out of the ministerial budget? - I actually don't know where I get paid from.

Well, nor do we. Do you get paid out of the Labour Party budget? - I don't know. I have got no idea.

Don't you get a cheque? - No, I don't get a cheque.

What, you get cash? - It is irrelevant. What is the relevance of this?

The relevance is this. In Parliament every minister dodges ... - You are not going to answer the question, are you? You know why you can't answer this question, because the moment you answer this question you are at risk of defamation proceedings. That is why you can't answer this question.

So you have got me on your show for that?

In another excerpt:

Edwards: ... Let me come to the third point that involves this inevitable conclusion. That Judy Callingham misused her position as a member of the New Zealand on Air Board to get the show for herself and her husband.

Hide: Well, where did I say that? - Read it again.

Where did I say misuse her position? - Read it again.

Where did I say misuse her position? - I say it is the inevitable outcome of what you say there. It is the clear innuendo of what is said in there.

Well, I don't take that. - You don't believe that to be the case?

No. No.