Under attack: TVNZ staff threatened or abused 21 times in the past year

TVNZ has recorded 21 threatening and abusive incidents towards it news crew in the last year and spent thousands of dollars on security to keep them safe.

TVNZ editorial staff have been on the receiving end of 21 incidents ranging from mild threats to people preventing them from doing their jobs in the past year.

Since January 2021, the state broadcaster has also shelled out $25,792.82 for security guards to escort editorial staff on jobs.

Last year a TVNZ camera man was knocked to the ground during a live cross when a young man barrelled into him. St John checked the cameraman over, but he was okay.

Last month an undercover security guard had to intervene when a reporter covering a story at a North Shore vaccine centre was hounded by former TV presenter Liz Gunn. Gunn chased her down the road shouting unsubstantiated vaccine claims at her.

Media representatives from various outlets have also been threatened and abused in the past two weeks while covering the anti-mandate protest at Parliament.

A TVNZ spokeswoman said security was mostly needed at live broadcasts, large-scale events or situations that might become volatile given the story matter.

A full assessment was undertaken about what safety measures would be required in advance of any external filming or reporting, she said.

The broadcaster contracted a number of security firms around the country to provide this service and it was up to them to make sure each situation had adequate resourcing.

Security guards have been used by TVNZ since it overhauled its health and safety procedures in 2015.

"As you will have seen over the last year (and the last week in particular), threats to media representatives have become stories in themselves. Regardless of whether external security is utilised, we plan for all external deployments."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, speaking previously about the activity at the current protest in Wellington, said both politicians and the media had been threatened and abused.

"Media, when they've stepped onto the forecourt, have been abused and chased and called liars," she told RNZ.

"So some of the rhetoric and noise coming from the protest has been pretty poor."