TVNZ has absolutely bungled its response to the Kamahl Santamaria PR crisis. Photo / Supplied
TVNZ has absolutely bungled its response to the Kamahl Santamaria PR crisis. Photo / Supplied
OPINION:
The fallout from TVNZ revelations on the departure of Kamahl Santamaria is almost annoyingly familiar in the media entertainment industry.
We once again have allegations of an older male in a position of power engaged in inappropriate behaviour with a younger member of staff.
What we don't know atthe moment is exactly what Santamaria is alleged to have done at TVNZ and Al Jazeera, and why it is that TVNZ head of news and current affairs Paul Yurisich came to decide that he was the best person for the job.
TVNZ has absolutely bungled its response to this PR crisis.
The phrasing "family emergency" in crisis communication is usually good cover in PR because it offers a hint that something serious might be wrong with a member of the family. Deployed effectively, it can dissuade journalists from digging into the life of someone going through tough circumstances.
What this initial statement didn't say was that this "family emergency" was because of something Santamaria allegedly did.
The fact that the line has now been updated to the equally inexact statement saying that Santamaria is currently dealing with a "personal matter" shows that TVNZ knew that the original phrasing was off.
What TVNZ didn't bank on was the impact this vague throwaway PR line would have on staff within the organisation – and those familiar with the issue.
The problem is that the details TVNZ wasn't willing to divulge came to surface from sources within the organisation.
Kamahl Santamaria quit TVNZ only 32 days after joining. Photo / Supplied
Not even a headline story on the TVNZ's own news channel 1 News, could coax Yurisich and chief executive Simon Power out of their silence.
Out-of-body experience on 1 News tonightx 6 pm news reporting on what TVNZ management - and their own head of news and current affairs - WON’T tell them about the departure of Breakfast host Kamahl Santamaria. Virtuous but fruitless report, indicating big internal tensions.
The thing about silence is that it never lasts long in the media industry. Already, sources have revealed accusations that Santamaria engaged in inappropriate behaviour at Al Jazeera, issues with the hiring practices at TVNZ and details of a cultural issue between newcomers and the old guard.
TVNZ needs to front up to each of these issues if this matter is to be put to bed.
The executives at TVNZ would do well to look at the example set by MediaWorks chief executive Cam Wallace when he was presented with information indicating that the culture was broken within his organisation.
He brought in a legal professional who conducted a full investigation of what went wrong at the organisation. He spoke as openly as he legally could about the issues at hand and then set about making the cultural changes necessary to run a modern media company.
This call ruffled feathers throughout the hierarchy at MediaWorks, but it was something the new chief executive felt necessary for the future of the company. The approach wasn't perfect – and there's still a need for improvement – but it helped to restore trust among staff.
As things currently stand at TVNZ, the trust between employees and executives is clearly on the rocks. Staff do not leak to competing media if they're happy.
These internal tensions hint at deep-lying cultural issues that need to be addressed if the newsroom is to function effectively in the future.
Leaving the matter to fester in the hands of the media rumour mill achieves little beyond raising questions about the judgment of Yurisich recruiting his Al Jazeera co-worker for a prestigious role at TVNZ. Did Yurisich not know about the accusations against Santamaria at Al Jazeera?
Either way, these are further questions that need to be answered – not just for the sake of the staff at TVNZ but also for the public.
In the latest Budget, the Government set aside $327 million to support the new public entity during its first three years.
If TVNZ can't be trusted to hire the host for an innocuous breakfast show, then how can the public put faith in them to play an integral role in transforming the New Zealand media industry?
Broadcasting and Media Minister Kris Faafoi said through a spokesperson that he had been assured the situation was being managed appropriately "with the correct support in place for those involved".
We'll just have to take their word for it, until another leak suggests otherwise.
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