Best of media: Cringe and squirm aplenty

Paul Henry. Photo / Herald on Sunday

PAUL HENRY
Former TVNZ Breakfast presenter

In October, while questioning Prime Minister John Key about Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand's successor, Paul Henry asked: "Are you going to choose a New Zealander who looks and sounds like a New Zealander this time? Are we going to go for someone who is more like a New Zealander this time?" He also mocked the name of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Henry resigned from TVNZ.

MICHAEL LAWS
RadioLive talkback host

In October, Michael Laws called Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand "a large, fat man" who "has never left the buffet table". Laws also said that the Governor-General had "a silly job - grossly overpaid, staffed by people who have no relevance to real New Zealanders". Laws refused to apologise but later retracted his "uncharitable and inappropriate comments".

PAUL HOLMES
TVNZ and Newstalk ZB radio host

Interviewing Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly and South Pacific Pictures managing director John Barnett, Holmes put Kelly in her place. "You see, I think the impression people have, Helen, is you're well out of your depth. When [Sir Peter] Jackson calls you clueless and tells you to go home, this is a New Zealand-produced genius, the like of which we'll never see again." On Newstalk ZB, Holmes called Actors' Equity union leader Simon Whipp "a dick". Kelly was reportedly concerned about Holmes' motivation.

ANDI BROTHERSTON
TVNZ news and current affairs PR manager

Andi Brotherston made a knee-jerk comment to the media that Paul Henry was prepared to say things "we quietly think but are scared to say out loud". Brotherston sent an email to staff apologising for a "horrendous error of judgment" in not seeking a second opinion "or even paus[ing] for breath" and offered her resignation, which was rejected.

MIKE McROBERTS
TV3 newsreader

"What it reflects is a poor decision by 3 not to go with continuous coverage throughout the day. No lead-in," tweeted Mike McRoberts about his network's coverage of the Canterbury earthquake. TV3 director of news Mark Jennings commented: "I think Twitter conversations can lead down some paths and it would probably be better if they didn't take place."