Hosking v Henry: Heavyweights to lock horns in radio breakfast battle

Mike Hosking and Paul Henry.

Broadcasting heavyweights Mike Hosking and Paul Henry will go head-to-head at breakfast time after a major media reshuffle.

Henry will host a breakfast show to be broadcast next year simultaneously on TV3 and RadioLive - both owned by MediaWorks.

The move spells the end of the The Paul Henry Show, placing its controversial host in direct competition with Hosking, host of Newstalk ZB's popular breakfast show.

The new programme, which MediaWorks called the country's "first cross-platform show", will replace both Firstline on TV3 and the breakfast show on RadioLive.

MediaWorks spokeswoman Rachel Lorimer said it was too early to know what would happen to staff affected by the changes - including RadioLive breakfast hosts Marcus Lush and Hilary Barry.

The changes would also affect Firstline presenters Sacha McNeil and Michael Wilson and Paul Henry Show co-host Janika ter Ellen.

Media commentator Brian Edwards said he guessed MediaWorks was capitalising on Henry's late-night television success by putting him in a higher-rating morning slot.

But Dr Edwards did not expect Henry to pip Newstalk ZB's Hosking at the post.

"ZB is watertight in that slot. That is the highest-rating slot in radio in New Zealand and I don't think Paul Henry will be able to make any dents in it," he said.

He thought Henry suited late-night television but it was a bit risky putting him back on morning TV.

"He's deliberately outrageous and that works well late in the evening, but he's dangerous, and dangerous in the morning is a little bit more risky."

When working on TVNZ's Breakfast in 2010, Henry repeatedly mocked the name of Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit and got into hot water when he questioned whether Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand "was even a New Zealander". He resigned later that year.

The breakfast show will be part of TV3's new season, most likely from late January or February, and is the first big change since Mark Weldon became MediaWorks chief executive.

"The new show will integrate our capabilities in radio, TV and digital, creating a unique product with a unique audience proposition," Mr Weldon said.

"No other media company can offer this type of seamless experience, organised around the audience rather than the platform."

The managing director of NZME. radio, Dean Buchanan, said it was a dynamic time within the media. NZME. owns Newstalk ZB and publishes the Herald.

"The integration of NZME. publishing and radio combined with our collaboration with TVNZ means Mike Hosking and consequently Newstalk ZB and the New Zealand Herald are 'the' multi-medium news brands, so we're not surprised at the move."

Tale of the tape

Mike Hosking

• Worked at Radio New Zealand National in the 1990s, later co-hosting Morning Report with Geoff Robinson.
• Hosted TVNZ's Breakfast between 1997 and 2004.
• Hosted 10 episodes of New Zealand's Who Wants to be a Millionaire? in 2008.
• Currently hosts Newstalk ZB's The Mike Hosking Breakfast show and co-hosts TVNZ's Seven Sharp.
• Married to fellow broadcaster Kate Hawkesby.
• Petrolhead fact: Drives a 2012 California Convertible Ferrari.

Paul Henry

• Started his broadcasting career at the BBC.
• Set up radio station Today FM 89.3 in 1991.
• Has also worked on RadioLive, Radio New Zealand National and Radio Pacific.
• Hosted TVNZ's Breakfast from 2004 to 2010.
• In 2014, The Paul Henry Show replaced Nightline on TV3.
• His partner is Linzi Dryburgh.
• Petrolhead fact: In 2011, Henry was clocked doing 129km/h in a red Mustang V8 on the outskirts of LA.