Plunket approves of new Morning Report host

Sean Plunket. Photo / Anthony Phelps

Sean Plunket has given a thumbs up to Simon Mercep - appointed yesterday to his old job as co-host of Radio New Zealand's Morning Report.

Plunket - who ended nearly 14 years working side-by-side Geoff Robinson in June - told nzherald.co.nz he knows and respects Mercep.

The TVNZ Sunday correspondent was a good journalist and a good appointment to Morning Report, Plunket said.

But some in the radio industry question whether Mercep's nice guy style is too similar to Robinson's.

The long slow appointment process - with names like Anita McNaught and even Paul Holmes tipped as being interested - has led to tensions at RNZ.

Fans of Plunket hoped that the role would be handed to RNZ Checkpoint host Mary Wilson - who has a similar aggressive style of interviewing.

RNZ is planning for Mercep to be based at its office in Auckland after he learns the ropes, so the two men might not sit side by side from Wellington studios

That would be a significant move for RNZ which has long been regarded as focused on the capital.

Polite and cheery Mercep wil be a marked contrast to Plunket - who clashed with RNZ management several times over the years.

Chief executive Peter Cavanangh stopped him writing a political column for Metro Magazine.

The way the announcement was made - revealed on Twitter after Mercep told TVNZ colleagues he was leaving - raised eyebrows.

4pm in the run up to the Melbourne Cup is strange time to announce a key appointment.

Replacing Plunket has been a source of tension between chief executive Peter Cavanagh and new appointees to the board of governors.

Some believe RNZ management did not try hard enough to retain Plunket - though Plunket himself has said it is time to move on.

Earlier in the year the government clashed with RNZ over the way that it is dealing with a funding freeze.

The Government is demanding changes to Radio New Zealand.

But sources say chief executive Peter Cavanagh has resisted requests to be kept informed on the replacement process, a source told herald.co.nz.

A political source said that Cavanagh had promised to tell board members 24 hours before the appointment but that had not occurred.

RNZ spokesman John Barr said that RNZ had followed its procedures with the announcement.