Tim Batt's not afraid to ask some curly questions. Photo / supplied
Tim Batt's not afraid to ask some curly questions. Photo / supplied
Tim Batt has a simple objective: "I want to make the smart people laugh, and the funny people smart."
If anyone can, it's him. Batt, 29, is a man of many talents; he's the co-host of the internationally successful podcast The Worst Idea of All Time; he runs his own business, a podcast network named Little Empire; he's also a stand-up comedian who performed recently at the New Zealand, Melbourne and Sydney Comedy Festivals.
Now, he's a television host.
Batt is the host of TVNZ's banter, a new live panel and discussion show that aims to look at issues that matter to New Zealanders in an interactive, accessible format.
Airing on TVNZ's DUKE, the half-hour live show will rotate around three panelists each week - a mixture of politicians, comedians and experts - with Batt leading the conversations. The show will focus on reflecting a range of New Zealand voices and exploring different issues with new depth.
"We'll dissect news that's topical that week, and we'll talk about a few things with a lot more depth than people might be used to seeing on an early morning show or a daily chat show," says Batt.
"It won't be all politics but I think the fact that it's election year is a really good bonus; it's a really good boon to be able to pick over certain issues and policies and politicians in a format that isn't done that often.
"The fact that it's broadcast live is quite risky but I think really exciting as well because if something happens you're going to see it. There's no editing that moment out before it goes to air because it's just happened."
Tim Batt: "The fact that it's broadcast live is quite risky, but I think really exciting." Photo / supplied
TVNZ approached Batt with the concept of banter, which was created after DUKE programmer Ed Kindred saw a gap in the New Zealand market and an opportunity for the channel to offer some valuable local content. With Batt's background in radio, podcasting and comedy, his role as a TV host may surprise some - but he says being new to the medium will have its benefits.
"I'm not as attached to a perfectly well-rounded TV career in the future, so I'm not afraid to burn a few bridges and ask some curly questions that'll get an answer that people will actually want to hear about.
"If you combine the fact that maybe I'm a little more carefree with my long- term reputation on television with the fact that it's broadcast live, it hopefully will add up to a pretty entertaining watch."
The first four episodes of banter will be live streamed on DUKE's Facebook page, part of the show's aim to integrate with social media and appeal to younger audiences. ("A lot of people my age don't have a TV, myself included," says Batt.) The youth angle aims to change the current dynamic of New Zealand television; after recently reaching out on Reddit to find out what people thought was missing on TV, Batt found there was a real desire to see youth voices represented.
Tim Batt says being new to the TV medium will have its benefits. Photo / Michelle Hyslop
"It's always old people talking about youth issues, and things like youth suicide, and it's just all of these people who are 40-plus debating on what it's like to be young these days. Why don't we get someone who's actually an articulate 16-17-year-old - who I think are always smarter than we give them credit for. They're living it, so let's hear from one of them."
DUKE has faced controversy in the past, with critics calling it an old-fashioned concept that excludes women. When I voice my own reservations around the word banter, and its affiliation with "lad" culture, Batt admits he was also uncertain.
"I was a little bit dubious about that, but I've thrown the name out at various friends and people around the place and they haven't responded as dramatically as I did when I first heard it," says Batt.
"It reflects the fact that we want to have conversations - we want to not cram an agenda down people's throats, but we do want to articulate multiple points of an argument or a policy position. We want to be able to do it in a way that's fun and funny and like you would with your mates at the bar."
Lowdown:
Who - Tim Batt What - banter When - Premiering Tuesday, June 20, 8.30pm Where - TVNZ's DUKE
