Editorial: It's time to hang Henry out to dry

Paul Henry has become overconfident in his role as shock jock. Photo / Greg Bowker

Opinion

If broadcaster Paul Henry may be described as an attention-seeker, he must surely be adjudged an accomplished one.

His puerile mockery of the name of a distinguished woman in Indian politics made headlines around the world and caused a diplomatic incident; and with his questions about the Governor-General, Sir Anand Satyanand, and his potential replacements, he managed to insult Sir Anand - and to appal most New Zealanders, not just those of Indian ethnicity who were so directly slighted.

But, the man's apologies notwithstanding, it is impossible to shake the twin suspicions that cling to this whole affair: first, that Henry's slights - of which these are far from the first - are not based in ignorance but are cynical, calculated strategies; and second, that his employers, though happy to deplore his utterances in public, read the ratings and rejoice.

There's an argument to be made that the company, driven by a Government-imposed commercial imperative, is set up to behave exactly this way. But there was a failure of management here, too.

TVNZ CEO Rick Ellis took more than 24 hours to issue a statement that described Henry's remarks as "unacceptable" - a mealy-mouthed and inadequate term in any case - and announce the broadcaster's suspension.

He might fairly claim that due process needed to be followed, but in failing to publicly condemn what Henry had said by morning tea on the morning he said it, Ellis looked weak and vacillating.

Worse, he looked like he was condoning it. For a whole day, the position of the country's state broadcaster on the matter was distilled into the observation by a PR manager that Henry was "prepared to say the things we quietly think, but are scared to say out loud".

The spokeswoman later apologised but her statement was dispiritingly revealing of the thinking that goes on in the offices of our state-owned television network.

Henry's job is reported to be far from safe although it may be difficult for TVNZ to impose a stiffer penalty without running a risk under employment law.

But the least his employer owes us is an unequivocal public statement that he has made his last thoughtless, unkind, ignorant or racist outburst - and that his job is at stake if he doesn't pull his head in.

And if Ellis does not want to say that much perhaps he will have the decency to admit that he likes Paul Henry just the way he is - because he rates.