John Campbell ordered to medals hearing

John Campbell screened an interview with a man called 'Robert' who he said had taken part in the medals theft. Photo / Supplied

TV3 presenter John Campbell and a Campbell Live producer have been summonsed as witnesses for the Waiouru Army Museum medals burglary depositions hearing.

Police have also filed an application for an order to compel Campbell and producer Ingrid Leary to answer questions disclosing the identity of an informant.

MediaWorks TV, which owns and operates TV3, will oppose the application, it said today.

TV3 will almost certainly argue "privilege" in terms of the media's right to withhold the identity of informants.

Two men, aged 37 and 39, who have name suppression, have been charged with the burglary of the museum.

Their depositions hearing has tentatively been set down for three weeks beginning on October 26.

In December 2007, 96 medals, nine Victoria Crosses among them, were stolen from the central North Island museum.

All the medals were returned in February 2008, after a reward of up to $300,000 was paid.

In February last year Campbell screened an interview with a man called "Robert", who said he had taken part in the burglary.

Viewers saw a man wearing a hood with his face in shadow being interviewed by Campbell. The audience was told an actor's voice had been used to protect the man's identity.

Campbell and TV3 later admitted they had made a mistake by not telling viewers that the interview was a re-enactment which used an actor.

- NZPA