TVNZ confident Kate Hawkesby will stay put

TVNZ is confident it will not lose newsreader Kate Hawkesby to Prime but has refused to speculate on rumours that another presenter, Alison Mau, will go to the rival network.

TVNZ confirmed last night that Hawkesby was offered a job by Prime but said she was unlikely to ditch her spot as co-host on TVOne's late-night news show Tonight.

"We know that Kate has been approached and as far as we are aware she's happy with what she's doing here with TVNZ and she isn't going to Prime," said spokeswoman Zara Potts.

Ms Potts said TVNZ could not confirm that Mau, who fronts the Breakfast show, had been approached.

"If Ally has been offered something by Prime, we're not aware of that. She hasn't told us," she said.

The country's Sunday papers yesterday reported that the Australian-owned Prime had stepped up attempts to poach TVNZ talent after luring Paul Holmes in October.

The Herald on Sunday said Prime was planning a 6pm national news show to compete with TVNZ and TV3 and to provide a link to the new programme Holmes will front next year.

The paper said Mau was a strong contender for a role on Prime.

The Sunday Star Times said Ms Mau was in "advanced talks" with Prime and was likely to jump ship.

She could not be reached for comment last night.

TVNZ denied last night that Prime was drawing it into a bidding war for presenters. "There's this feeling that there is this out-of-control bidding war going on which is not the case," said Ms Potts.

"Obviously we want people to stay, but if they feel that they are getting a better deal, we can't make people stay."

She would not be drawn on whether the network would fight to keep Mau. "It's just theoretical at the moment. We can't comment until there's something concrete."

She implied that Hawkesby's contract would keep her with TVNZ. "Kate is committed to Tonight. She's contracted to us."

She would not say when the contract expired.

It was also reported yesterday that Prime and TV3 were preparing bids to buy the rights to Coronation St.

Ms Potts last night reiterated TVNZ's commitment to keeping the high-rating Granada show.

"It is one of those shows that any other network would want to have, but looking at our relationship with Granada, it's so long and so strong I don't think there's any danger of that happening."

Asked if TVNZ would fight to keep Coro, she said "absolutely".