Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:00 am, October 9th, 2011 - 151 comments

Categories: john key, radio - Tags: Martyn Bomber Bradbury, mediawatch, RNZ

As heard on Mediawatch this morning (audio link, around 26:30 in the audio) Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury has been banned from RNZ’s “The Panel”, and indeed from any appearance on RNZ, after strongly criticising Key’s behaviour in the throat slitting incident (video).

Bradbury was accused of “an unacceptable breach of Radio New Zealand’s editorial policies”. There’s no doubt that his behaviour was “strident and partisan”, but as Mediawatch pointed out, that’s hardly new and hardly unique on RNZ, so which editorial policies were breached? RNZ CEO Peter Cavanaugh declined to be interviewed, but said that the breach was with respect to the requirements for “fairness and balance”. Given the strong opinions expressed on RNZ that’s an answer so broad and so subjective that it amounts to kicking Bradbury out on a whim.

The media was up in arms this week about Lockwood Smith’s over reaction to The Herald’s breach of rules in Parliament. I wonder if there will be a similar hue and cry when a Leftie is banned for criticising the PM.

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