OPINION: When I was at journalism school, I did a two-week work placement at Radio New Zealand.

Unfortunately I pronounced the word genealogy wrong. I said gee-nee-oh-lo-gy. It's pronounced gee-nee-al-oh-gy. Whoever the big RNZ boss at the time was, he made me feel like the smallest person in the building, and so I went to the toilets and felt sorry for myself.

That was my dream career in radio over. Somehow though, when it comes to pronouncing Māori words correctly, no-one seems to care.

He told Seven Sharp viewers they weren't able to vote for the Maori Party.

Definitely not Mike Hosking - the highest paid broadcaster at TVNZ.

Read more:

* Hosking says he 'confused' the Māori Party

* Mike Hosking's political leanings - in his own words

* Peters condemns TVNZ's decision to have Hosking front election debate

* Bill Ralston: Leave Hosking alone, the moderator is just a traffic cop

On Wednesday night he suggested to co-presenter Toni Street that only Māori could vote for The Māori Party.

SUPPLIED Hosking issued a clarification on voting rules - but then he got it wrong, again.

The next night he said: "Small clarification there for you, now last night in a throwaway line, I appear to have confused the Māori Party around the rules of voting in MMP. "

Mike Hosking's "clarification", (if you could call it that) to what he describes as the "Mearry" Party shows complete disregard for the party that fights for the interests of indigenous Kiwis.

He may as well have said: "This is a waste of my time because the poor little Māori Party have no idea what is going on."

What really happened was he made a joke and it wasn't funny. Not even Street could understand his drivel - though she appeared to pick up that it was just that.

To TVNZ: Hosking cannot speak our native language correctly. He didn't apologise after making a mistake. He has not acknowledged the damage he may have done and for that.

After blaming the Māori Party for his own flippant remarks, can we really say he deserves his position as a TV commentator or the privilege of hosting our election debates?

TVNZ, Hosking's poisonous attitude is dangerous to your company's integrity. Get him off.