HOLMES GONE AT LAST!

I got an email and I thought it was too good to be true -- but it's not!

Both Stuff and the Herald are reporting that Holmes has left TVNZ to go to Prime TV.

It appears that this is because he was only offered a one year contract renewal.

Who cares what the reason is? The Gnome has gone!!!!! Praise the Lord!!!! Maybe TVNZ will be able to get someone to front the 7pm slot who can actually interview people competently, and provide news/current affairs instead of infotainment drivel?!

Someone who wouldn't call Kofi Annan a "Cheeky Darkie!"

This has to be the best day in New Zealand news broadcasting for a generation!

Comments

[Idiot/Savant]

There's two issues here: the lightweight infotainment formula, which is driven by ratings, and Holmes himself, which exacerbated it. While a new presenter will almost certainly be an improvement, it may not actually result in a change in format. We're unlikely to be seeing Agenda every night after the news...

As for Prime, people don't watch their news because it's _yesterday's_ news; they'll need to realy improve their news operation if they want to get a good synergy out of Holmes.

[Ross P. Kettle]

It's great that Holmes is gone, he was alwasys completely obnoxious. Yes, Prime will really have to do a lot to get any traction with news and current affairs.

Here's a cartoon I did back in March about Holmes' interview technique http://www.dorkinglabs.com/fim_popup

[Oliver Woods]

Thank God he's gone. Though as Savant said, they'll probably get someone who's somewhat hard-arsed to not totally alienate the NZ First/National voting pensioners who form the core of Holmes' current viewers. Perhaps we could get all of Labour to vote in one of those phone-in/text polls they have on the show one day to swing the balance(Where the question is something like "Should Maori recieve any reparations?" and you get 90% saying no) :P.

[Rob Davies]

Won't we all have egg on our face if Garth George takes the 7pm slot over.....heh heh heh.

[Stephen Cooper]

Yay!

[Brian (Shadowfoot)]

I didn't have a problem with him, the Simpsons is the better choice at 7pm. I just understand why people watched him and though his stuff was important. (I gave up on him when he won entertainer of the year.)