John Campbell signs off
The man who brought ‘‘radio you can watch’’ to the public broadcaster will sign off for the last time tonight, reports Kate Robertson.
‘‘He inspires all of us. He sets the bar not only in broadcasting, but in being a decent human being.’’ RNZ colleague on Campbell’s departure
Broadcaster John Campbell will tonight present his final show as the host of Checkpoint on RNZ.
Moving to a role with TVNZ that covers both presenting and field reporting, Campbell will host across Tonight, Breakfast, Seven Sharp, Sunday, Q+A and 1 NEWS as needed. It is understood one of his first tasks at TVNZ will be a story for political talk show Q+A.
Campbell took over Checkpoint, RNZ’s flagship nightly news show, in January 2016. His arrival saw the public broadcaster re-work the show into a simulcast, airing across web, radio and free-to-air television for the first time ever.
Described by Campbell as ‘‘radio you can watch’’, the show has so far failed to pull big numbers on RNZ’s YouTube channel.
His tenure at Checkpoint saw Campbell focus on the social justice reporting, covering issues ranging from the Auckland housing crisis and homelessness to politics, community events, and the election of Donald Trump in 2016.
The drivetime show has a weekly cumulative audience of 287,100, according to radio audience figures released in July this year.
Campbell re-joined RNZ after 10 years spent presenting Campbell Live on Mediaworks’ TV3 along with his long-term executive producer Pip Keane.
The axing of Campbell Live in 2015 provoked a public outcry. After the show’s cancellation, Campbell told fans he was ‘‘exhausted’’.
‘‘I’m going to breathe in and out and do something that matters.
‘‘There’s actually a whole lot of pressure on a diminishing number of reporters to do two things simultaneously: one, tell stories that matter and two, clickbait or viewers.
‘‘They are not necessarily the same thing. It’s a tough, tough time to be a journalist,’’ he said.
Campbell has been a popular figure at RNZ, with a colleague telling Stuff he would be missed, particularly for his ‘‘incredible storytelling’’ and ‘‘endless rapport with strangers’’.
‘‘He inspires all of us. He sets the bar not only in broadcasting, but in being a decent human being.
‘‘[He’s] a force of nature round the office, he always takes time to give you feedback and encouragement.
‘‘He is unendingly loyal to his team, and so fiercely dedicated to excellence in his craft – he is our lodestar,’’ they added.
Media commentator Brian Edwards praised Campbell’s time at RNZ, describing him as a ‘‘tremendous asset’’.
‘‘I wasn’t entirely in love with him in those early days, but pretty quickly I grew to respect him as one of the most honest and talented broadcasters we’ve seen in New Zealand. I would rate him very, very highly.’’
RNZ’s Alex Perrotet will temporarily fill the
Checkpoint hosting role following Campbell’s departure, with outgoing Newshub Nation host
Lisa Owen set to take over the show by the end of October.
RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson earlier said news of Campbell’s departure was ‘‘disappointing’’.
‘‘It is definitely a loss. And, it’s a great appointment by TVNZ. His decision made sense in terms of him wanting to get off the daily grind.’’
At the time of his resignation, Campbell said he was excited about the new opportunity.
‘‘After 20 years of sitting in a studio five nights a week, I’m really excited by the prospect of spending more time in the field.’’