Pam Corkery. Picture / Newstalk ZB The Broadcasting Standards Authority has backed Newstalk ZB host Pam Corkery after she told a caller not to use the word “homo” and labelled him a “dinosaur” for doing so. The comments came on January 10 during her show The Two, co-hosted by Tim Roxborogh, when a caller phoned in to give his views on a discussion about whether gay people are ‘overrepresented’ in New Zealand political parties. “I think they are overrepresented, aren’t they? …I look at my own world and I don’t know any homos,” the man said. Corkery responded “Don’t say the term ‘homo’, mate. And also many people, because of attitudes like yours, are still in the closet… Well don’t ever use that word ‘homo’… because it’s a derogatory term…” Following the call she said “I can’t believe that dinosaurs like the last two callers in this area – bigotry and homophobia… I don’t believe [they’re] allowed phones.” Jim Parlane of Te Awamutu complained Corkery had ‘savaged’ the man in a way that was ‘not necessary and excessively rude’. The Radio Network, which owns Newstalk ZB, said it believed her reaction to the caller’s use of the word ‘homo’ was "understandable and appropriate". The Broadcasting Standards Authority says Corkery’s criticism of the caller for using the word ‘homo’ was not unfair and has refused to uphold the complaint. The Radio Network itself upheld another complaint from Jim Parlane about Corkery labelling a different caller “stupid”, but said her apology during the show went far enough, which the BSA agreed with.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 8th April 2014 - 10:19am