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NZ: Silence reigns over QN sackings fallout

Wed 21 May 2003 In: New Zealand Daily News

A continuing silence about the future of Queer Nation remains in force with producer Andrew Whiteside out of the country and Livingstone Productions' boss maintaining a “no comment” policy following the sacking of two key staff members. Without the services of presenter Jonathan Marshall and researcher/director David Herkt, speculation is that remaining QN staffers will be facing a stressful workload, and may not be able maintain the number or level of new stories the programme usually airs. Additionally questions about the programme's relationship with its broadcaster, TVNZ, and funder, New Zealand On Air, remain unanswered. Livingstone head Johnny Givens has acknowledged that his company only produces and relies on the one programme, a situation under which TVNZ could exert undue influence on the programme. Both TVNZ and Givens refute that suggestion, but TVNZ is also the employer of frontman Mike Hosking who was the irate subject of the paparazzi tactics. Since Herkt and Marshall's sackings became public knowledge Livingstone productions has said only that they were the result of of a “breach of confidence and trust." Meanwhile, the photos Marshall took of Hosking have been sold to a womens' magazine and are likely to be published next week.    

Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff

First published: Wednesday, 21st May 2003 - 12:00pm

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