I’ve never got Paul Henry, and I don’t know why people watch him. Apparently, along with pain in the arse liberal Mike Hosking, he’s regarded as some kind of right wing political force in NZ’s media. I see them both as occasionally politically incorrect but right wing (in the general sense) no way.

I last saw/ heard Henry maybe a decade ago, and quickly lost interest. Same old scrambled eggs and toast.

John Drinnan is one of the few mainstream media writers I have a modicum of time for and he has an article in the Herald today claiming the recently floated Henry show is a big loss maker.

Mark Weldon may come to rue the day he gave his full backing to the Paul Henry breakfast programme.

In the ad world, feelings are mixed on whether MediaWorks can boost the ratings for the show, which is simulcast on TV3 and RadioLive from 6am to 9am weekdays. But it will be a big task, given that the huge and costly build-up to the show has led to an audience of less than 1 per cent of all potential viewers – a level that will not cover costs.

MediaWorks says the real impact of Paul Henry is in radio, where it competes with fellow right-wing broadcaster Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB. It does seem as though ideology has got the better of Weldon.

We’ll have to wait six months for the release of those figures.

NZ seems to be suffering a dearth of saleable so called right wing presenters. The management appear to know what is necessary, but they can’t find the people to put it across. IMHO it isn’t Henry or Hosking, who are both lame and politically confused. What we need is a NZ Rush Limbaugh. Someone who gets it.

John Drinnan’s column.