Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson today admitted his recent appearance with Jack Tame on Q+A "wasn't one of my greatest interviews".
Jackson sparred with Q+A host Jack Tame over a number of controversial issues surrounding the merger of TVNZ and RNZ on Sunday.
Some of his political rivals put the boot in over the interview with ACT leader David Seymour saying former prime minister Helen Clark would have sacked him over it if still in charge.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also said she talked to Jackson over the interview and didn't agree with all of his comments.
At Parliament today Jackson was asked what Ardern said to him.
"That’s between me and the prime minister, but I accept what she was saying and she is obviously concerned about how one responds, but we had a talk and it's all good," Jackson told gathered media.
The minister reiterated his stance on editorial independence.
"There is no intention to interfere with anything in the new entity and if it came across like that in the interview I’m sorry, because the reality is editorial independence is everything."
Jackson was also asked about the tone of the interview, especially when he called it a "negative one" to Tame's face.
"I have a bit of a relationship with Jack Tame, I have known him for years and we have a bit of fun, it’s just part of jousting in an interview.
"I don’t think Jack took it badly but I can see the media took it badly."
When pressed on whether he should have changed his lighthearted tone for such a serious topic, Jackson replied: "The reality is I have a certain style which works most of the time, but obviously didn’t go too well on the Sunday
"The style has served me well for 30 years but there is always a misstep and clearly from the response from media it was a misstep so it wasn’t one of my greatest interviews."
However, he said that some of his supporters enjoyed the interview.
National responds
National Party spokesperson for broadcasting Melissa Lee was also today asked about Jackson's interview.
"It was a bit of a train-wreck wasn’t it?" she said, adding Jackson was unable to explain why the merger was happening and why it was worth the money being spent on it.
She said she would have liked to be a "fly on the wall" when Ardern spoke to Jackson.
Lee also said if National gets into power at the 2023 election then it will repeal the TVNZ-RNZ merger no matter how far along it is.
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