Media Insider: TVNZ threatened to sue Newstalk ZB as it chased Maiki Sherman story, Mike Hosking says

TVNZ threatened to sue Newstalk ZB after a producer raised questions with the state broadcaster about an incident in which its political editor, Maiki Sherman, allegedly used a homophobic slur, ZB host Mike Hosking says.

Hosking told listeners today that his producer, Sam Carran, had been investigating the alleged incident – in which Sherman allegedly directed the word “f****t” at journalist Lloyd Burr during an event in Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ office – in the latter part of 2025.

“We got to a point where we were going to say something about it,” Hosking said.

But when Carran went to TVNZ to seek a response, the state broadcaster came back to him saying it did not comment on employment matters – followed soon after by a legal letter from a corporate law firm, understood to be Russell McVeagh.

“TVNZ threatened to sue us,” Hosking told listeners.

“We got the big broad-based fat letter from the lawyers – it was one of those very wide-ranging letters you get from corporate lawyers basically encompassing everything.

“It doesn’t matter what you say, when you say, why you say it, how you say it, they’re going to go you for something. It was one of those letters.”

He indicated that enthusiasm for the story appeared to wane upon receipt of the letter. “What’s the term they use in legal circles? It had a chilling effect.”

Hosking said he was not “enamoured” with the story in the first place, but he was also “disappointed” that it did not get across the line.

“The political editor of the state broadcaster allegedly saying what she did is unacceptable, I think in most people’s minds,” he said.

“You can debate among yourselves whether you think that’s a sackable offence or not.”

Hosking said another question was whether it was “wise of the state broadcaster to use lawyers to threaten other broadcasting entities that have what, as it turns out, a perfectly legitimate story”.

“Should we have gone a bit cold on it ourselves? Personally, no, but we did, and you can ask NZME [owner of Newstalk ZB] about that another time if you want to.

“The good news is that in this modern day and age, it was always going to come out in some way, shape or form.”

NZME – which also owns the NZ Herald – refused to comment.

TVNZ repeated to the NZ Herald today the original response it gave to ZB and also to the Herald yesterday: “We do not comment on employment matters.”

It refused to answer a range of questions from the Herald, including whether TVNZ had sent a legal letter to NZME regarding inquiries that Newstalk ZB was making in relation to the alleged incident. The Herald also asked about the rationale/nature of the legal letter and why it was sent.

The alleged Maiki Sherman incident was reported publicly on Tuesday by political commentator Ani O’Brien on her Substack page.

Willis then confirmed to the Herald that the alleged incident happened in her office last May.

“I can confirm I hosted a function for press gallery journalists in my office ahead of last year’s Budget,” Willis said.

“I was out of the room for a few minutes and returned to hear offensive language being used. I ended the event at that point.

“The following day, I checked in on the welfare of the reporter at whom the language was directed. He advised me he did not want to take the matter any further. I respected his decision.”

Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.