Richard Harmon

Yes, well, it's going to be a free-for-all now, I think.

You know, there's talk that the New Zealand Media Council will sort of fill the vacuum, if you like.

That's not realistic.

There's no power under the law.

Really, the most they can do is ask for an apology.

They're not going to be an adequate replacement for the BSA, in my view.

I think really with the broadcasting landscape, it had to go.

The fact is that over the airwaves, linear broadcasting is on its way out.

And I think only this morning yet another streamer has announced that they're coming into New Zealand.

And so if the Broadcasting Standards Authority has no jurisdiction over streaming or social media, then it was becoming irrelevant in many senses.

I don't know how you regulate social media.

I don't think you can.

I think it's like trying to herd eels.

What I think will happen is that the big brands, RNZ, TVNZ,

yourselves will join up with the media council and the pirates and the cowboys will be pirates and cowboys.

I don't think there's much we can do to stop that.

I think Seymour has shot himself in the foot here.

Really?

He's just made that much harder because I think Thompson will be laughing now about it.

Because if Paul Thompson now is forced out, it's going to look very much like a politician caused this event.