IAN KIDDLE AGAINST RNZ

Overview

Ian Kiddle complains that the New York Times Moscow correspondent, Anton Troianovski, interviewed by Kim Hill onSaturday Morning on January 30, 2021, did not present a balanced view of Russia at all, and was thrown soft-ball questions. He asks why the interviewee was not asked why the Russian government chose poisoning with novichock when there were much easier ways to kill Navaelny. Listeners were probably left with the impression that Putin actually owns a palace mentioned in the interview when he probably does not.

He backs up his complaint with reference to two other articles which he considers present a more balanced picture.

He says that RNZ has a history of anti-Russian propaganda. He does not believe it is appropriate for a tax-payer funded radio station to engage in the demonization of a country that represents no threat to New Zealand.

Essentially this seems to be a complaint about RNZ's programming, which is not part of the Media Council brief. Mr Kiddle obviously does not like the interviewer's line of questioning, but it appears to have been quite neutral and nothing out of the ordinary. And it is very clear that the discussion of the "Putin Palace" is a discussion of allegations.

Finding: Insufficient Grounds to Proceed.