Breakfast host given warning at Al Jazeera for 'inappropriate behaviour' prior to TVNZ job
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Loading... - Sergio Felix
- 30 May 2022
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Departed TVNZ Breakfast host Kamahl Santamaria was given a formal warning by the Director of News at Al Jazeera, after complaints he acted inappropriately with a younger female colleague, a source familiar with the situation has confirmed.
The source, whose identity Stuff has verified but has agreed to withhold, said the warning came after "a handful" of incidents with different female workers led to complaints about Santamaria.
The former TV3 sports journalist worked in senior presenting positions at Al Jazeera's English language news channel for 16 years, before bringing his family back to Auckland in April to take up a hosting role on TVNZ's Breakfast programme.
He resigned on Saturday, after a nine-day absence from the show, which TVNZ has declined to explain to staff or the public. His departure was followed by a Stuff story on Sunday that revealed he had quit TVNZ after at least one female in the newsroom complained about inappropriate behaviour.
All of the alleged incidents at Al Jazeera took place on the broadcaster's campus in Doha, Qatar, Stuff understands.
"I wouldn't say management turned a blind eye. But they had no experience dealing with the situation," the source said.
Female colleagues of Santamaria's victims attempted to complain on their behalf, but mainly through exit interviews when leaving the broadcaster.
"There was no other mechanism."
The source said the warning was given by Director of News Salah Negm, but that the issues should have been picked up in the TVNZ recruitment process when the state-owned broadcaster hired Santamaria as a Breakfast host on TV1.
"I can't believe [Santamaria] was hired with all this baggage. Questions need to be asked," the source said.
Stuff has approached Negm for comment.
According to the source, as a broadcaster Santamaria could "wipe the floor with others”, but he was otherwise a "very private individual" who did little socialising outside of work.
Last week, Stuff asked TVNZ whether the state-owned broadcaster still had confidence in its Head of News and Current Affairs, Paul Yurisich - the boss who hired Sanatamaria. “Yes, TVNZ has confidence in its Head of News and Current Affairs,” a spokesperson said by email.
Yurisich did not respond to more questions from Stuff.
But in the latest of Yurisich’s newsroom-wide emails to be leaked, he wrote to staff on Monday saying he couldn’t tell them anything. Read More...
