6 Aug 2015

Campbell’s RNZ move: It’s so trendy right now

2:59 pm on 6 August 2015

It blew up immediately. Seconds after it was announced John Campbell would join RNZ, we sent a "marvellous" tweet, and hit publish on Facebook.

John Campbell

Photo: RNZ/ Alexander Robertson

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Within 20 minutes, the Facebook post had been shared a hundred times - even more than when we changed our cover image to a tui.

Within minutes, John Campbell was trending on Twitter - not for the first time in his career - as were RNZ, RadioNZ, and RNZ_News.

a graphic showing a map of New Zealand and what was trending on twitter, including John Campbell, RNZ, RNZ News and RadioNZ

What was trending on Twitter Photo: RNZ

Most people were excited to hear the news.

Some, while pleased about the news, felt they were going to miss Checkpoint's current presenter, and fierce interviewer, Mary Wilson.

Others had slightly wider views of Radio New Zealand's role in New Zealand society. More than one commenter on Facebook suggested Radio New Zealand start its own TV channel.

Not everyone is happy though. Over on Stuff.co.nz, a commenter asked if his new show would be as "soppy and left wing as his TV show, boring/yawn."

"He's lucky to get another job in any media because, to me, he is a poor interviewer," said another. "All you ever know at the end of the interview is what he thinks. Paul Henry leaves him for dead in that regard."

As the man said: more journalism to follow.

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