‘TVNZ breakfast show ratings remain steady after ‘India-race-slur’ hosts’ resignation’

WELLINGTON - Television New Zealand (TVNZ) has reportedly turned down reports that viewership of its TV1 morning show Breakfast has dropped since the resignation of its popular host Paul Henry following his ‘racist’ comments against Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

In a statement released today, TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards said viewership ratings had “held steady”, Stuff.co.nz reports.

Denying a “number of instances” in which media reported ratings had dropped since Henry left, Richards said: “This is likely to have originated from a story run by the Herald on Sunday on November 7, which included a front page picture of Henry and a headline saying Breakfast ratings had taken a ‘Dive’. The story was wrong”.

Henry resigned from Television New Zealand on October 10 after he became the subject of several hundred complaints to the broadcaster after he made fun of Dikshit’s name and racist remarks he made about Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand.

In the four weeks since, ratings had varied between 4.3 percent and 4.6 percent, Richards said. (ANI)