Mike Hosking facts for kids

Michael Noel James Hosking IV is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster who has worked for Radio New Zealand and TVNZ and from 2008 has been the weekday breakfast host on Newstalk ZB with "The Mike Hosking Breakfast". He is a supporter of the centre-right National party and is often openly critical of the Labour-led government. He has lived and worked as a broadcaster in Wellington, Christchurch and currently resides in Auckland.

The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) has received several complaints against Hosking. In 2016 Andrew Judd, the Mayor of New Plymouth, was unsuccessful with his complaint that Hosking's comments related to a local issue were racist, but in 2017, a complaint by the Māori Party alleging he made misleading comments about who was eligible to enroll in Māori electorates was successful. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the BSA also upheld a complaint that Hosking's comments about death rates for Coronavirus breached the Radio Code of Broadcasting Practice.

Early life

Hosking grew up in Christchurch, living in the suburbs of St Albans, Mairehau and Linwood, and attending St Albans Primary School, Mairehau Primary School and Linwood High School.

Career

After leaving school at 16, Hosking wrote to Radio Avon and Radio Windy looking for work, and gained a job as a copywriter at Radio Windy.

In November 2020 he was named one of the best dressed men in show business on David Hartnell MNZM's Best Dressed List.

Personal life

In 1989, Hosking married Marie Angela Hosking, and, in June 2001, she gave birth to twins Ruby and Bella. They parted in August 2002. In 2003, they were involved in a court case against Pacific Magazines, that involved photos taken by tabloid journalist Simon Runting in December 2002 of Marie and her two daughters. The case in question Hosking v Runting lead to the creation of the tort of privacy in New Zealand common law.

In 2012, Hosking married fellow broadcaster Kate Hawkesby. She has three children from her previous marriage.

Politics and business interests

In an interview with North & South in 1990, Hosking described himself as "a money person, I’m a capitalist. I’m to the right of Roger Douglas."

In 2012, Hosking was revealed to have received $48,000 in payments and perks from SkyCity Auckland Casino for doing regular work for them, while still working as presenter for TVNZ. During controversy over proposed taxpayer subsidies for Sky City building a national convention centre, Hosking wrote in defence of the subsidy, describing the convention centre as an "aspirational investment".

In 2013, he was the master of ceremonies at Prime Minister John Key's state of the nation speech, which he also endorsed. Hosking rejects the scientific consensus on climate change, stating on Seven Sharp that he doesn't believe in the IPCC report.

In 2015, Hosking was accused of overt political bias by NZ First leader Winston Peters and Labour leader Andrew Little, a claim strongly denied by Hosking and Prime Minister John Key.

During the 2017 election campaign, Hosking was appointed moderator of one of the televised leader debates, and was again accused of political bias by much of the New Zealand public. This led to a petition for his replacement being widely circulated, and collecting over 75,000 signatures. Debate host and organisers TVNZ responded that it would not placate the petition signers, and affirmed that it will keep him on as moderator.

Hosking is opposed to Māori wards.

See also

• List of New Zealand television personalities