MikeB4:

 

The concept of "masculinity" and "male role" is utter bollocks and best buried.

 

Intellectually you might like the idea of "masculinity" being left in the past; but it is not just a societal concept, and is at least as much a result of nature as it is nurture.

As a general rule, I also I think most heterosexual women are more attracted to "masculine" men. There is truth in the saying "nice guys finish last".

However, as stated by other posters, "masculine" does not equal "creepy".

MikeB4:

 

Harassment, bullying (also on these forums), inappropriate behaviour is a big issue in the work place. It is serious and damaging. Bringing this to the open empowers more victims to come forth so this insidious behaviour can be stop. Bringing it to the open certainly is NOT "salacious tripe".

 

Very fair point, but why Santamaria?

I have little doubt that there is plenty of totally inappropriate behaviour by those funded direct or indirect by the tax payer, who unfortunately would not got if any of the of the media attention this valid issue has has had. In short when it involves someone known read 'celebrity' it gets attention as it is seen as 'news' worthy not due to the action or issue but who.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/inside-al-jazeeras-staff-safety-meeting-following-the-kamahl-santamaria-scandal/5PIXTXSO256SUJI5OJUKWNCCUA/

Unsurprisingly, this seems to have been a fairly common (and ongoing) problem at Al Jazeera.

Geektastic: It’s difficult for me to find a reason I should be remotely interested in which talking head sits on the sofa on a program I never watch.

Equally difficult to find a reason why you feel a need to venture your opinion on this, or think anyone should care about it.

Rikkitic:

Geektastic: It’s difficult for me to find a reason I should be remotely interested in which talking head sits on the sofa on a program I never watch.

Equally difficult to find a reason why you feel a need to venture your opinion on this, or think anyone should care about it.

 

Geektastic: Everyone else has.

Yet another example of the inability to distinguish between posting to contribute to the topic at hand and posting for the sake of doing so. I've lost count of these posts in which the sole point seems to be the need to highlight an apparent superiority for not engaging in such low-life meaningless discussions.

Great, we already know that you're above this tittle-tattle; no need to remind us yet again...

Not to put words in Rikkitic's mouth, but I believe this is the same point she's making above.

quickymart:

 

One viewpoint: my taxpayer dollars paid for this guy to come back to NZ to do this job, only for him to leave abruptly after barely a month and probably get a payout, from more of my dollars. I don't think that's right.

 

The good news is that your taxpayers dollars didn't pay for this at all as TVNZ is not publicly funded 🙂

That may well change after the merger.

In any case, I hope they sort out what lead to this point. I suspect there was definitely some cronyism going on with his hiring, and I think that correct processes weren't followed. The fallout has been very poorly handled by TVNZ as well.

Indeed. The head of news is on leave while an external lawyer is reviewing the process. I'd wager he won't (and shouldn't) be coming back.

TVNZ's handling has not been great but I believe they've seen it as an internal issue from the start and haven't felt the need to say much to the public, hence the "family emergency" and "personal matter" lines. They've got a certain legal responsibility in terms of privacy law due this being an employment issue. Obviously to the interested public it looks like TVNZ are trying to sweep this under the rug - and I think TVNZ would've been happy to have achieved that.

Unfortunately they've not handled it well in the newsroom, by all accounts. It sounds like there's a bit of anger about an alleged sex pest being hired without a proper background check. There's reason to believe the head of news may have known about Santamaria's past and he's potentially putting other staff's saftey in danger by employing him. The newroom staff understandably want accountability and that may not have happened had they not made a fuss of it to external media.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-quits-tvnz-broadcasters-downfall-amid-sexual-harassment-allegations/FBBUV2NEDJ4H5W5NLPZRQLID6E/ (paywalled)

A look at the whole saga from the start to the current point. I don't think it's over yet, either. I'm hoping the clown who hired him gets his just desserts as well - he was the one who started this whole sorry mess.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300615812/i-warned-him--kamahl-santamarias-former-cohost-tells-of-years-of-harassment

One of his former Al Jazeera co-hosts has now spoken out, and he has said something himself too - although it seems (to me, anyway) that he's minimalising what he did.

gzt: That is a picture of a guy who harassed women on a daily basis for the purpose of his sexual gratification.

Yup. He probably thought by giving the interview he could clear a few things up. Mission accomplished there just not in his favour.