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Sean Plunket
Oliver Sean Plunket (known professionally as Sean Plunket) is a New Zealand journalist. Plunket has worked for several New Zealand broadcast media companies and stations including Radio Windy, Independent Radio News, Radio New Zealand, TV3, TVNZ, Newstalk ZB, and MagicTalk. Plunket also served as the communications director of The Opportunities Party during the 2017 New Zealand general election. In late 2021, Plunket founded an online media site The Platform.
Plunket was born in Christchurch, the son of journalist Patrick Plunket. He was educated at Plimmerton Primary School and Nelson College from 1980 to 1982, where he was a member of the 1st XV rugby union team in 1981 and 1982. He went on to study at the Wellington Polytechnic School of Journalism.
Plunket's early positions in broadcasting and journalism included a brief stint as a copywriter at Radio Windy, five years at Independent Radio News, a short spell as a reporter for Radio New Zealand, three years as a political reporter on TV3, working as a presenter–reporter on TVNZ's Fair Go and Under Investigation programmes, and then further roles at TV3 on 20/20 and as senior political reporter.
From 1997 to 2010, he was one of two breakfast hosts of Morning Report between 6 am and 9 am weekdays on Radio New Zealand National. His regular co-host was Geoff Robinson. In 2009, Plunket lost a dispute with his employer, Radio New Zealand, who he took to the Employment Relations Authority. Plunket announced his resignation from Radio New Zealand in June 2010 and his last day on Morning Report was 8 September 2010.
From January 2011 to December 2012 he presented Sean Plunket Mornings on the Wellington branch of Newstalk ZB.
Plunket took over hosting the 9 am–noon weekday slot on Radio Live, later known as MagicTalk, from Michael Laws in April 2013, continuing to December 2015, when he was replaced by Mark Sainsbury. Until 2014, he wrote a weekly column for The Dominion Post.
In January 2015, Plunket made remarks on Radio Live describing New Zealand writer Eleanor Catton as an "ungrateful hua" (an insult derived from a Mãori language word) and a "traitor" for her remarks criticising the National Government's alleged disinterest in the arts and culture, and New Zealand's "tall poppy syndrome." Plunket drew criticism for his remarks from Victoria University Press publisher Fergus Barrowman, TV3 journalist David Farrier, and arts commentator Hamish Keith, who defended Catton's right to freedom of expression and advocacy. The media watchdog Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) received two complaints about Plunket's remarks but rejected them.
In late September 2017, the Broadcasting Standards Authority appointed Plunket to a three-year term as a member of the media watchdog, commencing 1 October 2017. Later that year, he resigned from the BSA after posting a Twitter post "asking if anyone felt sorry for disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein."
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Sean Plunket
Oliver Sean Plunket (known professionally as Sean Plunket) is a New Zealand journalist. Plunket has worked for several New Zealand broadcast media companies and stations including Radio Windy, Independent Radio News, Radio New Zealand, TV3, TVNZ, Newstalk ZB, and MagicTalk. Plunket also served as the communications director of The Opportunities Party during the 2017 New Zealand general election. In late 2021, Plunket founded an online media site The Platform.
Plunket was born in Christchurch, the son of journalist Patrick Plunket. He was educated at Plimmerton Primary School and Nelson College from 1980 to 1982, where he was a member of the 1st XV rugby union team in 1981 and 1982. He went on to study at the Wellington Polytechnic School of Journalism.
Plunket's early positions in broadcasting and journalism included a brief stint as a copywriter at Radio Windy, five years at Independent Radio News, a short spell as a reporter for Radio New Zealand, three years as a political reporter on TV3, working as a presenter–reporter on TVNZ's Fair Go and Under Investigation programmes, and then further roles at TV3 on 20/20 and as senior political reporter.
From 1997 to 2010, he was one of two breakfast hosts of Morning Report between 6 am and 9 am weekdays on Radio New Zealand National. His regular co-host was Geoff Robinson. In 2009, Plunket lost a dispute with his employer, Radio New Zealand, who he took to the Employment Relations Authority. Plunket announced his resignation from Radio New Zealand in June 2010 and his last day on Morning Report was 8 September 2010.
From January 2011 to December 2012 he presented Sean Plunket Mornings on the Wellington branch of Newstalk ZB.
Plunket took over hosting the 9 am–noon weekday slot on Radio Live, later known as MagicTalk, from Michael Laws in April 2013, continuing to December 2015, when he was replaced by Mark Sainsbury. Until 2014, he wrote a weekly column for The Dominion Post.
In January 2015, Plunket made remarks on Radio Live describing New Zealand writer Eleanor Catton as an "ungrateful hua" (an insult derived from a Mãori language word) and a "traitor" for her remarks criticising the National Government's alleged disinterest in the arts and culture, and New Zealand's "tall poppy syndrome." Plunket drew criticism for his remarks from Victoria University Press publisher Fergus Barrowman, TV3 journalist David Farrier, and arts commentator Hamish Keith, who defended Catton's right to freedom of expression and advocacy. The media watchdog Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) received two complaints about Plunket's remarks but rejected them.
In late September 2017, the Broadcasting Standards Authority appointed Plunket to a three-year term as a member of the media watchdog, commencing 1 October 2017. Later that year, he resigned from the BSA after posting a Twitter post "asking if anyone felt sorry for disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein."