Street to join talkback, has the NZ media lost their mind?

The last few days I feel like I've been neglecting my Australian audience and for that I apologise but as with the mainstream media there are always choices to make.  I can't possibly write about everything.  I simply do not have the time.  I'm watching the political situation in Australia though over ISIL and the gender and sexism debates.  Once NZ news becomes boring I will stop posting about it, well now there's a phrase I never thought I'd say.

Now, tonight I read that TV1's Seven Sharp co host Toni Street is filling in on The Hits (formerly known as Classic Hits) while Polly and Grant are away.  The NZ Herald reports that NZME (formerly known as The Radio Network and APN) will be trying Street out on different formats including talkback.

I'm really horrified at this.  No, I'm not an announcer but I am doing an internship in talkback radio (just to lay my cards on the table) behind the scenes and talkback is so much different in real life.  You have to juggle so much and have a real eye for news stories, and be willing to make judgement calls.  There is no doubt that Toni is a warm personality but she doesn't have that edge that you need in talkback.

Rachel Smalley has it.  Duncan Garner has it.  And as much as he annoys me, Paddy Gower will have it in the future and could easily make the transition from TV presenting to talkback radio down the line. 

You have to be political to be in talkback and connect with the audience on so many different levels, not just report news.  You have to really engage and you have to be willing to be controversial.  The fact of the matter is, that's not Street.  She's more of a Melissa Doyle character, the mumsy type figure whereas Rachel likes to mix things up and get in there and say their opinion.

I know this post will annoy Toni fans but as someone who has known talkback since I was a kid (about 13 and planned to get into it at 20 when I was at radio school in Wellington) I can honestly say Toni is not right for that format and I can't believe she's even being considered for it.

There is so much more to talkback than just getting along with the audience - it's knowing the big stories, it's taking risks and it's having a balanced show, and the fact of the matter is, Toni is too light for that.  Yes, she has the journalism training but she's just not opinionated enough for it.  She won't engage the audience. 

If you want to know more, just listen to Aussie talkback and you'll see that you have to have an edge to do it and be willing to take risks.  You can't be a talkback host if you're effectively boring and don't understand the subject matter or will only take a shallow look at it.

But, by all means feel free to prove me wrong.....and I may be wrong, but I don't think I am.  Look at the election coverage, all Toni did was nod along, how can a talkback host be successful when they don't stir emotions and controversy?!  She'll lose ratings.