Is Axing John Campbell Part of A Bigger political agenda

IS CAMPBELL'S AXING PART OF A BIGGER POLITICAL AGENDA?

On Thursday news broke that TV3 veteran journalist John Campbell may be facing the axe.  Questions have been raised since then, is the plan to get rid of journalists who don't support the New Zealand Government?

It's hard to know 100% as the Government would deny the allegations but let's look at the facts shall we?

Mediaworks has been in financial trouble for a few years and faced the receivers in 2013.  There were changes on the board following. Touchdown TV founder Julie Christie who sold the company to Eyeworks was appointed alongside Rod McGeoch (chair) an Australian businessman, Martin Dalgleish another Australian business executive and managing director and Paul Lockey, yet another executive without media experience, that has substantial business experience.  Julie Christie is the only one with any media experience but she is a reality TV guru and if you look at TV3's programming they are moving further and further in that direction.  News is very much taking a backseat.

Since the news broke on Thursday there has been substantial opposition to the possible axing with three petitions calling for John Campbell to be kept on.  Campbell himself has enlisted the help of journalist and lawyer Linda Clark.  It is not yet known what capacity this is in.

There is an image circulating on Facebook which suggests the possible axing is part of a plan to silence media that opposes the National Government.  

If it is true that National is trying to silence opposing media that is disturbing but so far people on Facebook spoken to think it is false but accurate so the Government has acted to silence opponents but haven't said so in black and white.

Once the opposing media is silenced then who will speak out? Doesn't it make NZ no better than China for their extreme censorship and what else is National trying to hide from the public that could damage them? Having read The Hollow Men and Dirty Politics, both written by left leaning journalist Nicky Hager this does seem like something National would do.  Both books look at National's campaign and media strategies which tend to be led by Streven Joyce who founded Mediaworks.  Whatever the case is, it is very concerning for the public.