Bill Ralston

Bill Ralston (born 1953) is a New Zealand journalist, broadcaster, and media personality, active in television, radio and print.

[1] He has worked as a political correspondent, fronted the television arts show Backch@t, and was the head of news and current affairs at TVNZ from 2003 to 2007.

[6][7] In 1999, an official from the Ministry of Health visited Ralston and threatened to prosecute the magazine under the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990, over a cigar review column.

[5] Until July 2003 he was writing for the Sunday News and the Independent business weekly, and was a talkback show host on Radio Pacific.

Discussing the departures later in 2007, he blamed the government, including Prime Minister Helen Clark, for political interference in the salary negotiations.

[14] He faced disciplinary action also in 2006 over an expletive-laden call to a Herald on Sunday journalist, who was making enquires about a homeless cousin.

Former foreign minister Winston Peters refused to appear on the Sky News New Zealand show covering the 2008 general election, because he objected to Ralston, the host.