Kamahl Santamaria. Photo: TVNZ / Supplied
Disgraced broadcaster Kamahl Santamaria is attempting to revive his career one year after the TVNZ scandal, by preparing to launch his own podcast.
Billed on a platform of integrity and high morals, Santamaria has uploaded a one-minute trailer podcast for RE:Balance - pitched as "news without the controversy, the outrage, the click-bait, or the agenda".
The Emmy-nominated TV host has not been seen for a year since quitting TVNZ in May - after just 32 days of presenting Breakfast.
TVNZ claimed Santamaria's abrupt exit was over a "family emergency", but Stuff revealed that wasn't the full story and Santamaria had quit after at least one female colleague had complained about inappropriate behaviour.
Numerous other allegations against him then emerged from his time at Al Jazeera in Doha, including a lewd email to a colleague who resorted to hiding in the toilet to avoid him at work.
The BBC followed Stuff's reporting in October, publishing an investigation which contained further allegations of sexual harassment against Santamaria.
Santamaria has since issued an apology for his workplace behaviour, saying he thought it was "flirtatious, over-friendly" and "just a bit of banter".
Meanwhile, an independent review at TVNZ cost Paul Yurisich his job as head of news and current affairs.
A written bio page for RE:Balance introduces it as being "hosted by former Al Jazeera and TVNZ presenter Kamahl Santamaria, who knows a thing or two about 'being the story' and how the quest for clicks and eyeballs can result in a story that doesn't quite match the headline".
The audio trailer then features Santamaria introducing himself, his career and controversy.
"I'm Kamahl Santamaria, you might know me as a broadcaster and journalist who spent 16 years reading the news at Al Jazeera," he said.
"Or, you'll know me as the guy who resigned in controversial circumstances, only a month into a new job in New Zealand and hasn't been seen since."
While promoting his show on a ticket of impartiality, Santamaria then appears to take a swipe at the media.
"Either way, after all those years asking the questions, I now know what it's like to be the story and to be the subject of today's click-baity, controversy-first media landscape."
An accompanying website has also been set up, which says "coming soon" on a landing page, with no other information.
"So, I've launched my own website, The Balance, where context is king. Where we report what we know, not what we think we know, and bring you journalism without agenda.
"And, because it's 2023, it's got to be a podcast, right?
"RE:Balance is here to bring you facts and clarity, to hear from experts in their fields and to listen to the stories of people who have not had theirs told.
"It's about bringing some balance to an increasingly polarised world.
"I believe a journalist's first job is to inform and to leave the reader or viewer armed with information from both sides, so they can make their own decisions."
Santamaria is yet to address questions from Stuff about his exit from TVNZ.
Santamaria has been approached for comment about the podcast.
In March, Stuff reported the newsroom at the National Business Review had told the publication's owner they were "uncomfortable" with Santamaria turning up for a meeting and had "no interest in working with him".
Co-editor Hamish McNicol confirmed Santamaria had turned up to NBR's Auckland newsroom on 24 January, where the former TVNZ host met with NBR owner Todd Scott.
McNicol said Scott had told him the meeting was in a "personal capacity" - but Santamaria's presence in the office still made people "uncomfortable" and it was enough for the newsroom to tell Scott they did not want to see Santamaria become a colleague.
"After the meeting we made it clear to Todd we were uncomfortable with [Santamaria's] presence and made it clear we had no interest in working with him," McNicol said.
* This article was originally published onStuff.