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{{Infobox presenter
{{Infobox presenter
| name = Kamahl S. Santamaria
| name = Kamahl S. Santamaria
| image = AlJazeera Inauguration Kamahl (cropped) (cropped).jpg
| image =File:Kamahl_Santamaria.png
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|2|14|df=yes}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|2|14|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Auckland]], New Zealand
| birth_place = [[Auckland]], New Zealand
| website = {{URL|kamahlsantamaria.com}}
| website = {{URL|kamahlsantamaria.com}}
|years_active = 1998–present
|years_active = 1998–2022
|occupation = Journalist, news anchor
|occupation = Journalist, news anchor
|prevshow = newsgrid; Counting the Cost; Sky Business Report with David Koch
|prevshow = newsgrid; Counting the Cost; Sky Business Report with David Koch
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TV3 New Zealand (1998–2001)
TV3 New Zealand (1998–2001)
|caption=Santamaria preparing for an interview in 2011.}}
}}
'''Kamahl Santamaria''' is a New Zealand TV journalist who achieved international prominence during his time with [[Al Jazeera]]. He was most recently part of the hosting team of [[Breakfast (New Zealand TV programme)|Breakfast]], on New Zealand's [[TVNZ 1]], but resigned abruptly after a brief period on air.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Breakfast wars: Will Kamahl Santamaria be TVNZ's viewing weapon? |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/spy-will-breakfasts-kamahl-santamaria-be-tvnzs-viewing-weapon/SIJYT3CQ7CZCKGW6NWWU2O65HY/ |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
'''Kamahl Santamaria''' is a New Zealand television journalist who achieved international prominence as an anchor for [[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]] between 2005 and 2022. In April 2022, he joined the hosting team of [[Breakfast (New Zealand TV programme)|''Breakfast'']], on New Zealand's [[TVNZ 1]], but resigned abruptly after a brief period on air.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Breakfast wars: Will Kamahl Santamaria be TVNZ's viewing weapon? |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/spy-will-breakfasts-kamahl-santamaria-be-tvnzs-viewing-weapon/SIJYT3CQ7CZCKGW6NWWU2O65HY/ |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref> Allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards female employees subsequently emerged.


==Personal life==
==Early life==
Santamaria was born and raised in [[Auckland]], New Zealand. His parents were born in [[Aden]], Yemen; his father's family originates from the Indian State if [[Goa]]. He is one of two children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kamahlsantamaria.com/s/N_S_expat.pdf|title=Article from North and South magazine, March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/from-middle-east-to-middle-new-zealand-kamahl-santamaria-on-joining-breakfast/T62JEN2JIHQ5QLU2PJIDSQQ6HU/|title=From Middle East to middle New Zealand: Kamahl Santamaria on joining Breakfast|date=27 April 2022|publisher=[[New Zealand Herald]] }}</ref>
Kamahl was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand.


He received his secondary education at [[Macleans College]], where he was in Kupe House.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-21 |title=International News Presenter and Former Student, Kamahl Santamaria, Visits Macleans College |url=https://www.macleans.school.nz/news/international-news-presenter-and-former-student-kamahl-santamaria-visits-macleans-college |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=Macleans College |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1997 he was appointed House Captain.
He received his secondary education at [[Macleans College]], where he was in Kupe House.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-21 |title=International News Presenter and Former Student, Kamahl Santamaria, Visits Macleans College |url=https://www.macleans.school.nz/news/international-news-presenter-and-former-student-kamahl-santamaria-visits-macleans-college |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=Macleans College |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1997, he was appointed House Captain. The same year he served as a [[New Zealand Youth Parliament|Youth MP]] for [[Maurice Williamson]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.executive.govt.nz/minister/morris/youth-parliament/mp/mp8.htm#Kamahl%20Santamaria |title=Youth Parliament MPs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970716085047/http://www.executive.govt.nz/minister/morris/youth-parliament/mp/mp8.htm#Kamahl%20Santamaria |archive-date=16 July 1997}}</ref>

His family was originally from India, from the region of [[Goa]]. He is one of two children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kamahlsantamaria.com/s/N_S_expat.pdf|title=Article from North and South magazine, March 2014}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==


=== TV3 (New Zealand) ===
=== TV3 (New Zealand) ===
Kamahl began his journalistic career straight out of high school in 1998, as a news and sports reporter for [[TV3 (New Zealand)|TV3]] in New Zealand. He also moved up to producing nightly sports bulletins, under the influence of veteran New Zealand journalists Tony Ciprian and Angus Gilles.
Santamaria began his journalistic career straight out of high school in 1998, as a news and sports reporter for [[TV3 (New Zealand)|TV3]] in New Zealand. He also moved up to producing nightly sports bulletins, under the influence of veteran New Zealand journalists [[Tony Ciprian]] and Angus Gilles.


At the end of his time at TV3 in late 2001, Kamahl was selected to cover the [[Atlantic Rowing Race]]. He was on his way to [[Barbados]] – where the event was due to finish – when he was grounded at New York's JFK Airport following the [[American Airlines Flight 587]] crash in Queens, New York. In the event, this made him the only reporter from New Zealand or Australia to be able to cover the disaster on the ground.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Kamahl|url=https://www.kamahlsantamaria.com/about|access-date=22 February 2021|website=Kamahl Santamaria|language=en-GB}}</ref>
At the end of his time at TV3 in late 2001, Santamaria was selected to cover the [[Atlantic Rowing Race]]. He was on his way to [[Barbados]] – where the event was due to finish – when he was grounded at New York's JFK Airport following the [[American Airlines Flight 587]] crash in Queens, New York. In the event, this made him the only reporter from New Zealand or Australia to be able to cover the disaster on the ground.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Kamahl|url=https://www.kamahlsantamaria.com/about|access-date=22 February 2021|website=Kamahl Santamaria|language=en-GB}}</ref>


Kamahl has remained visible in New Zealand media in recent years, with regular radio slots on [[Radio Live|RadioLive]], [[NewstalkZB]], and [[Radio New Zealand|RNZ]], and articles for [[The Spinoff]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Santamaria|first=Kamahl|title=Kamahl Santamaria|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/author/kamahl-santamaria/|access-date=22 February 2021|website=The Spinoff}}</ref> In 2019 and 2020, he was a judge for New Zealand's [[2019 Voyager Media Awards|Voyager Media Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Judges 2019|url=https://voyagermediaawards.nz/judges2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517073534/https://voyagermediaawards.nz/judges2019|archive-date=17 May 2019|access-date=17 May 2019|website=Voyager Media Awards|language=en-NZ}}</ref>[[File:Kamahl Rewind AlJazeera.jpg|thumb|Kamahl presenting 'Rewind' from Al Jazeera's Studio 14, Doha]]
Santamaria has remained visible in New Zealand media in recent years, with regular radio slots on [[Radio Live|RadioLive]], [[NewstalkZB]], and [[Radio New Zealand|RNZ]], and articles for [[The Spinoff]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Santamaria|first=Kamahl|title=Kamahl Santamaria|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/author/kamahl-santamaria/|access-date=22 February 2021|website=The Spinoff|date=21 December 2020 }}</ref> In 2019 and 2020, he was a judge for New Zealand's [[2019 Voyager Media Awards|Voyager Media Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Judges 2019|url=https://voyagermediaawards.nz/judges2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517073534/https://voyagermediaawards.nz/judges2019|archive-date=17 May 2019|access-date=17 May 2019|website=Voyager Media Awards|language=en-NZ}}</ref>
=== Sky News (Australia) ===
=== Sky News (Australia) ===
After three years working on TV3's flagship nightly news show [[Newshub|''3 News'']], Kamahl moved to Australia where he established and ran [[Sky News Australia]]'s Melbourne business bureau, from the Docklands Broadcast Centre of [[Seven Network|Channel Seven]] Melbourne.
After three years working on TV3's flagship nightly news show [[Newshub|''3 News'']], Santamaria moved to Australia where he established and ran [[Sky News Australia]]'s Melbourne business bureau, from the Docklands Broadcast Centre of [[Seven Network|Channel Seven]] Melbourne.


He was a reporter, presenter and producer on the nightly ''Sky Business Report with [[David Koch (television presenter)|David Koch]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Kamahl|url=https://www.kamahlsantamaria.com/about|access-date=22 February 2021|website=Kamahl Santamaria|language=en-GB}}</ref>
He was a reporter, presenter and producer on the nightly ''Sky Business Report with [[David Koch (television presenter)|David Koch]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Kamahl|url=https://www.kamahlsantamaria.com/about|access-date=22 February 2021|website=Kamahl Santamaria|language=en-GB}}</ref>
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=== Al Jazeera English (Qatar) ===
=== Al Jazeera English (Qatar) ===
[[File:ChangSantamaria2016GES.jpg|thumb|Kamahl, and Bloomberg's [[Emily Chang (journalist)|Emily Chang]] hosting a session at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2016, Palo Alto]]
[[File:ChangSantamaria2016GES.jpg|thumb|Kamahl, and Bloomberg's [[Emily Chang (journalist)|Emily Chang]] hosting a session at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2016, Palo Alto]]
In 2004 Kamahl moved to New York and London, and in 2005 was recruited by [[Al Jazeera English]] to become a news presenter in [[Doha, Qatar]].
In 2004, Santamaria moved to New York and London, and in 2005 was recruited by [[Al Jazeera English]] to become a news presenter in [[Doha, Qatar]].


Over 16 years, he fronted news and current affairs across the channel – news bulletins, the ''Newshour'', discussion show [[Inside Story (TV programme)|''Inside Story'']] – and between September 2009 and November 2016 was the regular host of the weekly business and economics programme ''Counting the Cost.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kamahl Santamaria |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/profile/kamahl-santamaria.html |access-date=16 December 2016 |website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref>
Over 16 years, he fronted news and current affairs across the channel – news bulletins, the ''Newshour'', discussion show [[Inside Story (TV programme)|''Inside Story'']] – and between September 2009 and November 2016 was the regular host of the weekly business and economics programme ''Counting the Cost.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kamahl Santamaria |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/profile/kamahl-santamaria.html |access-date=16 December 2016 |website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref>


He was also the primary presenter of Al Jazeera's interactive newshour ''newsgrid'' which ran between November 2016 and March 2019. The show was nominated for an [[International Emmy Awards|International Emmy Award]] in October 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Al Jazeera English debuts interactive newscast from new Doha facility |url=http://www.newscaststudio.com/2016/11/16/al-jazeera-english-debuts-interactive-newscast-new-doha-facility/ |access-date=16 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Programmes |url=https://www.kamahlsantamaria.com/newsgrid |access-date=22 February 2021 |website=Kamahl Santamaria |language=en-GB}}</ref>
He was also the primary presenter of Al Jazeera's interactive newshour ''newsgrid'' which ran between November 2016 and March 2019. The show was nominated for an [[International Emmy Awards|International Emmy Award]] in October 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Al Jazeera English debuts interactive newscast from new Doha facility |date=16 November 2016 |url=http://www.newscaststudio.com/2016/11/16/al-jazeera-english-debuts-interactive-newscast-new-doha-facility/ |access-date=16 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Programmes |url=https://www.kamahlsantamaria.com/newsgrid |access-date=22 February 2021 |website=Kamahl Santamaria |language=en-GB}}</ref>


As a reporter and field anchor, Kamahl also reported for Al Jazeera from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Germany, Dubai, France, the United States, the Philippines and the [[World Economic Forum]] in Davos.
As a reporter and field anchor, Santamaria also reported for Al Jazeera from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Germany, Dubai, France, the United States, the Philippines and the [[World Economic Forum]] in Davos.


He was the electoral "number cruncher" for the U.S. Presidential Elections in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 and in January 2021, went on to anchor Al Jazeera's U.S. presidential inauguration coverage from Washington DC.<ref>{{Cite news|date=3 March 2016|title=Kamahl Santamaria|newspaper=World Media Summit Doha 2016|url=http://www.wmsdoha2016.com/speakers/kamahl-santamaria|access-date=16 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Santamaria|first=Kamahl|title=AL JAZEERA: Presidential Inauguration 2021|date=24 January 2021|url=https://vimeo.com/504104071|access-date=22 February 2021}}</ref>
He was the electoral "number cruncher" for the U.S. Presidential Elections in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 and in January 2021, went on to anchor Al Jazeera's U.S. presidential inauguration coverage from Washington DC.<ref>{{Cite news|date=3 March 2016|title=Kamahl Santamaria|newspaper=World Media Summit Doha 2016|url=http://www.wmsdoha2016.com/speakers/kamahl-santamaria|access-date=16 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Santamaria|first=Kamahl|title=AL JAZEERA: Presidential Inauguration 2021|date=24 January 2021|url=https://vimeo.com/504104071|access-date=22 February 2021}}</ref>


On 17 March 2022 Kamahl announced on-air that he was leaving Al Jazeera after 16 and a half years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kamahl Santamaria signs off after 16 years at Al Jazeera |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/kamahl-santamaria-signs-off-after-16-years-at-al-jazeera/BPSOPAY76YWJFVBAQ4BNYMCEX4/ |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
On 17 March 2022, Santamaria announced on-air that he was leaving Al Jazeera after 16 and a half years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kamahl Santamaria signs off after 16 years at Al Jazeera |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/kamahl-santamaria-signs-off-after-16-years-at-al-jazeera/BPSOPAY76YWJFVBAQ4BNYMCEX4/ |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=NZ Herald |date=20 March 2022 |language=en-NZ}}</ref>


=== TVNZ (New Zealand) ===
=== TVNZ (New Zealand) ===
Kamahl returned to New Zealand in March 2022, joining [[Television New Zealand|TVNZ]] to present the network's [[Breakfast (New Zealand TV programme)|Breakfast]] programme from April 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kamahl Santamaria 'honoured' to step into new Breakfast role |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/tvnzs-new-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-honoured-to-be-taking-up-the-role/DK3AUZ6XGHQ6QPLAPAVCL4RQQA/ |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref> His last appearance on screen was on May 18, 2022. An announcement was made on May 28, 2022 that he had resigned for "family reasons" and would be leaving effective immediately, only a month into his time on the show.<ref>https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/new-tvnz-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-quits-after-a-month-in-the-job/STTG4OZOIA2W62OJXOHQUYIK7A/</ref> It was later reported that he had resigned after a female staff member at TVNZ had complained about "inappropriate behaviour" from him.<ref>https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/300600066/tvnz-host-kamahl-santamaria-quit-after-complaint-by-female-colleague</ref> It was also reported that complaints of a similar nature had been made against him during his time at Al Jazeera (e.g. for sending multiple women inappropriate messages), raising concerns about the hiring process TVNZ had followed.<ref>https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2022/05/complaints-made-about-ex-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-at-previous-employer.html</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Concerns TVNZ host Kamahl Santamaria was hired without consultation |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/some-tvnz-staff-upset-that-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-was-hired-without-consultation/ATMKALFV547HZDDST67BHJIES4/ |access-date=2022-05-30 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Plumb |first=Simon |date=2022-05-30 |title=Government asks TVNZ's board to confirm hiring process of Kamahl Santamaria was proper |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/300601503/government-asks-tvnzs-board-to-confirm-hiring-process-of-kamahl-santamaria-was-proper |access-date=2022-05-30 |website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref>
Santamaria returned to New Zealand in March 2022, joining [[Television New Zealand|TVNZ]] to present the network's [[Breakfast (New Zealand TV programme)|Breakfast]] programme from April 2022, replacing [[John Campbell (broadcaster)|John Campbell]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Kamahl Santamaria 'honoured' to step into new Breakfast role |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/tvnzs-new-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-honoured-to-be-taking-up-the-role/DK3AUZ6XGHQ6QPLAPAVCL4RQQA/ |date=5 April 2022 |access-date=24 April 2022 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |language=en-NZ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504133231/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/tvnzs-new-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-honoured-to-be-taking-up-the-role/DK3AUZ6XGHQ6QPLAPAVCL4RQQA/|archive-date=4 May 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> His last appearance on screen was on 18 May 2022. A subsequently discredited announcement was made on 28 May 2022 that he had resigned for "family reasons" and would be leaving effective immediately, only a month into his time on the show.<ref>{{cite news |title=Broadcasting Minister weighs in on sudden departure of new TVNZ Breakfast host Kamahl Santamaria |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/new-tvnz-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-quits-after-a-month-in-the-job/STTG4OZOIA2W62OJXOHQUYIK7A/ |access-date=2 June 2022 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529232444/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/broadcasting-minister-weighs-in-on-sudden-departure-of-new-tvnz-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria/STTG4OZOIA2W62OJXOHQUYIK7A/ |archive-date=29 May 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> It was later reported that he had resigned after a female staff member at TVNZ had complained about "inappropriate behaviour" from him.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Plumb |first1=Simon |title=TVNZ host Kamahl Santamaria quit after complaint by female colleague |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/300600066/tvnz-host-kamahl-santamaria-quit-after-complaint-by-female-colleague |access-date=2 June 2022 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530173927/https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/300600066/tvnz-host-kamahl-santamaria-quit-after-complaint-by-female-colleague |archive-date=30 May 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> It was also reported that complaints of a similar nature had been made against him during his time at Al Jazeera, raising concerns about the hiring process TVNZ had followed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sowman-Lund |first=Stewart |date=2022-07-01 |title=TVNZ admits it didn't follow proper protocol when hiring Kamahl Santamaria |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/01-07-2022/tvnz-admits-it-didnt-follow-proper-protocol-when-hiring-kamahl-santamaria |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=The Spinoff}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Complaints made about ex-Breakfast host Kamahl Santamaria at previous employer |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2022/05/complaints-made-about-ex-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-at-previous-employer.html |access-date=2 June 2022 |work=[[Newshub]] |date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529231951/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2022/05/complaints-made-about-ex-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-at-previous-employer.html |archive-date=29 May 2022|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Concerns TVNZ host Kamahl Santamaria was hired without consultation |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/some-tvnz-staff-upset-that-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-was-hired-without-consultation/ATMKALFV547HZDDST67BHJIES4/ |date=29 May 2022|access-date=30 May 2022 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |language=en-NZ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529232428/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/some-tvnz-staff-upset-that-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-was-hired-without-consultation/ATMKALFV547HZDDST67BHJIES4/|archive-date=29 May 2022|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Plumb |first=Simon |date=30 May 2022 |title=Government asks TVNZ's board to confirm hiring process of Kamahl Santamaria was proper |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/300601503/government-asks-tvnzs-board-to-confirm-hiring-process-of-kamahl-santamaria-was-proper |access-date=30 May 2022 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530215207/https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/300601503/government-asks-tvnzs-board-to-confirm-hiring-process-of-kamahl-santamaria-was-proper|archive-date=30 May 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following an investigation into the hiring process, Paul Yurisich, who had worked with Santamaria at Al Jazeera and had hired him at TVNZ, stepped down from his role as head of news and current affairs at TVNZ.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Earley |first=Melanie |date=2022-07-27 |title=TVNZ news head resigns after review into hiring of Kamahl Santamaria |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/300647979/tvnz-news-head-resigns-after-review-into-hiring-of-kamahl-santamaria |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TVNZ news boss resigns over Kamahl Santamaria saga |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/tvnzs-head-of-news-paul-yurisich-who-hired-ex-breakfast-host-kamahl-santamaria-resigns/DXIA75VJZFKNMOC4NJ57AIC2TA/ |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref> In mid October 2022, Santamaria issued a public apology on the left-wing current affairs blog ''The Daily Blog'', stating "that what he believed to be "a bit of banter" and flirtatious behaviour was not appropriate." In addition, Santamaria claimed that some of the allegations leveled against him over the past four months lacked context, were lies, or amounted to a "rewriting" of history.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Santamaria |first1=Kamahl |title=Statement from Kamahl Santamaria |url=https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/10/12/statement-from-kamahl-santamaria/ |website=The Daily Blog |access-date=12 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012010719/https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/10/12/statement-from-kamahl-santamaria/ |archive-date=12 October 2022 |date=12 October 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Former TVNZ presenter apologises for behaviour |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-lifestyle/star-entertainment/former-tvnz-presenter-apologises-behaviour |access-date=12 October 2022 |work=[[The Star (Christchurch)|The Star]] |agency=[[Allied Press]] |date=12 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012033518/https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-lifestyle/star-entertainment/former-tvnz-presenter-apologises-behaviour |archive-date=12 October 2022|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Kamahl Santamaria apologises for 'flirtatious' workplace behaviour |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/10/12/kamahl-santamaria-apologises-for-flirtatious-workplace-behaviour/ |access-date=12 October 2022 |work=[[1News]] |date=12 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221011220204/https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/10/12/kamahl-santamaria-apologises-for-flirtatious-workplace-behaviour/ |archive-date=11 October 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 27 November 2023 Santamaria announced that he would be selling his house to fund legal action against TVNZ.<ref>{{Cite web |last=reporter |first=Stuff |date=2023-11-27 |title=Kamahl Santamaria selling house to fund legal case against TVNZ |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/301015959/kamahl-santamaria-selling-house-to-fund-legal-case-against-tvnz |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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== External links ==
== External links ==
* [http://www.kamahlsantamaria.com Official website]
* [http://www.kamahlsantamaria.com Official website]
*[https://twitter.com/KamahlonTV Kamahl Santamaria] on [[Twitter]]
*[https://www.facebook.com/kamahlsantamariaofficial Kamahl Santamaria] on [[Facebook]]
*[https://www.youtube.com/KamahlSantamaria Kamahl Santamaria] on [[YouTube|Youtube]]


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[[Category:New Zealand expatriates in Qatar]]
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[[Category:New Zealand people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:New Zealand people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Goan people]]
[[Category:New Zealand Youth MPs]]

Latest revision as of 05:49, 5 December 2024

Kamahl S. Santamaria
Santamaria preparing for an interview in 2011.
Born (1980-02-14) 14 February 1980 (age 44)
Auckland, New Zealand
Occupation(s)Journalist, news anchor
Years active1998–2022
Career
StationTVNZ (2022)

Al Jazeera English (2005–2022)

Sky News Australia (2002–2004)

TV3 New Zealand (1998–2001)
Previous show(s)newsgrid; Counting the Cost; Sky Business Report with David Koch
Websitekamahlsantamaria.com

Kamahl Santamaria is a New Zealand television journalist who achieved international prominence as an anchor for Al Jazeera between 2005 and 2022. In April 2022, he joined the hosting team of Breakfast, on New Zealand's TVNZ 1, but resigned abruptly after a brief period on air.[1] Allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards female employees subsequently emerged.

Early life

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Santamaria was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand. His parents were born in Aden, Yemen; his father's family originates from the Indian State if Goa. He is one of two children.[2][3]

He received his secondary education at Macleans College, where he was in Kupe House.[4] In 1997, he was appointed House Captain. The same year he served as a Youth MP for Maurice Williamson.[5]

Career

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TV3 (New Zealand)

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Santamaria began his journalistic career straight out of high school in 1998, as a news and sports reporter for TV3 in New Zealand. He also moved up to producing nightly sports bulletins, under the influence of veteran New Zealand journalists Tony Ciprian and Angus Gilles.

At the end of his time at TV3 in late 2001, Santamaria was selected to cover the Atlantic Rowing Race. He was on his way to Barbados – where the event was due to finish – when he was grounded at New York's JFK Airport following the American Airlines Flight 587 crash in Queens, New York. In the event, this made him the only reporter from New Zealand or Australia to be able to cover the disaster on the ground.[6]

Santamaria has remained visible in New Zealand media in recent years, with regular radio slots on RadioLive, NewstalkZB, and RNZ, and articles for The Spinoff.[7] In 2019 and 2020, he was a judge for New Zealand's Voyager Media Awards.[8]

Sky News (Australia)

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After three years working on TV3's flagship nightly news show 3 News, Santamaria moved to Australia where he established and ran Sky News Australia's Melbourne business bureau, from the Docklands Broadcast Centre of Channel Seven Melbourne.

He was a reporter, presenter and producer on the nightly Sky Business Report with David Koch.[9]

Al Jazeera English (Qatar)

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Kamahl, and Bloomberg's Emily Chang hosting a session at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2016, Palo Alto

In 2004, Santamaria moved to New York and London, and in 2005 was recruited by Al Jazeera English to become a news presenter in Doha, Qatar.

Over 16 years, he fronted news and current affairs across the channel – news bulletins, the Newshour, discussion show Inside Story – and between September 2009 and November 2016 was the regular host of the weekly business and economics programme Counting the Cost.[10]

He was also the primary presenter of Al Jazeera's interactive newshour newsgrid which ran between November 2016 and March 2019. The show was nominated for an International Emmy Award in October 2018.[11][12]

As a reporter and field anchor, Santamaria also reported for Al Jazeera from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Germany, Dubai, France, the United States, the Philippines and the World Economic Forum in Davos.

He was the electoral "number cruncher" for the U.S. Presidential Elections in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 and in January 2021, went on to anchor Al Jazeera's U.S. presidential inauguration coverage from Washington DC.[13][14]

On 17 March 2022, Santamaria announced on-air that he was leaving Al Jazeera after 16 and a half years.[15]

TVNZ (New Zealand)

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Santamaria returned to New Zealand in March 2022, joining TVNZ to present the network's Breakfast programme from April 2022, replacing John Campbell.[16] His last appearance on screen was on 18 May 2022. A subsequently discredited announcement was made on 28 May 2022 that he had resigned for "family reasons" and would be leaving effective immediately, only a month into his time on the show.[17] It was later reported that he had resigned after a female staff member at TVNZ had complained about "inappropriate behaviour" from him.[18] It was also reported that complaints of a similar nature had been made against him during his time at Al Jazeera, raising concerns about the hiring process TVNZ had followed.[19][20][21][22]

Following an investigation into the hiring process, Paul Yurisich, who had worked with Santamaria at Al Jazeera and had hired him at TVNZ, stepped down from his role as head of news and current affairs at TVNZ.[23][24] In mid October 2022, Santamaria issued a public apology on the left-wing current affairs blog The Daily Blog, stating "that what he believed to be "a bit of banter" and flirtatious behaviour was not appropriate." In addition, Santamaria claimed that some of the allegations leveled against him over the past four months lacked context, were lies, or amounted to a "rewriting" of history.[25][26][27]

On 27 November 2023 Santamaria announced that he would be selling his house to fund legal action against TVNZ.[28]

References

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  1. ^ "Breakfast wars: Will Kamahl Santamaria be TVNZ's viewing weapon?". NZ Herald. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Article from North and South magazine, March 2014" (PDF).
  3. ^ "From Middle East to middle New Zealand: Kamahl Santamaria on joining Breakfast". New Zealand Herald. 27 April 2022.
  4. ^ "International News Presenter and Former Student, Kamahl Santamaria, Visits Macleans College". Macleans College. 21 May 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Youth Parliament MPs". Archived from the original on 16 July 1997.
  6. ^ "About Kamahl". Kamahl Santamaria. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  7. ^ Santamaria, Kamahl (21 December 2020). "Kamahl Santamaria". The Spinoff. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Judges 2019". Voyager Media Awards. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  9. ^ "About Kamahl". Kamahl Santamaria. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Kamahl Santamaria". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  11. ^ "Al Jazeera English debuts interactive newscast from new Doha facility". 16 November 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  12. ^ "Programmes". Kamahl Santamaria. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  13. ^ "Kamahl Santamaria". World Media Summit Doha 2016. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  14. ^ Santamaria, Kamahl (24 January 2021), AL JAZEERA: Presidential Inauguration 2021, retrieved 22 February 2021
  15. ^ "Kamahl Santamaria signs off after 16 years at Al Jazeera". NZ Herald. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  16. ^ "Kamahl Santamaria 'honoured' to step into new Breakfast role". The New Zealand Herald. 5 April 2022. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  17. ^ "Broadcasting Minister weighs in on sudden departure of new TVNZ Breakfast host Kamahl Santamaria". The New Zealand Herald. 29 May 2022. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  18. ^ Plumb, Simon (29 May 2022). "TVNZ host Kamahl Santamaria quit after complaint by female colleague". Stuff. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  19. ^ Sowman-Lund, Stewart (1 July 2022). "TVNZ admits it didn't follow proper protocol when hiring Kamahl Santamaria". The Spinoff. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Complaints made about ex-Breakfast host Kamahl Santamaria at previous employer". Newshub. 29 May 2022. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  21. ^ "Concerns TVNZ host Kamahl Santamaria was hired without consultation". The New Zealand Herald. 29 May 2022. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  22. ^ Plumb, Simon (30 May 2022). "Government asks TVNZ's board to confirm hiring process of Kamahl Santamaria was proper". Stuff. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  23. ^ Earley, Melanie (27 July 2022). "TVNZ news head resigns after review into hiring of Kamahl Santamaria". Stuff. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  24. ^ "TVNZ news boss resigns over Kamahl Santamaria saga". NZ Herald. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  25. ^ Santamaria, Kamahl (12 October 2022). "Statement from Kamahl Santamaria". The Daily Blog. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  26. ^ "Former TVNZ presenter apologises for behaviour". The Star. Allied Press. 12 October 2022. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  27. ^ "Kamahl Santamaria apologises for 'flirtatious' workplace behaviour". 1News. 12 October 2022. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  28. ^ reporter, Stuff (27 November 2023). "Kamahl Santamaria selling house to fund legal case against TVNZ". Stuff. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
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