Broadcaster Sean Plunket has resigned from the Broadcasting Standards Authority after posting a controversial tweet about Harvey Weinstein.
Plunket was appointed as a member of the BSA - the body which deals with complaints from viewers and listeners - on September 7 but only took up duties for the position about two weeks ago.
On Wednesday Plunket tweeted: "Anyone else feeling for Harvey Weinstein?" - which seemed to imply that he felt for the Hollywood producer currently involved in a scandal involving many women coming out claiming he's sexually harassed them.
The tweet quickly received a number of replies, including from several Kiwis outraged that the director of the BSA would either defend Weinstein or "troll" social media users by pretending to defend him.
Plunket, who is also the communications director for Gareth Morgan's political party TOP, later deleted the tweet, claiming he sent it as a "social experiment" and was "fishing" to show how Twitter has become "an echo chamber for the perennially outraged."
He told the Herald: "I feel revulsion and disappointment towards Harvey Weinstein, but as is with so often the case with Twitter, those seeking to be outraged leapt to attack anyone who doesn't comply with their group think."
Wednesday wasn't the first time the 53-year-old former reporter and radio host drew criticism for a social media post.
The Electoral Commission confirmed on September 26 that it was looking into one of Plunket that used a play on words to endorse the political party he worked for.
The commission confirmed it has received complaints about the tweet, which read: "Hope everyone remembers to put a top on before going out to vote, when it's cold, two tops."
Plunket has released a statement saying he chose to resign from his position at the BSA "in the interests of the smooth running" of the authority.
"I wish the Board well in its important work in ensuring that the broadcast media in this country adhere to practices
which do not harm society in general or individuals in particular," the statement said.
BSA chairman Peter Radich said the authority respected Plunket's decision to resign in the best interests of the authority.
"Sean Plunket is an experienced journalist and broadcaster whose contributions are part of the recent fabric of broadcasting. We wish him well for the future," Radich said in a statement.
