Jason Gunn has taken aim at "cruel" comments from online "bullies" in an emotionally charged video on his Facebook page.
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The broadcaster was motivated to tackle the subject after reading upsetting comments about the announcement he'd be going part-time with his More FM radio hosting role.
"The comments. You know, you scroll to the bottom, there they are. Some of them - cruel. So unkind, just unbelievable," Gunn said.
"[They're] so mean, some days, you've just got to laugh, as long as you're feeling good about yourself, which thankfully, I have been.
"I wouldn't say it was water off a duck's back reading the comments."
The former What Now presenter explained he was further incensed by reading comments about a friend of his who'd also been written about by some Kiwi media outlets.
Gunn said the messages were "just sickening".
"It just got me so angry that people would write that. We've got to stop all of this. Don't give me that freedom of speech talk, because, I'm sorry, this is just hatred," he said.
"Let's be brutally honest, we live in a country - which is beautiful - but our depression and suicide rates are just sad.
"Something needs to be done. Lots of things need to be done. The fact that people can just spray hate, that's got to change."
Referencing the Christchurch terror attack of March 15 this year, Gunn said: "This year's been really big for NZ, we've been through a lot of shit. I thought we'd all agreed to lean in, and be one and accept others.
"Some of us have forgotten that."
The father of two said people who write hurtful things online are more than just "trolls" or "keyboard warriors" - they are "bullies".
"I would not let my kids get away with this sort of thing, so we've got to say: enough."
Newshub.
