'Major disruption': What John Campbell's departure means for Breakfast

He's been the nation's trusted friend, let into Kiwi homes during earthquakes, terror attacks, lockdowns, protests, six Olympics and six Prime Ministers.

His brand is untarnished, and his affinity for rap music and getting lost in a laugh make him all the more likeable, and marketable.

So what does John Campbell's departure from Breakfast, and the introduction of journalist Kamahl Santamaria mean for the highly contested ratings war between Breakfast and AM?

Breakfast remains New Zealand's most-watched morning news programme in 2022, with an audience reach of 352,100 every day.

But will Campbell's departure open a door for AM's new look morning show to close the ratings gap, which has long leaned in favourite of Breakfast?

One man who knows too well what Campbell's departure and his subsequent new role of TVNZ Chief Correspondent will mean for the morning show, is Newsroom Co-Editor and Three's former Head of News and Current Affairs, Mark Jennings.

Speaking to the Herald, Jennings shared that the change is likely to cause "major disruption."

"Changing a host is quite a major disruption and disruptions offer the competition a little window of opportunity - as there will be viewers who decide they don't like the new host or don't like the chemistry once Campbell is gone," Jennings told the Herald.

So what will it take for AM and Discovery to take the morning television crown? According to Jennings is all going to be about timing and making sure they are ready to pull viewers in during a short window of time.

"The key for AM will be that they are right on top of their game when the TV1 viewers decide to sample them. You have this small window to grab people and convert them," he noted.

So who is Campbell's replacement, and what kind of power does Santamaria yield in this hotly contested market?

Kamahl Santamaria is well accomplished in his own right, coming to TVNZ from Al Jazeera, where he was involved in the launch of the channel and has spent the past 16 years as principal news anchor, covering many of the biggest world's news stories.

And according to Jennings, the new hosts' more formal style is likely to require a period of adjustment for viewers.

"Breakfast will be hoping Kamahl slots in pretty quickly. He is a talented broadcaster but he is used to presenting major international news in a fairly formal style. Breakfast is a lighter show with a domestic focus so he will need a little bit of time to adjust in that sense."

The Auckland-born journalist started his career at 3 News (now Newshub), and revealed the new challenge of "on-your-feet" broadcasting is what lured him back.

"20 years is a long time to be away, but it's the challenge of Breakfast and three hours of live, on-your-feet broadcasting every morning which has brought me back," Santamaria shared in TVNZ's statement.

No stranger to a competitive news market, the Al Jazeera broadcaster says he knows what he's in for: "When I left New Zealand, early morning TV was still in its infancy. Now it's established and competitive and vibrant.

"I'm really excited to be home. It feels like things have come full circle, and I'm thrilled to be joining TVNZ's news and current affairs department at such a pivotal time for the industry," Santamaria concluded.

TVNZ Head of News Paul Yurisich shared his hopes that the new host would add "another dimension" to the Breakfast team.

"It's already such a strong team and I'm thrilled to be able to add Kamahl's international experience to the mix. He does a superb job of breaking down any story for the audience and is a highly-skilled interviewer," he shared.

While there's absolutely no doubt with TVNZ bosses that Santamaria is well-versed for the job, the only opinion that really matters in the ratings war is that of the New Zealand public.

And that opinion is set to be revealed when Santamaria joins the couch later this month.

Campbell's last day on Breakfast alongside Jenny-May Clarkson, Matty McLean and Indira Stewart will be this Friday.