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Why this year really shook Mike McRoberts

"With all the stuff that went on in the media this year, you can lose sight of the role you play," he says.

Mike McRoberts was standing in the middle of Times Square in New York City as the result of the US election was announced.

Usually a place of extreme excitement, happiness and noise, the Newshub presenter says you could have heard a pin drop.

“I thought it would be close, but I thought Hillary would get the nod,” Mike says.

“But how incredible was it to cover the election – I’d done both of Obamas, and this one was amazing – in its own way!”

While Mike reckons Donald Trump’s shock win definitely rated as the most bizarre moment he’d covered in 2016, there were plenty of others that shook him, devastated him, and elevated him.

Speaking exclusively to New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, Mike details his crazy, whirlwind year that saw almost everything change, including his long-time news presenting partner, Hilary Barry, and his milestone 50th birthday.

As well as more physical challenges, including running the New York Marathon for the second time with blind pal Mike Lloyd, Mike also endured the heart-breaking reality of the Kaikoura earthquakes.

Though, the father-of-two, who is married to fellow reporter Paula Penfold, says, covering the disaster reminded him of why he so loves reporting the news.

“With all the stuff that went on in the media this year, you can lose sight of the role you play,” he says.

“It’s that Kiwi spirit [that shines through].”

For more, see this week’s issue of New Zealand Woman’s Weekly

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