The dog was giving off quite a few signals that he was uncomfortable in the situation. The ears back, looking at his owner, flicking the tongue, ducking his head down when the guy is petting it, etc.
I think his owner should have been able to read him better, but with a TV crew there and with trying to talk and all, he was probably too distracted to notice - I'm not defending him; just explaining maybe why he wasn't watching the dog as closely as he should have been.
I think the reporter should have known better than to put his hands around the dog's face and throat and then lean over him. I don't care if the dog is a police dog or a toy poodle - many, many dogs do not take kindly to that from any person. The dog felt threatened, had given off many signs and signals that he was not comfortable in the situation, and when that didn't work, and this strange person encloses their hands around his throat and leans over him, he did the only thing he felt he could do; he protected himself. If he had meant to do serious harm, he could have.