4. RNZ funding returns to square one by Thomas Coughlan



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RNZ receives a financial boost that brings him back to where he was before his budget was frozen in 2009, but the Labor Party's big media promise is in tatters. According to Thomas Coughlan, the Minister of Broadcasting, Clare Curran, announced Wednesday that the first phase of the coalition government's public policy would begin with a $ 4.5 million increase in the RNZ budget

. TV channel even when it was added to the $ 6 million mutual fund announced at the same time. TVNZ, which runs several television channels, reported operating revenues of $ 316.5 million last year

barely more than 10% of the $ 38 million additional than the Party Labor promised the public media before the elections. the television service grafted onto RNZ which was supposed to be known as RNZ +.

Others in the area are also not convinced by the idea of ​​RNZ +. The Ministerial Advisory Group's recommendations noted that "industry participants and stakeholders" suggested that a full-service television channel was "not supported".

But Curran told reporters that his vision remained the same. Advisory group chair Michael Stiassny said issues such as diversity in the media and the representation of Maori voices were the priority. Curran agreed.

The injection of $ 38 million in RNZ promised by Curran before the election was reduced to $ 15 million in the 2018 budget.

It was suggested that this size was in response the fallout from the controversial Curran meeting. Carol Hirschfeld, former director of the RNZ, just after the elections. This breakfast cost her job in Hirschfeld when it appeared that she had misled her bosses into believing that it was the result of the fact that the pair was bumping into one on the other rather than the scheduled appointment. During the ensuing scandal, it appeared that there was a considerable division within RNZ as to the feasibility or the desirability of a full service television station.

A series of steroids or a big climb?

Thompson described the funding increase as "a dose of steroids".

But Melissa Lee, National Broadcasting Critic, told Newsroom that the funding was far from what was promised before the elections

. what she thinks, "Lee said.

" We do not know what she wants out of it. She wanted a TV channel for the radio. Anyone who has worked on radio and television knows that radio does not make a good TV, "she said.

Lee, a former television producer, said that the increase in funding was not enough to seriously contribute to public service. television

"What I had used to do for Asia Down Under was made for more than $ 1 million – this was only a show of one." half an hour each week for 40 weeks. "

Lee says the funding was not enough "

" It's a big confusion because she's already spent $ 1.5 million on the advisory committee to create a new public commission for media financing.

"It's the advisory board that decides whether or not they need another advisory board.

Return to 2009 levels

Peter Thompson, Victoria University speaker combi Funding for RNZ in 2017 would bring funding to RNZ roughly at its level of funding. before the freezing of its funding in 2009.

Even at the time, many argued that RNZ was underfunded. According to a 2007 KPMG report, the broadcaster's annual funding was $ 6-7 million.

"You have almost reached the level of core funding in terms of purchasing power that they had in 2007," said Thompson

. But bringing down RNZ to 2007 levels leaves little room in the tank for a television station. "But if you want RNZ to grow, you will have to spend more," he said.

In any case, the expenses The documents published by Mr. Curran's office show that New Zealand's expenditures on public broadcasting are much lower than those of comparable countries.

Later, the role of TVNZ was dismissed.

Curran told Mark Jennings of Newsroom in September that TVNZ was "not interested in a public service."

"They are fully commercial – we could have changed them three years ago, but now, she seemed to change her mind, promising $ 500,000 to the Department of Culture and Heritage to investigate "the capacity for collaboration and inter-media efficiency."

saying: "There are no options on the table regarding TVNZ right now"

But she said that there was a job that was going to start "very soon" and she would talk more about the role of TVNZ in

Close up on underrepresented voices

Curran noted that the funding would be to ensure that Maori and Pacific voices would be better represented by public broadcasting.

During RNZ's annual report to Parliament. on the effectiveness of the RNZ Maori strategy

MP Worked Tamati Coffey noted the lack of Maori presenters on RNZ

The Joint Innovation Fund established today will focus on the dissemination of content to underrepresented audiences, including voices Maori and peaceful.

It will allow independent producers to apply for funding on RNZ platforms. Maori television too

The fund will be administered jointly by RNZ and NZ on Air, but RNZ will have the deciding vote on the committee.

Te reo gap

Coffey tells Newsroom that he was excited "I still think RNZ needs to refine its commitment to reo Maori programming and have Maori in these executive positions and in front-line positions.

Coffey stated that RNZ should consider a Maori alternate for John Campbell as a presenter of Checkpoint.

He also noted that there was a need to continue to Fund Maori Broadcasting. "We still have a lot of Iwi radio stations across the country that provide this truly local voice that you can not get when you try to tell these stories in the country. Lee told Newsroom that, as part of the representation of minority voices, the government should consider funding more content from Asian and other unrepresented minorities, as well as Maori and the Pacific.

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