Media Release
25 June 2001

TVNZ Latest Policy Shows Deck Chair Mentality

“The latest announcement by the Government to re-establish TVNZ under its own legislation as a crown owned company demonstrates the deck chair mentality successive governments have shown towards public broadcasting,” today says the Rt Hon Winston Peters MP, Leader of New Zealand First.

“It also demonstrates that the last 18 months of re-organisation, board changes and hand wringing have been a total waste of time. Whilst all this has happened, with a Minister clearly out of her depth, both the quality and value of public broadcasting has continued to decline. Clearly today TVNZ is a dysfunctional operation.

“TVNZ needs minimal restructuring beginning with the retention of TVNZ and Radio New Zealand in public ownership but combined in one state owned enterprise and modeled on similar broadcasting organisations overseas with a common news service to enhance coverage and reduce costs.

“All the Minister has announced today is further restructuring, a future loss of commercial value to the taxpayer owner and the pursuit of a political correctness charter which will help no one group or this country,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

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