Katherine Rich
Opposition Broadcasting Spokesperson
23 February 2000

New TVNZ Chairman needs clear direction from Government

The new Television New Zealand chairman Ross Armstrong will need a clear direction from the Government if he is to be able to do his new job, National's Broadcasting spokesperson Katherine Rich said today.

"Ross Armstrong is a very good chairman, and is a good choice to lead TVNZ. However, he will only be as good as the direction he gets from this Government as to what they see as the future direction of TVNZ.

"The Government needs to come clean and detail exactly how it sees the balance between TVNZ's new public broadcasting emphasis and the Government's desire for TVNZ to make a profit.

"The Government must say how it will show more New Zealand programmes, while at the same time reducing TVNZ's money-making ability through reductions in advertisements.

"If it is the Government's intention to reintroduce the Broadcasting License Fee, then it must signal this so that Mr Armstrong is armed with all the facts on his first day as Chairman of TVNZ.

"Without the Government fully disclosing what it expects of TVNZ, the new Chairman and his Board will be able to do very little but wait for the Government to clarify its own thinking," Mrs Rich said.

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