ACT Broadcasting Spokesman MP Penny Webster has slammed NZ On Air’s effort to pressure production companies to put more Maori into television roles.

“Political interference in broadcasting is unacceptable at any time. However, in this case it is blatantly absurd,” Penny Webster said.

“If there is one area in New Zealand where we do have absolute equality, then it is the arts.

“We’ve got excellent Maori actors: a glance at any local TV content proves that point – just look at Shortland Street.

“Yet NZ On Air’s tokenism will condemn these performers to the question: ‘would they have their role if they weren’t Maori?’ And that is totally unfair.

“I know from experience that the creation of an environment of ‘tokenism’ is the worst possible move.

“Political interference from NZ On Air is unwarranted and will backfire,” Penny Webster said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>