09 November 2005

Stop The TVNZ Madness

New Zealand First is calling on the Government to create a public broadcasting system with clear aims that include promoting New Zealand’s unique qualities.

“The TVNZ experiment has clearly failed,” said Broadcasting spokesperson Pita Paraone.

“It’s unfair, and frankly irrational, to expect TVNZ to be commercially driven yet simultaneously constrained by the charter.

“This immediately puts it at a disadvantage when competing with other commercial channels, and creates a whole raft of problems that result in declining ratings and loss of public confidence.

“The only way out of this quagmire is to restructure the organisation to reflect the reality that a modern democracy such as New Zealand needs to be served by a publicly owned and operated television and radio network.

“The drive for advertising revenue can be fulfilled by TV2. TV One should be combined with Radio New Zealand and modelled on similar public broadcasting systems overseas.

“This is a logical and achievable solution to the problems that are plaguing TVNZ. I invite the Minister of Broadcasting to read New Zealand First’s policy. He will find it has all the answers,” said Mr Paraone.

ENDS

© Scoop Media