Labour's commitment to public broadcasting

A Labour Government will set up a working group to re-establish a public service television station as part of our commitment to ensuring New Zealand has high quality free-to-air local content.

“We will set up a working group to report on the cost and funding options of rebuilding a public service television channel," Labour's Broadcasting spokesman Kris Faafoi said today.

"This channel will set out to educate, inform and entertain all Kiwis, including our youngest. It's long term vision is to achieve this wherever Kiwis may be. Whether this is at home, on the move or overseas.

“This station is likely be within Radio New Zealand and the working groups work will importantly include setting a path for the future of online content delivery in the fast converging media market.

"The public service television station will have full access to the New Zealand Television Archive and TVNZ’s news video research library. This will significantly reduce content and production costs. It will look closely at the experiences of TVNZ6 and TVNZ7.

“We will retain current levels of funding for NZ on Air and ensure Radio New Zealand is adequately resourced.

"Labour will also work with the industry to set up a new omnibus self-regulatory standards body to cover all media complaints. This comes off the back of recommendations set out in the Law Commission Report of March 2013 into the responsibilities and rights of news media in the digital age.

“Funding for Maori television and iwi radio will be continued and we will provide more support to develop Pasifika and ethnic television and radio programmes. We will also investigate and set a timeline for the development of a Pasifika television channel.

“To reduce the barrier to community integration for people who are deaf, Labour will improve the level of captioning of television programmes.

"Making sure we have our own television and radio stations means our diverse voices can be heard and we have the ability to share our stories.

"Labour believes public broadcasting should focus on the public good, not government dividends or the financial demands of its shareholders.

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