2 November 2015 MEDIA STATEMENT

TVNZ backtracks on chopping news jobs in the South

TVNZ has finally listened to sense and shelved plans to axe two fulltime frontline news positions from their Dunedin office, says Labour’s Broadcasting spokesperson Clare Curran.

“The planned cuts to a news operation that covered 65,000 square kilometres of the South Island was short sighted. It is unfathomable that they would chop news gathering in an area bigger then Switzerland.

“TVNZ will still lose half a camera position in Dunedin.

“This threatened cut to the bone was against a background of TVNZ announcing a profit of $28 million in August. This was a $10 million increase on 2014 in spite of a shrinking market.

“This cost cutting proposal was roundly attacked in the South by many who felt the Auckland-based broadcaster was obsessed with Auckland news.

“If TVNZ wants to be a national broadcaster then they should act like one. Today’s decision reinforces the fact that TVNZ is publically owned and must give New Zealand’s regions a strong voice,” says Clare Curran.

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