TVNZ Charter Review to go to next stage
TVNZ Charter Review to go to next stage
The TVNZ Charter review process will go to its next stage this week when it is referred to Parliament's Commerce Select Committee.
The TVNZ Act 2003 says the TVNZ Charter must be reviewed by Parliament within five years of its implementation.
Earlier this year TVNZ put out for public consultation a suggested redraft of the Charter. The suggested redraft divided the Charter into seven themes "An Informed Society", "National Identity and Citizenship", "Maori", "Diversity", "High Standards", "Innovation" and "New Zealand Talent" - to give it clearer structure for the public.
The suggested redraft also tried to take into account that while TVNZ's main broadcasting services would remain for some time via TV ONE and TV2, additional programming content would become available to the public through the new digital channels TVNZ 6 and TVNZ 7 and increasingly in future years through TVNZ ondemand, the TVNZ website and other media devices.
A Working Party of TVNZ and Ministry for Culture and Heritage officials, chaired by leading broadcasting academic Peter Thompson from UNITEC, considered 286 submissions from individuals and groups from New Zealand and overseas. The submissions varied from specific comments on the current and redrafted Charter to general subjective views on programming matters.
The Working Party considered all the submissions individually and was impressed by the thought that had gone into many of them. Its amendments to the suggested redraft balanced the interests of the different groups and the need to keep the document readable.
As a result of the public consultation, the Working Party's changes to the suggested redraft included the insertion of a new theme "Presenting New Zealand Overseas". A number of submissions, most notably from the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association and broadcasters from Samoa, the Cook Islands, Nuie and Tonga, suggested TVNZ replicate public service television Charters from around the world in presenting New Zealand and its culture offshore.
Other changes include strengthening the diversity section by the insertion of sub clauses about providing "programmes that support and encourage awareness of environmental issues and sustainable development" and "programmes that support awareness of business, commercial and financial matters". In the national identity and citizenship section a sub clause was inserted about the need to "strive to enable New Zealanders of all abilities to engage with the fullest range of programmes".
The Working Party also restored into the redraft the idea of TVNZ being an industry leader and, through its news and current affairs, its role as a watchdog of New Zealand's public and private institutions.
Most of the other changes to the suggested redraft were to do with consistency of terminology and clarifying meaning.
CURRENT CHARTER
The TVNZ Charter
was formally implemented on 1 March 2003. The Charter shall
apply to all those parts of TVNZ's operations that
contribute to its broadcast content. It shall be
predominantly fulfilled through free-to-air broadcasting.
TVNZ shall:
feature programming across all genres
that informs, entertains and educates New Zealand audiences;
strive always to set and maintain the highest standards
of programme quality and editorial integrity;
provide
shared experiences that contribute to a sense of citizenship
and national identity
ensure in its programmes and
programme planning the participation of Maori and the
presence of a significant Maori voice;
feature
programming that serves the varied interests and
informational needs and age groups within New Zealand
society, including tastes and interests not generally
catered for by other national television broadcasters
maintain a balance between programmes of general appeal
and programmes of interest to smaller audiences
seek to
extend the range of ideas and experiences available to New
Zealanders
play a leading role in New Zealand
television by setting standards of programme quality and
encouraging creative risk-taking and experiment
play a
leading role in New Zealand television by complying with
free-to-air codes of broadcasting practise, in particular
any code with provisions on violence;
support and
promote the talents and creative resources of New Zealanders
and of the independent New Zealand film and television
industry
In fulfilment of these objectives, TVNZ will:
provide independent, comprehensive, impartial, and
in-depth coverage and analysis of news and current affairs
in New Zealand and throughout the world and of the
activities of public and private institutions;
feature
programming that contributes towards intellectual,
scientific and cultural development, promotes informed and
many-sided debate and stimulates critical thought, thereby
enhancing opportunities for citizens to participate in
community, national and international life;
in its
programming enable all New Zealanders to have access to
material that promotes Maori language and culture;
feature programmes that reflect the regions to the
nation as a whole;
promote understanding of the
diversity of cultures making up the New Zealand population;
feature New Zealand films, drama, comedy and
documentary programmes;
feature programmes about New
Zealand's history and heritage, and natural environment;
feature programmes that serve the interests and
informational needs of Maori audiences, including programmes
promoting the Maori language and programmes addressing Maori
history, culture and current issues;
include in
programming intended for a mass audience material that deals
with minority interests;
feature New Zealand and
international programmes that provide for the informational,
entertainment and educational needs of children and young
people and allow for the participation of children and young
people;
maintain and observe a code of ethics that
addresses the level and nature of advertising to which
children are exposed;
feature programmes that encourage
and support the arts, including programmes featuring New
Zealand and international artists and arts companies;
reflect the role that sporting and other leisure
interests play in New Zealand life and culture;
and
feature programming of an educational nature that support
learning and the personal development of New Zealanders.
* * * *
REDRAFTED CHARTER
The Charter shall
apply to all of TVNZ's operations that contribute to making
its content available to New Zealanders. The Charter is
predominantly fulfilled through TVNZ making this content
available wherever and whenever New Zealanders wish to
access it.
1. An Informed Society
To provide impartial
and comprehensive information and national and international
programming that is essential to having an informed and
educated society, TVNZ will:
(a) Have programming across
all genres;
(b) Strive for the highest standards of
programming quality and editorial integrity;
(c) Provide
independent, comprehensive, impartial and in-depth news and
current affairs; and
(d) Feature programming of an
educational nature.
2. National Identity/Citizenship
To
provide entertaining and informative programming that
reflects the diverse range of cultures and interests that
contribute to an overall sense of who we are as New
Zealanders, TVNZ will:
(a) provide shared experiences that
contribute to a sense of citizenship and national
identity;
(b) Feature programming that contributes
towards intellectual, scientific and cultural
development;
(c) Enhance citizens' opportunities to
participate in public life by featuring programming that
provides a forum for critical debate;
(d) Feature
programming about the diverse cultures, history, heritage
and natural environment of New Zealand; and
(e) Enable
New Zealanders to have access to programming that deals with
minority interests.
3. Maori
To provide entertaining
and informative programming that reflects Maori interests,
culture and language, and to convey these interests to a
wider New Zealand audience, TVNZ will:
(a) Feature
programming with a significant Maori participation and
voice;
(b) Enable New Zealanders to have access to
programmes that promote Maori language and culture;
and
(c) Feature programming that serves the interests and
informational needs of Maori, including language, history,
culture and contemporary issues.
4. Diversity
To
provide entertaining local and international programmes that
serve the interests and needs of different audiences,
including cultures, lifestyles, age and regions, and
particularly those that may not be provided for in a purely
commercial broadcasting environment, TVNZ
will:
(a) Feature programming across all
genres;
(b) Feature programming that caters for tastes
not normally taken care of by other national television
broadcasters;
(c) Balance the programming needs of
general and smaller audiences;
(d) Feature programming
that reflects the different cultures and regions of New
Zealand;
(e) Feature New Zealand films, drama, comedy and
documentaries;
(f) Feature programmes that educate,
entertain and involve children and young
people;
(g) Feature programmes that support, encourage
and feature environmental awareness;
(h) Feature
programmes that support, encourage and feature the
sciences;
(i) Feature programmes that support, encourage
and feature the arts;
(j) Feature national and
international programming that reflects the role of sport
and recreation in New Zealand; and
(k) Feature
programming that supports and learning and personal
development of New Zealanders.
5. High Standards
To
promote high programming standards and editorial
independence and integrity, TVNZ will:
(a) comply with
free-to-air Codes of Broadcasting Practice, particularly
around violence;
(b) comply with a code of ethics around
the level and nature of advertising, particularly to which
children are exposed; and
(c) strive for the highest
programme quality standards and editorial independence and
integrity.
6. Innovation
To promote innovation, risk
taking and creativity, TVNZ will:
(a) Feature programming
that extends the range of ideas and experiences available to
New Zealanders; and
(b) Feature programming that
encourages creative risk-taking and experimentation.
7.
New Zealand Talent
TVNZ will support and promote the
talents and creative resources of New Zealanders, including
the independent television and film industries.
* * * *
REVISED REDRAFTED CHARTER
As a public broadcaster
TVNZ will play a leading role in New Zealand television,
especially in respect of the principles laid out in its
Charter. The Charter shall apply to all of TVNZ's operations
that contribute to making its content available to New
Zealanders. In fulfilling the Charter TVNZ will make this
content available through free to air broadcasting and other
media technologies.
1. An Informed Society
To provide
impartial and comprehensive New Zealand and international
programmes that are essential to having an informed and
educated society, TVNZ will:
(a) Provide a range of
programmes across all genres;
(b) Strive for the highest
standards of programming quality and editorial
integrity;
(c) Provide independent, comprehensive,
impartial and in-depth news and current affairs;
(d) Promote democratic participation by examining the
activities of public and private
institutions;
(e) Provide programmes of an educational
nature which support and encourages learning;
and
(f) Provide programmes that extend the range of ideas
and experiences available to New Zealanders
2. National
Identity and Citizenship
To provide entertaining,
educational and informative programmes that reflects the
diverse range of cultures and interests that contribute to
an understanding of who we are as New Zealanders, TVNZ
will:
(a) Provide shared experiences that contribute to a
sense of citizenship and national identity;
(b) Provide
programmes that contribute towards intellectual, scientific,
cultural, sporting and spiritual development;
(c) Enhance
citizens' opportunities to participate in public life by
featuring programmes that provide a forum for critical and
many-sided debate;
(d) Provide programmes about the
diverse cultures, history, heritage and natural
environment of New Zealand, and its regions;
(e) Provide
programmes that cater for minority interests;
(f) Provide
programmes intended for general audiences that address
minority interests; and
(g) Strive to enable New
Zealanders of all abilities to engage with the fullest
range of programmes.
3. Maori
To provide entertaining,
educational and informative programmes that reflect Maori
interests, including language, history, culture and
contemporary issues, and to convey these interests to a
wider New Zealand audience, TVNZ will:
(a) Provide
programmes by, for and about Maori, involving significant
Maori participation and perspectives; and
(b) Provide
programmes intended for general audiences that promote Maori
language and culture.
4. Diversity
To provide
entertaining, educational and informative New Zealand and
international programmes that serve the interests and needs
of different audiences, cultures, beliefs, abilities,
lifestyles, age groups and regions, and particularly those
not provided for in a purely commercial broadcasting
environment, TVNZ will:
(a) Provide programmes across all
genres;
(b) Provide programmes catering for interests not
normally provided for by other national television
broadcasters;
(c) Balance the programme needs of general
and smaller audiences;
(d) Provide programmes that
promote understanding of New Zealand's diversity of cultures
and regions;
(e) Feature New Zealand films, drama, comedy
and documentaries;
(f) Provide programmes that educate,
inform, entertain and involve children and young
people;
(g) Provide programmes that support and encourage
awareness of environmental issues and sustainable
development;
(h) Provide programmes that support,
encourage and feature the sciences;
(i) Provide
programmes that support, encourage and feature the arts;
(j) Provide programmes that reflect the role of sport
and recreation in New Zealand;
(k) Provide programmes
that support awareness of business, commercial and financial
matters.
5. High Standards
TVNZ will:
(a) Set the
highest standards of programme quality, editorial
independence and integrity;
(b) Comply with the
Free-To-Air Code of Broadcasting Practice, which includes
standards on violence and good taste and decency;
and
(c) Comply with the codes relating to the level and
nature of advertising, particularly that to which children
are exposed.
6. Innovation
To promote innovation in
form and content TVNZ will provide programmes that display
creative risk-taking and experimentation.
7. New Zealand
Talent
TVNZ will support and promote the talents and
creative resources of New Zealanders, including the
independent television and film industries.
8. Presenting
New Zealand Overseas
TVNZ will reflect New Zealand to the
Pacific region and to New Zealanders overseas.
* * * *
ENDS