Media Statement

For immediate release

Tuesday, 30 August 2005

Alexander: Adult TV time-slot back to 9.30pm

United Future would beef up the Broadcasting Standards Authority's powers and push the earliest time at which Adults Only programming screens back from 8:30pm to 9:30pm, its broadcasting spokesman, Marc Alexander, said today in launching party policy.

"We need to ensure that the BSA has the resources to hear and act on complaints quickly, allow it to be pro-active in raising issues that concern it, and give it more power to defend its rulings from network challenges."

"Our desire to push adult programming into later time slots reflects the fact that these kind of shows have become more risqué in the last few years, and don't even make it on to free-to-air television in the United States, running instead screen on cable channels like HBO."

United Future supports the concept of NZ On Air as a mechanism for encouraging local content on television and radio, since it is available to all networks and it encourages creativity and diversity by allowing independent producers to flourish.

"However, we are concerned at an apparent lack of transparency in the use of taxpayer funding by TVNZ to fulfil its obligations under the Charter, since it's not always clear whether the money was actually used for this purpose or merely assigned in a post hoc manner.

United Future will also:

* Seek improvements in television reception across the country.

* Reduce the compliance costs of regulations for bands on airwaves for regional broadcasters, to allow new players to enter the market and ensure that local voices have access to the airwaves.

* Maintain Radio New Zealand in public ownership, notwithstanding changes to its structure or operation.

* Support Radio New Zealand's transmission to the greater Pacific region.

* Ensure that the sound archives housed at Radio New Zealand are protected and digitally recorded.

* Ensure the Broadcasting Act recognises the importance of Community Access Radio

ENDS

© Scoop Media