Gerry Brownlee MP National Party Maori Affairs Spokesman

24 November 2005

Release the real MTS ratings figures

National Party Maori Affairs spokesman Gerry Brownlee says the Government is doing the Maori Television Service a disservice by continuing to hide the real commercial audience ratings figures.

"Today's MTS annual report continues the farce of providing only limited ratings information.

"Until the Government releases the real figures that are used by other broadcasters, questions will remain over the success, or otherwise, of this taxpayer-funded broadcaster.

"Given the problems we've seen at TVNZ, the Government should be working to ensure that MTS is transparent as possible.

"We have never been allowed to see the official comparative ratings figures, so we don't know whether the taxpayer is getting value for money out of its significant spend on Maori TV," says Mr Brownlee.

"Labour must authorise the release of the real ratings figures."

ENDS

© Scoop Media