Brendon Burns

Spokesman on Broadcasting

15 April 2009 Media Statement

Sky’s Rugby World Cup win is a loss for many Kiwis

Sky Television’s success in gaining rights to screen the Rugby World Cup is another example of the National/Act Government’s ‘hands-off’ policies failing New Zealanders, says Labour’s Broadcasting spokesman Brendon Burns.

“Sky will maximise benefits to its paying audience and advertisers, to the detriment of many New Zealanders who only have free-to-air reception. While Sky is offering 16 games to free-to-air broadcasters, these include its own free-to-air channel, Prime, for which reception is patchy.

“When Helen Clark co-presented our bid for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, she did so on behalf of four million New Zealanders.

“That’s now been lost sight of. Fewer than half of us as householders have Sky. Our choice will be to join a pay network largely owned by Rupert Murdoch, or hope the second pickings of free-to-air television allow us to watch some of the All Black and other matches we regard as our birthright,” says Brendon Burns.

“This ignores the contribution that we as taxpayers and ratepayers will all make to the upgrading of various stadiums to allow the World Cup to take place here.”

“Sky’s win with the World Cup rights is only the latest manifestation of a government that wants all broadcasting to be market-driven.

“It is no surprise that two days before Sky’s announcement, the Ministers of Communications and Broadcasting confirmed there will be no review of competition in broadcasting as most in the industry wanted.

“No wonder one broadcasting commentator describes Sky’s win as giving a ‘box view seat’ on the Government’s new supportive relationship with Sky Television.”

“The Government’s responsibility is not to enrich Sky but to support the New Zealand broadcasting industry and those who rely on the free-to-air channels for work, programmes and local content,” Brendon Burns says.

ENDS

© Scoop Media