Clare CURRAN
Spokesperson for Broadcasting
11 August 2011

The prospect of Radio NZ having to raise money from cake stalls or corporate sponsorship has been signalled with the extraordinary revelation today that it has been registered as a charity, Labour’s Broadcasting spokesperson Clare Curran says.

“The State broadcaster says it only registered its concert network. However Radio New Zealand was apparently registered as a charitable trust with the Charities Commission under the name Radio New Zealand Charitable Trust last month.

“That raises some serious questions, questions that both the Broadcasting Minister and the Radio NZ Board need to answer, not the least of which is why the whole of Radio NZ has been registered as a charity, and what the long-term intention is.

“This ridiculous turn of events follows the Government’s decision to freeze funding to Radio NZ. Radio NZ’s survival should not be dependent on it having to solicit donations. It is our state radio broadcaster and holds a special place in New Zealand,” Clare Curran said.

“The Minister has already stripped TVNZ of its charter forcing it to become a commercial entity. What’s next? Morning Report brought to us by Fonterra?”

ENDS

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