Hon Kris Faafoi

Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media

PĀNUI PĀPĀHO

MEDIA STATEMENT

The Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media has announced work will begin on a business case to assess the viability of forming a new public media entity.

“The Government must ensure New Zealanders have a strong independent public media service for decades to come, which means ensuring public media assets are fit for the future and able to thrive amid the changing media landscape,” Minister Kris Faafoi said.

“It’s well known that New Zealand’s media sector, both public and private, is facing unprecedented challenges with competition from the likes of Google and Facebook, declining revenue shares, and changes in when and how audiences access their information and entertainment.

“That presents risks for the future viability of New Zealand’s public broadcasting operators, RNZ and TVNZ, and the Government needs to address those risks,” Kris Faafoi said.

“Cabinet has now given approval to complete a business case to examine the viability of establishing a new public media entity as an independent multiple-platform, multi-media operation.

“Final decisions about the future of RNZ and TVNZ will be made once the business case is completed.

“It is about establishing the best way of providing New Zealanders with a range of trusted news, information, and entertainment that reflects New Zealand – its diversity, history, and aspirations. At the same time we need to ensure any new public entity has the flexibility and the strength to meet future change and challenges,” Mr Faafoi said.

NZ On Air will continue to have an important role to fund local content for both commercial and non-commercial media outlets.

Consultancy, PwC, will now conduct the business case which Minister Faafoi expects to receive around the middle of this year.

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