Coalition for Better Broadcasting: Campbell Live

Coalition for Better Broadcasting concerned for Campbell Live

The Coalition for Better Broadcasting is deeply concerned by the suggestion that Campbell Live may be canned.

CBB Chief Executive, Myles Thomas said that the loss of the only serious daily current affairs show on New Zealand network television would be a tragedy. In contrast to the current-affairs-light approach of Seven Sharp and morning television, Campbell Live is willing to ask tough questions

“This independence makes Campbell Live immensely valuable to the NZ public and our understanding of what’s happening in our country.”

Thomas said that the loss of the show would be another nail in the coffin of serious current affairs television and followed a “dumbing down” of news and current affairs on the state broadcaster over the past seven years.

In 2008, the Government told TVNZ bosses to maximise profits. That change of focus at TVNZ has had myriad repercussions:

• the closure of TVNZ 6 & 7

• just a handful of documentaries made each year

• more reality television

• more tabloid ‘entertaining’ current affairs.

The CBB believes all broadcasters – private and government-owned - have a responsibility to provide public-service programming in return for the right to broadcast over our airwaves. That obligation includes providing serious current affairs in the prime-time mix of programmes.

The CBB calls on TV bosses to prioritise current affairs and journalism in prime time:

• We ask TV3 to keep Campbell Live alive and ‘live’.

• We ask that TVNZ bring more journalistic bite to its current affairs and show greater independence from its government owners.

The CBB calls on the government to provide the public with the ability to watch serious current affairs each evening by removing the profit requirements on TVNZ, and regulating to ensure New Zealanders can easily find out what’s going in their own country.

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