Katherine Rich National Broadcasting Spokesperson
25 January 2002
Hobbs plans out of step with BBC
As the BBC plans to make its TV business more commercial, Marian Hobbs' plot to do the total opposite with TVNZ is
proving to be a great leap backwards for public broadcasting in New Zealand, National's Broadcasting Spokesperson
Katherine Rich said today
The BBC, which Marian Hobbs holds up as something TVNZ can aspire to, has announced it will create a second commercial
division ' to raise more revenues from the broadcaster's assets which will be funneled back into programming'.
"The BBC has the right strategy - increasing local programming by making the broadcaster more self sufficient and able
to generate more of its own programming income.
"Marian Hobbs is wrong to think that she can increase New Zealand programming by making TVNZ less commercial and more
dependent on taxpayer subsidy. It will make it harder, not easier, to generate more local content," Mrs Rich said.
"With TVNZ facing increasing losses, lower advertising revenue and the Government's broken promise to allow greater
dividend retention, Muggins the taxpayer will be increasingly forking out to pay for the effects of Ms Hobbs' disastrous
restructuring.
"It is ironic that Marian Hobbs is embarking on a restructuring plan that is in the opposite direction to the BBC which
she frequently holds up as something TVNZ can aspire to," Mrs Rich said.
Ends