06 March 2009
Goodnight to Kiwi Broadcasting Jobs
The next time Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman holds a press conference he should look the reporters and
camera-people of TVNZ in the eye and apologise for putting their jobs on the line, said Green Party Broadcasting
Spokesperson Sue Kedgley.
Ms Kedgley is calling on Dr Coleman to suspend the requirement for a dividend from TVNZ in order that jobs can be saved
during the recession.
"We call on the government to practice what it is preaching about helping to save jobs, and to suspend the requirement
for a dividend from TVNZ this year, when the broadcaster is faced with a $30 million cut in advertising revenue.
"If the Government refuses to do this, and takes the money and runs, it won't be Paul Henry signing on at WINZ, rather
it will be the technical staff, skilled reporters and camera-people who will be joining the dole queues," said Ms
Kedgley.
"Last week Prime Minister John Key launched a Job Summit calling on employers to try to save jobs, but it is refusing to
help our publicly owned broadcaster save jobs at TVNZ, presumably because of some ideological agenda"
"The question must be asked, why is the Government so ready to bail out banks and dodgy finance companies, with
virtually no strings attached, yet it is not prepared to lend a hand to its own publicly owned broadcaster and waive the
dividend requirement in the middle of a global recession?
National's pre-election broadcasting policy emphasised National would 'ensure public funds are available for quality
public broadcasting' and 'maintain state ownership of Television New Zealand.'
Omitted from this document was any mention of scrapping the TVNZ charter which commits TVNZ to maintaining 'the highest
standards of programme quality and editorial integrity'.
"The Government's actions in scrapping the charter and skimming off profits - money that could save jobs - make it look
like the plan is to get TVNZ ready for a fire sale should National win a second term," said Ms Kedgley.
Link to National's pre-election Broadcasting policy
ENDS