The Minister for Broadcasting and Media has confirmed the nine-member Establishment Board to lead the work on creating a new public media entity in New Zealand.

“The Establishment Board will oversee the detailed design of the new entity and the change required to create it,” Kris Faafoi said.

“The make-up of the Board reflects the importance of its work. Its members have extensive change and governance experience and knowledge of the current state broadcasting entities, as well as the private media, the production sector and Māori and Pacific media. All of them bring a commitment to the new public media venture.”

The Minister reiterated that the new entity would be multi-platform and designed to reach new and existing audiences. Built on the best of Television NZ and Radio NZ, he said it would be a future-focused public media entity which could better meet the challenges of technology changes and global competition.

The Establishment Board includes the two sitting Chairs and a current board member from each of RNZ and TVNZ and four former members of the Business Case Governance Group (BCG) which considered the viability and characteristics of a new public media entity.

The Establishment Board is: Tracey Martin (Chair), Michael Anderson, Andy Coupe, Barbara Dreaver, Bailey Mackey, Dr Jim Mather, Peter Parussini, John Quirk and Aliesha Staples.

The members are appointed until the new entity is created in legislation and a new entity board is in place.

“We know what we want this new entity to achieve, and a legislated charter will set out the entity’s purpose and objectives, but the task of creating the entity is ahead.

“The Establishment Board has three main areas of responsibility. Firstly, it will look at operational matters such as entity structure and organisational strategy and it will provide advice on these for the entity’s operational board.

“The Establishment Board will oversee the development and implementation of a change management plan, together with TVNZ and RNZ, to enable the transition of existing operations and staff into the new entity.

“The Board will also provide me advice on the implementation of the entity’s financial model, monitoring framework, legal issues and accountability arrangements.

“This is a large programme of work, which we want to progress effectively, efficiently, and with minimal disruption to the existing entities and their staff. The Board will be supported by an Establishment Unit. This is a similar structure to that which was in place for the last phase of work that produced the Business Case.”

A Programme Steering Group and subject matter experts will also support the Establishment Board.

Kris Faafoi said the establishment work would run parallel with the legislative process and legislation to create the entity would be introduced to Parliament in the next few months. The public would then have the opportunity, through the select committee stage, to give their views, including on the charter.

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