Public Broadcasting System is Sick
5 August 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Responding to news that New Zealand on Air will pump $800,000 of taxpayer cash into The X Factor New Zealand, Jordan
Williams, Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Union says:
“NZ on Air’s justification for funding another American talent show rip-off is that they want to be fair to the two TV
networks. It is not about being fair to the networks – unless NZOA is to be regarded as the poodle of the networks – it
is about being fair to the taxpayer."
"It is beyond commercial belief that either or both of the networks could not stage their respective talent shows
without the taxpayer stumping up."
"We need NZOA’s priorities to be adjusted so that they are not featherbedding commercial productions with taxpayer cash,
but actually stimulating original or authentic New Zealand production so that we can genuinely see stories and shows
that would not otherwise be made. The existing system is sick that deserves to be exposed and questioned."
ENDS