Opinion Article: The Press
9 March 2010
Let's face on value not cost
Hands off Radio New Zealand
Radio New Zealand deserves to be protected from Government efforts to impose an ongoing freeze/cut and possible commercialization, says Labour’s broadcasting spokesman Brendon Burns…
If ever an illustration of the value of Radio New Zealand was needed, it came in waves the Sunday before last. As soon as the radio switched on, we knew something was up. The Morning Report Special Edition on the feared tsunami provided reassurance to many, including us as parents with a daughter who lives on the waterfront in Auckland; we couldn’t wait for TVNZ’s half-hourly updates and other intermittent information. I checked six other radio stations: business as usual. Radio NZ had reporters on-air from Whangarei, north of Auckland, Auckland, Hawkes Bay, Wellington and at Akaroa. The reporter there told of alerting a boatie about the risks of going into the water; it seems his usual choice of station hadn’t given him sufficient information to decide against trying to launch.
The on-cue coverage by Radio New Zealand of the tsunami comes as the Government pressures the only remaining public service broadcaster to trim its budget and adjust to years of funding freeze. Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman wants a change of mindset by the Radio NZ board. He favours considering commercial sponsorship, at least on Concert FM; other options being suggested include taking National Radio off air from midnight-6am, going on to AM only outside of Auckland or selling Radio NZ House in Auckland.
Sorry, but we’ve been down that path before. As a newspaper editor ten years ago, I wrote an editorial entitled Gutting Public Radio. Tony Ryall, as the Broadcasting Minister in the last National Government was suggesting similar options to those now again being rehearsed. The same government bowled Broadcasting House in Wellington for a Parliamentary complex expansion that never happened. It forced Radio New Zealand into an expensive lease which endures today and helps keep it financially strapped.
Radio NZ has long been the poor cousin of the broadcasting sector. A report by KPMG two years ago confirmed it was significantly under-funded at around $30m of government funding. Labour’s last budget provided an additional $2.6m, most of it swallowed up by bringing staff towards prevailing state sector levels.
I am not saying that the Government must simply hand over more cash, although it would be nice to have a Broadcasting Minister who’d accept not all state agencies are equal and stand up for one of them. Transport Minister Steven Joyce has found extra cash for roading, albeit that some of Christchurch’s money comes from cuts to our funds for public transport and cycling.
What would be sensible is for Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman to look across the entire $500m-plus budget and income stream from all state broadcasting activity before demanding cuts in services at Radio New Zealand. Finding $1 or $2m across that span of budgets and reapplying them to Radio NZ would make a world of difference.
For instance, I’d like to know (and have asked at select committee) what taxpayer money goes to state-owned transmission company Kordia for maintaining, perhaps even extending UHF coverage to tiny pockets of remote reception. It may no longer make sense to spend capital when analogue signal switch-off is no more four years away.
I believe public support for Radio New Zealand has increased since Dr Coleman told TVNZ to only focus on making profits. This sees perverse ratings/advertising-driven decision such as taking the Prime Minister off Close Up on the night of his annual statement to Parliament to be replaced by a grovelling ex-All Black groper.
Surveys show that more than three-quarters of New Zealanders support the job done by Radio New Zealand. A Facebook site has sprung up, attracting more than 18,000 fans and an e-petition to Dr Coleman which I announced at a rally here in Christchurch outside Radio NZ House – www.handsoffradionz.co.nz – has already attracted more than 1500 signatures.
The reason people are showing such concern is that our only remaining non-commercial broadcaster provides unrivalled quality service. New Zealanders know that demands for ‘efficiencies’ and partial commercialisation of Radio NZ are the start of a slippery slope.
Only last June, Dr Coleman introduced a new Radio NZ Charter, outlining his commitment to quality non-commercial services and reaffirming that Radio New Zealand must continue to inform and stimulate people, reflect our identity and our place in the world. Now he wants to slice, dice and freeze-cut that commitment.
Radio New Zealand is increasingly more important to our democratic system as other media resources shrink and commercialise. The Government needs to focus on value rather than just cost.
Brendon Burns is MP for Christchurch Central