The 980 submissions in response to the Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media Bill are a testament to the importance – and contentiousness – of public media policy. A key challenge, therefore, will be ensuring the ANZPM public charter is not compromised by the continuing pursuit of commercial revenues. The government’s Strong Public Media Business Case recommended a not-for-profit status, reinvestment of surpluses in public media objectives, and free availability of all first-run content. Any future government unsympathetic to public media could simply reduce or discontinue the public funding. Culture clashTo anyone familiar with Labour’s previous attempt to restructure TVNZ with a public charter, the alarm bells will be ringing.

Source: Stuff October 04, 2022 22:26 UTC