ANALYSIS: By Peter Thompson, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of WellingtonThe 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. It may be that the best solution is the creation of an independent regulatory body to oversee charter delivery and the proper use of public funding. 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.

Source: Stuff October 04, 2022 22:41 UTC