Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Moving on

143 Responses

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  • Damian Christie, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    Past time NZOA got their own platform, IMHO.

    As Russell said above, they've got work with what they've got, and it's not in their remit to throw a chunk of their funding into creating a platform. Just as it's not in TVNZ's either, unless it serves the sole (and relatively new) end goal of making money.

    There's a state owned network right there, and a funding agency - we don't need one to become the other, just for the former to get some direction with regard to what it should be asking from the latter.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    Past time NZOA got their own platform

    Wasn't that what Freeview was meant to be?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Damian Christie,

    There's a state owned network right there

    Though the closest we have to a public broadcaster right now is Maori Television.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie, in reply to Sacha,

    Wasn’t that what Freeview was meant to be?

    In a word, no.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Myles Thomas, in reply to Damian Christie,

    yep, there's plenty of ways to make it happen. It all comes back to the Minister of Broadcasting. And whoever the future Minister of Broadcasting is. Now is definitely a good time to be raising this issue within Labour.

    Auckland • Since Apr 2011 • 130 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    This is shitty news. Should we express our disappointment, in the strongest terms, in a message to TV3? I will miss the sausage rolls but that is not the real issue.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • izogi, in reply to Sacha,

    Though the closest we have to a public broadcaster right now is Maori Television.

    I've recently returned from a couple of years in Australia, knowing in advance that NZ public television was having a bad time. What I didn't expect so much, after crusing my parents' Sky channels, was that even the paid TV looks very wanting for consistent diverse quality content. So far, aside from the very occasional sparodic encounter, the only channel I've found myself consistently returning to is Maori TV. Programmes like My Country Song are just classically awesome in their simplicity. What a gem compared with all that screaming aggressive competition stuff put up and imported by other broadcasters!

    Does every other accessible television broadcaster in NZ chase the same demographic with the likes of home renovation shows, screaming cooking shows, and extremely over-commentated "world's blahiest blah!" types of documentaries these days?

    Fortunately there are plenty of more important reasons why NZ trumps Australia for where I want to live, but I already miss the SBS and ABC networks, even despite the lack of on-screen NZ culture, which I seriously missed.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to izogi,

    "world's blahiest blah!"

    noice

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to izogi,

    Does every other accessible television broadcaster in NZ

    yes

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Keir Leslie, in reply to Sacha,

    You mean like:

    Labour believes in a public broadcasting service that informs, entertains, and uplifts—a service that reflects the diversity of voices in our country. An informed democracy needs a strong, independent, free public-broadcasting media service. Public funding is essential to maintaining that strength.
    9.15 Public service broadcasting needs to be engaged with all New Zealanders and give them a way to be heard. While we will all debate and contest different views of the world, to have that debate we need a public sphere where we share opinions and facts.
    9.16 Labour knows that the current commercial media market does not deliver this. We believe that public broadcasting should deliver a genuine public good rather than focuses solely the financial needs of its owner (the Crown). We make sure that public broadcasting structures are not unnecessarily duplicative, and that best practice is shared across current service providers.
    9.17 Labour believes public broadcasting includes new media. Publicly funded productions should make full use of the possibilities of online media.

    ?

    Damian, I agree with you to some extent there, but at the same time isn't the decision to have a funder/provider split part of that problem?

    Since Jul 2008 • 1452 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Keir Leslie,

    You mean like

    Yes :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Keir Leslie,

    The actual detailed policy is going to be important, and especially fitting it within a very tight fiscal framework.

    In particular, I think big question is: given the current model of NZOA/TVNZ/RNZ plus private players doesn't add up to a public broadcasting service, how do we change the model to make it add up to a public broadcasting service? For instance, would it make sense to, say, merge TVNZ, RNZ, and much of the NZOA funding stream into a NZ Broadcasting?

    I think evidence shows that TVNZ-as-SOE won't deliver public broadcasting. Attempts to set up another platform have generally failed. So I think that we have to reorient TVNZ to public service broadcasting, and I think that means some pretty serious legislative and organisational changes, and we have to start looking at how we make the sums add up.

    Since Jul 2008 • 1452 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Keir Leslie,

    NZ Broadcasting

    NZBC?

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Keir Leslie,

    Attempts to set up another platform have generally failed.

    Your thoughts on why?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Keir Leslie,

    we have to reorient TVNZ to public service broadcasting

    I'd be looking broader than TV

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • LouisM,

    Thanks for your hard work Russell and everyone involved. A fantastic show that I really enjoyed watching on the telly and occasionally attending in the audience. Programmes like Media3 are essential to preserve and protect democracy and information in New Zealand.

    Time for public broadcasting. Commercial media is clearly not set up to provide quality current affairs.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2013 • 7 posts Report Reply

  • Keir Leslie, in reply to Sacha,

    Mostly because the attempts have been too timid --- not bold enough or far enough to embed themselves firmly enough. I very much agree about need to go beyond TV.

    Since Jul 2008 • 1452 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    Rather sad news, I was hoping that the show would still be running when I return next year.

    Remind me again why we have a public broadcaster and funding body? I mean I think I get the theory of it, but the practice seems to not work as I thought it would.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Parks, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,

    I never usually watched Media 3 (or 7), but it was just nice knowing that it was there. I guess that’s the problem – TV shows need viewers, not supporters.

    Our of curiosity, why were you a supporter more than a viewer?

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report Reply

  • Rob Stowell, in reply to Damian Christie,

    it’s not in their remit to throw a chunk of their funding into creating a platform.

    Yes, but it should be. And money? You could set up an NZOA youtube channel in 20 minutes. Why would that be a terrible idea?

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Keir Leslie,

    not bold enough

    verily

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    Bugger.

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Myles Thomas,

    Meanwhile the channels are disappearing and NZOA wring their hands saying “there’s nothing we can do”. Not true. If NZOA genuinely want to see the parts of NZ that don’t rate on air they need to re-evaluate their funding policies and swiftly.

    Miles: I’ve got my issues with NZOA, to put it mildly, but I think it’s really useful to remember this not-so-small point of fact. New Zealand on Air is an autonomous crown agency that has to comply with legislation, and apportion the funding the Government decides to give it. It’s beyond useless kicking the monkey because you don’t much like the tune the organ grinder is playing.

    Does every other accessible television broadcaster in NZ chase the same demographic with the likes of home renovation shows, screaming cooking shows, and extremely over-commentated “world’s blahiest blah!” types of documentaries these days?

    Well, here's another question, izogi. Why should Three and NZoA keep putting money into (excellent) local dramas and comedies like Hounds, Harry, and The Almighty Johnsons, when more people apparently are interested in watching repeats of some Irish drag queen telling fanny gags?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Damian Christie, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    Yes, but it should be. And money? You could set up an NZOA youtube channel in 20 minutes. Why would that be a terrible idea?

    1. It's not in NZOA's current remit to use it's money to set up a platform.

    2. It's not in TVNZ's current remit to do anything other than make money.

    3. Why change the first but not the second, then instruct the first to try and do a watered down version of the second that no-one knows about?

    An NZOA YouTube channel is a fun idea, but it's not a solution. People - most people - don't sit down and watch YouTube on their TV in the evening. And just because we're talking about making television that isn't lowest common denominator, doesn't mean it should be inaccessible to the masses.

    TVNZ 7 didn't not work (excuse the double negatives), it stopped being funded, largely on ideological grounds. It had been building a good audience given its relatively new status.

    I don't think true public service TV in NZ will ever be more popular than the existing channels. BBC One is the biggest channel in the UK, and state funded, but it still plays Street Patrol, East Enders and Homes Under the Hammer in primetime. ABC1 is third in Australia (after Seven and Nine) and still has cooking shows and so forth in primetime. The funding both receive dwarfs anything ever given to the digital platform in NZ.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1164 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    Well, damn. I never got to watch it often enough for my liking, but I always enjoyed it when I did.

    Commiserations, Russell, et al. I hope something else interesting and lucrative comes your way soon.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

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