“These decisions are just fiddling around the edge and they ignore the real issue of ensuring TVNZ can operate effectively in today’s world of digitalisation and satellite television.”

“TVNZ remains very exposed in that regard, and today’s decisions, which essentially are more about implementing the Minister’s woolly prejudices, are of no help to it in that regard,” he says.

Mr Dunne says it is clear the Government’s broadcasting strategy suffers from confused and conflicting objectives.

“On the one hand, it wants TVNZ to be a public service broadcaster producing nice, wholesome programmes that fit its back to the 1970s view of the world; but, on the other hand, it also seems to acknowledge that new technology is impacting on TVNZ and that there is a need to enable it to compete effectively in that market.”

“The problem it seems incapable of understanding is that it cannot have it both ways,” Mr Dunne says.

Mr Dunne says today’s decisions show the Government has set its face against TVNZ being able to operate in a strongly commercial manner.

“The upshot will be that it becomes a niche broadcaster, unable to retain audience share in the face of competing new technology.”

“All in all, a sad and bleak future for one of our more successful SOEs, and a further nail in the coffin of the SOE model under this revisionist Government,” Mr Dunne says.

ENDS