IN just a few days, nearly 10,000 people have joined a group on social networking site Facebook to save Radio New Zealand from a funding freeze.
Among those who have joined “Save Radio New Zealand” since it was founded on Wednesday (January 17) are internationally recognised broadcasters and media commentators.
All express concern about the station not being able to keep up its high-quality journalism standards if it had to face new funding constraints.
Former BBC World broadcaster Angie Knox writes that Radio New Zealand was her lifeline: “Don’t/can’t watch what passes for ‘news and current affairs’ on local TV, hubby won’t sign up to Sky, so can’t get any international channels, so rely on Morning Report for the nearest thing to dispassionate reporting.
Comments from members of the Facebook campaign include:
Knox: As a former BBC World Service broadcaster, RNZ is my lifeline here. Don’t/can’t watch what passes for ‘news and current affairs’ on local TV, hubby won’t sign up to Sky so can’t get an(y) international channels, so rely on Morning Report for the nearest thing to dispassionate reporting.
And, yes, they don’t always get it right, but they’re far and away the best of what’s out there, pretty impressive seeing as they do it on the smell of an oily rag.
Serious news coverage will be the first casualty of any move to ‘sponsorship’ – didn’t John Key get that message when he was bumped off Close Up for a rugby player’s apology? What is it about conservative governments and their need to rip the heart out of public broadcasting?
Alastair Thompson (Scoop editor): At present the news industry is suffering from a fairly severe market failure. Newspapers are now unable to employ a workforce capable of doing a proper job of reporting the news.
In the current news environment there are only 2 real newsrooms left in the country – the NZ Herald and RNZ – and of the two RNZ is by far the best.
It covers more news events, better than any other news service in the country. I expect that very shortly there will be increasingly strident calls for government backing to prop up NZPA – the cooperative which provides the backbone of news reporting for the newspapers, and which is being financially squeezed at present.
Radio NZ needs probably $5-$7 million (extra) to maintain its services. For me this would be a very a low price to pay for an informed democracy.
Pippa Stephenson (freelance journalist and columnist): The pollies have always had too much of a free hand in public broadcasting. We are the public not them. How can it be put beyond their meddling reach? Permanently?
Radio New Zealand is highly regarded by the vast majority of New Zealanders, including non-listeners.
In survey results, 84% agreed that it was important for New Zealand to have a public service radio broadcaster (7% disagree).75% agreed that Radio New Zealand provides a valuable service for New Zealanders (7% disagree).
Costa Botes (film maker): The last place in all of these Godforsaken isles where a person can get news, music, and intelligent talk, untainted by commercial interests. Quick, let’s f..k it up. Why leave a shred of humanity in the cultural landscape?
Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury (media commentator, radio and TV host): With 4000 members in less that 2 days, I think the response shows NZers do not want their public broadcasting voice strangled by this Government.
Unnamed RNZ staff member: I know the spin is that RNZ is just being asked to live within its means whatever that means.
But considering that entails curtailing our already limited overseas coverage besides the other more outlandish ideas being floated around, you’d have to wonder what else will have to go next.
I guess the answer will be staff, unless we are directed to go down the “sponsorship” road. And that is not lined with gold.
We are lucky to have a fair few numbers on the ground, but that is deceptive when spread across 16 hours of the day.
Basically I see this as a fight to keep one of the last places where bedrock journalism can still be practised. That’s not to lay claim to us being better than other newsrooms and operators because clearly sometimes we are not. But we have the liberty of not having to skew our news judgements to chase audience.
I think it’s obvious on the evening TV news that a lot of stuff is simply being ignored because it doesn’t in theory, rate. A friend in TV told me the other day that Close Up turned down a perfectly good story because, well, they admit they want to go down the tabloid road.
Mahsa Willis: I grew up with RNZ, & continue to grow up with it.
Neville Lowry: This is one of the most important media agencies that we have. All other media agencies, radio TV,Papers and the like have only one product…advertising, what they wrap,round that is immaterial.
Nat Radio is the sole provider of Information and entertainment….it’s only product and the information we receive is to come to us with out advertising.
Andrew Johnstone: Michael Joseph Savage (argueably NZ’s most visionary Prime Minister) envisioned
a national radio network that would bring light into the lives of all NZers.
This was in a time when the lives of working kiwi’s were goverend by long hours and poor conditions. He imagined music, culture, education and entertainment being broad…cast into every New Zealand home, improving quality of life.
So successful has his vision been, that RNZ remains a hugely popular advertisment free zone and a thorn in the side of those who believe in purely commercial values.
Helen Lehndorf: I vote we axe the tvnz budget altogether, given that it is commercial and shite anyway, and give the tvnz budget to RNZ. I can live without the ‘The Apprentice NZ’ and ‘Masterchef’ but I couldn’t live without ‘Music 101′ and Kim Hill. Nothing beats RNZ on a Saturday!
Peter Brittenden: Worked for RNZ as a journalist for 10 years or so….still the ONLY place I turn to for information that isn’t spun or “corporatised” in some way.
Connor Walsh: I worked at RNZ for a few months in 2007/8 – having worked at the BBC, and visited RTÉ, their equivalent in Ireland, as well as Chinese state media, I have to say it is AMAZING what Radio New Zealand achieves on a paltry $38 million. Dollar-for-dollar it’s a world-beater.
Ross Teppett: Radio NZ sets the standard for broadcasting journalism in this country. It is the capital P and S in real Public Service. I want a critical understanding of what’s going on in this nation and around the world and RNZ is a key player in making this happen for me. Commercial radio and TV are the modern ‘opiates of the people…’
