In case you haven’t heard, ours is an ageing population. Also, in case you haven’t heard, with age comes deteriorating eyesight. As people slide into their forties, they realise they are having trouble reading street names as they drive along. So off to the optician’s. Then, into their sixties and seventies, come cataracts and macula degeneration; never mind just plain eye fatigue. With these challenges come problems with reading and watching television. So, what does one do for quiet diversion? Listen to radio of course. Those whose taste is for popular music are well catered for by the commercial channels – too well catered for, it could be argued and the Concert programme caters well for aficionados of classical music.
For those who like to keep a lively interest in what is going on in the country and in the wider world – such as new developments in science, the arts, medicine; who enjoy in depth interviews with interesting people, experts in their respective fields; who like panel discussions, drama, the occasional humourous programme – Radio New Zealand National is the answer.
But it is under threat. Budget cuts have already seen a diminution of programmes on offer. The long-running programme ‘Sunday Supplement’ was axed a few years ago. Those balanced, well-informed four-minute opinion pieces, delivered by competent individuals, are still missed.
Radio New Zealand National is truly a public service. It is of benefit not only to those with age-related sight problems but also the lonely of all ages. As well, while doing practical, routine tasks, it is good to have the mind engaged by something of interest on radio. And we have yet to mention those who have never been able to see.
Radio New Zealand is a national taonga to be cherished. It’s continuance, nay enhancement, is an issue well worth voting for.
Anne Ferguson is a member of the Coalition for Better Broadcasting. She is a retired PA though finds secretarial roles in the voluntary sector (Am Drams, Citizens’ Advice, University of the Third Age) more satisfying. Her guilty secret? She’s a ‘Coronation Street’ addict.
Yes, National radio had (and still has) some fine programmes and presenters. Great programmes: Spectrum, Country Life to name just two. Great presenters: Geoff Robinson (just retired), Jim Mora. But yes it is under threat. Morning Report has increasingly become a National Party promotion radio magazine, more so now that Guy Espiner is in and Geoff Robinson is out. Chris Laidlaw was basically forced out because his moderate left-wing views made the government uncomfortable and the fair-minded Jim Mora has had his show trimmed down to make way for the tory apologist Simon Mercep. National is determined to ensure National radio becomes their own spin city, but will cite “budget cuts” as the real reason for the changes.
Since ‘the right’ constantly complains of left leaning bias one might conclude that NB has got the balance right. Your paranoia is showing.
It is of benefit to those who wish to be informed, if you edit out certain amounts of slant. There is always intelligent input, and an outlook that goes beyond our limits of place. I love the science interviews. One of my favourites is “This Way Up”. I’m social, but would shrivel without RNZ.
‘Radio New Zealand National is truly a public service.’
Not so at all. RNZ is a propaganda outlet for business-as-usual dysfunction, and as such is a public disservice. Business, business, business. And anything that gets in the way of business, business, business is side-lined or ignored. Except corporatized, internationalised so-called sport of course, which just another form of business anyway.
I vividly recall Chris Laidlaw presenting a preposterous ‘future of energy’ segment in which Peak Oil, one of the determining factors of the times we now live in, never got a mention. It was about that time Kim Hill was debating whether to buy a cushion or not to stimulate the economy.
I stopped listening to NR shortly after.
Yep stopped listening after they banned Bomber. It had been deteriorating steadily ever since Cavanagh was appointed and Richard Griffin has performed his task of strangling the once informative National Radio to death. So occasionally I check out old faves online and see who Kim is talking to but generally I listen to New Orleans Radio. best music in the world if you can still boogie.
If I want mental stimulation I listen to BBC R4 on the internet. There are snippets worth listening to on National, such as The Panel, but apart from that one has to endure the presenter’s choice of ‘Muzak’ between items. I find there is little good drama on RNZ; another reason for the BBC. Apart from that CDs and DVDs give me all I need.
I am of the age group with which the writer is concerned, ‘Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything’ but I could not care less if Nat Radio survives or not. I certainly would resent any impost upon me to save it. If it wants to survive and grow let it stop being so precious and go for sponsorship.
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