MEDIAWATCH: Why right wing corporate media must destroy the RNZ/TVNZ merger

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
50
2041

It is important for the right wing corporate media to destroy the RNZ/TVNZ merger because they see it as direct competition to their own interests.

Despite new legislation that will force Google and Facebook to provide new revenue streams for the private media and despite the money going from NZ on Air to ANZPM to commission content from the private media (as opposed to building internal capacity to produce all content themselves), the right wing corporate media still see the new ANZPM as a direct competitor threatening their interests.

That’s why the criticism towards the merger is relentless form the private media.

I actually laughed out loud when Damien Venuto was ‘exploring’ the ‘range’ of media responses to the RNZ/TVNZ merger…

TVNZ-RNZ merger: Simon Power’s message to Government, advertisers as uncertainty hangs over state broadcaster

TVNZ boss Simon Power is a man in limbo, existing between the world that was and the foggy landscape ahead.

In his first – and ostensibly last – showcase address today for the organisation that will soon be formerly known as TVNZ, Power addressed that uncertainty that everyone has been speculating about for months.

The showcase event has always been seen as TVNZ’s opportunity to hype up the advertising community with a steady announcement of new shows – and there was some of that.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

But there was no escaping the uncertainty that hangs heavy over everything TVNZ plans to do.

What will the advertising mix even look like when TVNZ and RNZ are merged into a single media beast? How much room will there be for the advertisers that have long propped up public broadcasting in this country? And how much of this will come to fruition given the legislation hasn’t even been finalised yet?

From the outset, Power made it clear that he had two audiences in the room: advertisers and the Government.

…to ‘prove’ how universal that criticism against the merger is, Damien gives us the full expanse of his vision…

Warnings of unintended consequences with the media changes aren’t limited to TVNZ boss Simon Power.

Stuff CEO Sinead Boucher has warned MPs that the combined entity could have too much bargaining power when it came to securing staff.

“In some cases, the salary offers have been 30 per cent above what we have been paying and what we are paying is very much the market rate – not low paying, so we are already starting to feel the effects of it and the entity is not even formed,” she said.

NZME managing editor Shayne Currie has argued that the merger could have “distortionary effects” on commercial players in the market and that the Government needs to assess the impact these might have.

MediaWorks CEO Cam Wallace also weighed in, saying the dual-funding model would give the entity the best of both worlds and potentially create circumstances allowing what would be the country’s biggest media provider to offer “predatory pricing” for advertising.

And Spinoff founder Duncan Greive worries that ANZPM could have too much power when it comes to commissioning new shows.

These criticisms span the political spectrum and come from those who have first-hand experience in what it takes to run a media organisation in New Zealand.

…wait, WHAT?

The political spectrum of what? Stuff, NZME, Mediaworks and The Spinoff? 4 media organisations who all take money from NZ on Air and who all have vested interests in outcome?

How is that the full political spectrum? That’s the full spectrum of people who get money from NZ on Air!

TVNZ is a crass ratings chaser who puts on Fuck Boy Island, we need a RNZ merger to  take over public broadcasting editorially and start using our immense media infrastructure to actually lift its game and become a trusted news source again.

We have seen what happens when people fall down rabbit holes over Covid, the RNZ/TVNZ merger is a solution to disinformation and the fact Google and Facebook are destroying their advertising model.

All the private media who will lose NZ on Air funding don’t want that for very obvious reasons.

Trashing Willie Jackson is just a convenient vehicle for that self interest.

 

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50 COMMENTS

  1. Speaking of media influence and financial kick backs, I would like to know how much the CCP Herald was “compensated” for their latest Communist propaganda piece?
    Not only due to journalistic ethicacy, but also to much wider concerns, such as foreign influence of information by unfriendly countries.

      • Communists, capitalists, define them as you wish. The bottom line is they are criminals masquerading as a legitimate governing body. They operate the same as the mafiaso.
        Only they have considerably more power and a massive military machine to wield. Something we should be well concerned about.

  2. I believe you are sort of right Martyn. I believe you give Nat/Act a lot of credit if you think that they believe there is an advantage to them to leave RNZ/TVNZ as is, but to me it’s more likely they just want to undermine any trust the electorate has in Labour’s decision making. On a personal level I can’t see much of an improvement if they do merger. Yes there may be more money around, but there could be now, just fund the existing format better. If the same people who thought FBoy Island is good viewing, are still involved at some level in programming , and they are the good idea’s people, it doesn’t matter how much money is thrown at it. Throw shit in the top and shit comes out the bottom. I don’t believe TVNZ is capable of good programming, they think what we have is fine. This is all about local Maori content and a broadcasting partnership. I don’t have an issue with Maori content but why can’t they just say, this is where we are heading. Transparent government and all that.

  3. All that seems to be wanted from this merger is for it to become a trusted news source again. What else – quality documentaries, political interviews, educational articles. All from a state owned broadcaster whose executives think they’ll have editorial independence. Where’s the hope for quality entertainment like from the BBC – people do tune in for entertainment…..

    • Trust in any media that took the PIJF has long gone. How can we trust any media that openly takes money from the Govt?

      Ok ok I know they’ll swear black and blue that they are completely impartial, but the fact is they’ve taken govt money. How do we not know a little ‘quid pro quo’ hasn’t happened? Remember Clare Curren? Even so, the perception is that the media is on the govt take and any bad story is just to hurry along the next cheque.

    • If Seven Sharp is an example of truth presented by impartial journalists, then you know just how bad it will turn.

        • Yep if Newstalk ZB and the National party NZ Herald is an example of truth presented by impartial right wing journalists, then you know just how bad it will turn.

  4. TVNZ especially has demeaned itself badly in the lowly quality of tv programs it has on. For example it seems to comprise of Game Shows, Talent Shows, Reality Television Shows and what I now call the Jenny May and Matty Show(formerly known as Breakfast).
    And so I think of these programs as an attempt to Dumb Down the viewing public.
    A merger is a necessity because the media industry needs it.
    I just hope the merger doesn’t result in the media still retaining their biased towards National Propaganda. Because I refer to the mainstream NZ media as being the National Party Faithful.

      • Mainstream media. Oh god. What to say? Look at Saturdays leading “sports” story.
        “Key playing golf.”
        Sweet baby cheeses.
        Who cares that a lying, thieving sociopath (who ran away from the mess he created as Prime Minister) does something in a meaningless game of golf, FFS?!!
        So why do they print this shit? Sadly, it betrays the fact that the slimy piece of filth remains dangerously relevant (and therefore needing public ‘approval’ with puff pieces just as during his disastrous Prime ministership) because he is behind the scenes, pulling strings and manoeuvring his bitch Cluxon & associated merry band of Bankers & Corporates friends.
        But yeah, thanks for keeping us up to date with the *news* Sinead, Shayne and other media whores.
        For anyone interested, check out what Chomsky has to say about manufacturing consent.

  5. This is just another Adern boondoggle, a modern day Sink Pig project just like KiwiBuild, KiwiTree, KiwiLighRail and any number of other projects that have failed beyond all expectations.
    Adern has been asked repeatedly to provide an explanation of the benefits but has yet failed to say meaningful whilst blurting out 100 words per minute.

    • Any story is a benefit if it doesn’t include a hole in one by Key and a photo shoot with David Seymour. It reminds me of the bad ole days of Key and Bank “cup of teagate” where Key destroyed a media reporters’ career. But you’re okay with that aye Jays because it’s not Ardern or Labour. Idiot.

    • At least labour has built more social housing than the tories – 13,000 in 5 years. Tories haven’t added to the social housing stock for 25 years and I dont think they will in the future.

  6. With funding like that people only have themselves to blame if they agree to work for minimum wage and find themselves broke.

    #Inflation

  8. People backing the RNZ/TVNZ merger think they are going to get the BBC of NZ.

    It’s more likely they will end up with an early version of Russia Today.

  9. NZ right wing media is very small and wouldn’t have enough power to oppose much.

    What we are seeing is the MSM trying to protect its gravy train with strong overtones of pissed off after doing all the Govt asked and piad them to do.

    • “NZ right wing media is very small and wouldn’t have enough power to oppose much.”

      You are very, very naive.

      • MHK, you have nailed it again, on point and only the loyal, unintelligent blue rinse brigade would think otherwise.

  10. I’m all for the merger, and the sooner the better. (I’d rather an RNZ takeover however – at least of News and Current Affiars. There are a number of things that trouble ]me though, and the whole thing has probably been irreparably fucked up. Over complicating the uncomplicated; feeding the ticket clipper pigs at the trough at a cost of millions, unnecessary ‘rebranding’ worth a few more million; maintaining what is an unnecessary bureaucracy for the sake of 3 or 4 radio channels and 2 or 3 TV channels. (MTS btw, was actually started on a shoe string by comparison. Had it not been for a couple of fellas – Craig Soper and Mark Bullen – Sam Bishara maybe – we’d probably still be waiting for its establishment – even though its becoming a bit fucked up due to the usual contest of egos)
    Then there’s the expectation by private operators that they’re somehow ENTITLED to public money because they think they’re so gorgeous as to be providing a diversity of voice. They CHOOSE to in the commercial environment in which they CHOOSE to operate.
    This whole thing could have been handled better and with less drama. SO far, the only ones that have benefited are the corporate consultants, ‘re-branders’, some in the legal profession and those crying victimhood. All at the expense of those that actually produce content.
    It still hasn’t occurred to most involved – be it the various broadcasters themselves, the pollies, the consultants et al to consider the potential audience I’ve yet to hear of the ‘public’ being referred to as one of the ‘stakeholders’ worthy of proper consultation (in this space, going forward. I could be wrong).
    Emeritus Professor Bob Gregory “over at NEWSROOM” reminds us of some history ( https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/merging-tvnz-and-rnz-some-history ). Not only going from one extreme to the other, but the vandalism our political class was (and still is) responsible for.
    He neglects to mention our PS broadcaster being divested of its other publicly owned assets for commercial gain.

    It could have been so simple.
    No not more, noway. Now even IF it goes ahead, the vindictive gNactoids will probably reverse it, and all those millions that could, and should have gone to producing content will be down the torlit.

  11. Classic how all the lefties on TDB think that NZ media are pro national and the rightness on Kiwiblog think it is a bought an paid mouth piece for the labour party. You can’t both be right and if you think the media in NZ is pro national your delusional

    • Come on, the NZ Herald is a cheerleader for the National Party. How can it be otherwise with columnists like Steven Joyce, Hosking, du Plessis-Allan? Stuff is more centrist but is a long way from being left wing.

      • The bonus with that right wing screamer HDPA herald columns is her husband Barry Soper has to stay home babysitting and we don’t have to put up with his right wing shrill John Key bromance articles.

  12. Hear hear Martyn. What’s more I think that Tame’s questioning verged on hostility at times. True Willy Jackson was not convincing but I don’t think Tame helped matters much.

  14. Good. Outfits like Stuff, which regularly publish calls for genocide by nutters like Sheree Trotter, should be stomped out.

  15. My ideal outcome for a local tv channel would be an absolutely minimalistic one that buys and broadcasts quality overseas content – informative and educational movies, documentaries and art.

    Because I owe none of the local media people a living.

  16. The biggest threat to RNZ is the Government.

    The Primec Minister this week stated that the Government was actively considering defending RNZ.

    She stated that RNZ was in danger of becoming insolvent.

    She was very definitive on this stance. Yet the only way they can.become insolvent is for the state to withhold funding.

    What is the Government’s intention??

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