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TVNZ says it needs to save $30 million.
photo: RNZ / Michelle Tian
TVNZ staff are concerned the upcoming “change process” announced to employees on Thursday could lead to further job losses.
State broadcaster A number of news and current affairs programmes were cancelled earlier this year in a bid to save costs.
E tū union negotiator Michael Wood said TVNZ management was now saying the company needed to raise $30m in annual revenue either by increasing revenue or reducing costs.
A TVNZ spokesperson said they were transparent with staff and had publicly stated they needed to save $30 million as the company worked to deliver its Digital+ 2030 strategy.
“At this stage, we are consulting staff on strategic changes to TVNZ so that we can continue to serve New Zealand audiences in an efficient and cost-effective way.”
The spokesperson said this was not a proposal and no decision had been made.
“In today’s challenging media environment, we must consider all options to ensure TVNZ remains a sustainable media business.
“We don’t have the answers yet and we will be working on this with our employees over the coming months.”
Wood said the news showed a “worrying trend” in New Zealand television.
“TVNZ and E tū members across media have been working hard on the ‘Save Our Stories’ campaign so New Zealanders can continue to have access to media that informs and holds them to account.
“We are therefore concerned that TVNZ is considering further major changes which could result in even deeper cuts than we have already seen.”
Wood said there is some good news, as union members Has successfully advocated on this issue in an employment tribunal And there are now processes in place to engage union members early in discussions about potential changes.
“It is a reality that TVNZ is continually moving towards a digital future, but we will work hard to ensure TVNZ can meet its obligations to New Zealanders while this change occurs, producing high-quality content through skilled and experienced media workers.
“TVNZ and the Government as sole shareholder cannot and should not use this process to abandon news and current affairs and to abandon reporting on the stories that matter to New Zealand.”
Wood said the government needed to intervene “swiftly” to save the media landscape.
“Good journalism is absolutely essential in a well-functioning democracy. That’s why TVNZ needs to be supported as a public broadcaster.
“As traditional media business models become less financially sustainable in the digital age, it makes no sense to allow such an important information and accountability tool to fade away.”
Wood said everyone should be “gravely concerned” about “pure commercial interests” dictating the way New Zealand conducts public disclosures in the future.
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