October 28, 2014
Hooks seen to outsourcing plan
Maori screen production umbrella group Nga Aho Whakaari says Television New Zealand is shirking its responsibility as a public broadcaster by outsourcing production of its Maori and Pacific programmes.
It says the way the broadcaster has handled the announcement shows contempt for its viewers, its Maori Department staff and its funders Te Mangai Paho and New Zealand On Air.
Chair Kim Muriwai says it also won’t deliver cost savings to TVNZ, because the programmes were paid for by the broadcast funding agencies and the broadcaster was able to clip the ticket by producing them in-house.
"To say that there is a commercial reason behind it doesn’t really stack up, and if they were genuine about saying they were outsourcing to provide opportunities for independent companies, then I would hope they will remove any requirements for outside companies to use their resources." she says.
Kim Muriwai says TVNZ has a responsibility as a state entity to ensure a strong Maori voice and presence on a mainstream programming platform.
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