Katherine Rich

National Broadcasting Spokesperson

14 August 2000

Wait for TVNZ charter halts progress

"The much delayed Charter for TVNZ, which is being heralded as a cure-all for television, is nothing more than a feeble excuse to postpone some important broadcasting decisions," National's Broadcasting Spokesperson Katherine Rich said today.

"Most decisions related to broadcasting are on hold until this Charter for TVNZ is developed.

"As a result digital technology, programming changes, and implementing the policies Labour supported prior to the election have all gone on the back-burner.

"Put questions about those issues to the Minister of Broadcasting and the answers will indicate no real progress before the charter is developed.

"But in reality the Charter will be a piece of paper not too dissimilar to TVNZ's current Statement of Corporate Intent; which already deals with issues such as its responsibility to reflect New Zealand culture and to serve the nation's minorities.

"The talkfest will be fascinating but let's not pretend that a Charter is going to change the face of New Zealand broadcasting," Katherine Rich said. "To date, all it has achieved is putting progress on broadcasting into a state of suspended animation."

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