Please sign the petition and share on social media. Or print off the attached petition and ask your workmates, neighbours and friends to sign. Please drop off signed pages at my Dunedin office

I write to inform you that TVNZ is unlikely to replace the reporter position recently vacated by Megan Martin which covers the Otago and Southland area.

I have included a partial transcript from a recent select committee between myself and TVNZ CEO Kevin Kenrick where I asked him whether he would commit to replacing Martin’s position, which is part time so that there is more than one reporter to cover an area bigger than Switzerland, Slovenia and Luxembourg combined.

Kenrick would not make the commitment and instead suggested there may be further cuts to regional coverage and that TVNZ was basing its resourcing on population concentration.

I find this very disturbing that a government-owned television network called TVNZ would consider its strategy to be moving towards being more urban-centred and Auckland focussed.

This is another example of regional New Zealand being left behind and considered unimportant. I hope you agree and am asking that you voice your concerns to TVNZ and publicly if you are of a mind to do so.

A year ago a community-driven effort led to Megan Martin’s role being retained by TVNZ. Unfortunately she has left to pursue other interests and the future of the second reporter covering our regions is again in doubt.

If the community speaks up, there is more chance of TVNZ reconsidering its position. I believe that regional New Zealand is poorly served by our television media and that TVNZ should be showing leadership and commitment.

A community petition has been established. I ask that you get behind it and encourage your communities to add their names. The link to the online petition is here https://www.change.org/p/kevin-kenrick-chief-executive-of-television-new-zealand-regional-reporting-matters-restore-otago-southland-tvnz-reporters, and I have attached a physical copy for your convenience.

Kind regards

Clare Curran
MP for Dunedin South

MP for Dunedin South Spokesperson for Broadcasting, Open Government, Civil Defence and Emergency Management

Associate spokesperson ICT and Commerce

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