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Monday, April 15, 2024

Kineta Knight: New Zealanders oppose taxpayer-funded bailouts for private media companies


A new poll shows New Zealanders are opposed to taxpayer money being used to fund struggling private media companies.

A Taxpayers’ Union – Curia Poll has revealed that 55 percent of New Zealanders oppose a bailout, with just 29 percent in support.

Labour voters were the only demographic in support of media bailouts (+7 percent net support), while those aged under 40 were split evenly. A majority or plurality in every other demographic opposed taxpayer-funded media bailouts.

Voters were asked, “You may have heard reports about the proposed closure of Newshub. Would you support or oppose taxpayer money being used to fund struggling private media companies?”

Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager Connor Molloy said, “It comes as no surprise that taxpayers are unwilling to reach into their own pockets to fund media organisations that they are increasingly becoming disillusioned with.

“We know from our previous polling that taxpayer-funding of private media undermines perceptions of independence. With trust in the media already in free-fall, the worst thing the government could do is step in with taxpayer money to bail them out,” Molloy said.

“All businesses must deliver a service of value to get money from their customers. If the government stumps up with taxpayer-money there is no incentive for these companies to change their business model into something consumers trust and value more.

“We should allow those companies that aren’t providing a service people want to fail so that new companies who do create value can take their place.”

The full polling report can be found here.

Kineta Knight is a senior journalist and content producer based in Kaiapoi, North Canterbury. She has worked as a reporter for radio, television, online and print, as well as an editor of lifestyle magazine titles. This article was sourced HERE

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

No way should taxpayers be funding cults. These overpaid journalists are as indoctrinated as hell, seeing only $$$ signs. They don't care what bull they have to preach as long as the money keeps flowing. This is not right. If they are so wonderful, like paddy gower keeps telling us, then they can go private and see who will willingly pay to watch them.

Kiwialan said...

Kineta, TV 1 and RNZ also should not be funded by the NZ taxpayers based on the woke racist opinion pieces they inundate us with. People want factual news and information, not the left leaning biased propaganda dished up by TV, radio and newspapers. If they cannot complete in the real world like any other commercial enterprise they should not be mollycoddled with our hard earnt dollars. Kiwialan.

Anonymous said...

Any talk of canceling Te Karare - the daily half hour of Maori news in te reo ?
Are there any neutral Maori speakers checking it for neutral content ?
What are the viewing figures ?

Surely if this was a private enterprise program it would be gone by lunchtime ?

But no, it's owned by the taxpayers and the TVNZ self appointed guardians of everything Maori would never ever contemplate taking it off air.