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Tuesday, September 3, 2024

David Farrar: Think if we had sold TVNZ a decade ago


TVNZ has just announced an $85 million loss and a huge $39 million drop in revenue.

I’ve never seen why taxpayers own a commercial media company. There is a case to be made for owing public service broadcasters such as Radio NZ and Maori TV, but not a commercial broadcaster.

Think if ten years ago we had sold TVNZ. It was making a $35 million profit so could have sold for say $400 million. Now think if that $400 million has been invested in say some Netflix shares. They were around US$50 in 2014 or NZ $60. So they could have purchased 6.66 million shares in Netflix. Today those shares are US$692 on NZ$1,105. So we’d have $7.36 billion rather than an asset that is now probably worth close to zero on the open market.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...


"I’ve never seen why taxpayers own a commercial media company" you say.

It is the STATE that owns and controls this medium to tell its lies and to propagandize the fleeced taxpayer.
The STATE does what the STATE wants. The fleeced taxpayer has no say in the matter.

Anonymous said...

Well said anon. Control of the media is key to remaining in power. That is why it owned by the "taxpayer."

Anonymous said...

David, why should the State own Maori TV ?
What are the stats for MTV ?
Why are we, the taxpayers subsidizing a tv station that has a tiny number of viewers .
On either of their 2 channels.
Haven't we given them enough over the last 20+ years that they can stand on their own feet ?
If not by now, when ?
As Willie Jxn said, more people would watch MTV if they put more programs on in English.

In the meantime it will continue to broadcast anti-democracy, anti- government propaganda, paid for by the taxpayers.

Basil Walker said...

TVOne continues with supposedly maori word injections into their programmes that have minimal understanding giving absolutely no continuity and for tourists and visitors complete nonsence . The compelling qiestion is why would normal viewers switch TVOne on and Why would advertises waste money advertising on plunging audience . Then a presenter that has decisd to disfigure her face and expect acceptance by the majority of viewers . Ridiculous.