Despite ongoing financial pressures and widespread public skepticism about propping up failing legacy and state-run media outlets, the Government is pressing ahead with yet another taxpayer-funded media subsidy—this time under the guise of supporting “independent local journalism.”
Media Minister Paul Goldsmith announced that $6.4 million will be handed out over the next four years to fund “council, community and court reporting” across New Zealand, channelled through NZ On Air. The funding will expand programmes like Open Justice and Local Democracy Reporting.
“Regional journalism helps keep communities informed and holds decision-makers to account,” said Goldsmith.
Goldsmith also announced a modest cut to Radio New Zealand’s (RNZ) budget—an $18 million reduction over four years. RNZ will still receiving $67 million of taxpayer money annually.
“This savings initiative recognises that government-funded media must deliver the same efficiency and value-for-money as the rest of the public sector,” Goldsmith claimed.
The announcement comes amid an ongoing “media reform” process, where the Government claims to be working on new legislation to “modernise” the sector. But rather than stepping back, the state seems more determined than ever to embed itself in the news business—using taxpayer dollars to prop up struggling media under the banner of “public service”.
Government sponsored media=censorship so there is no accountability.
“Regional journalism helps keep communities informed and holds decision-makers to account,” said Goldsmith.
If that were true, we’d have accountable local and central government, that actually listens and acts upon, what most people want. Instead, we have arrogance, tyranny, indifference, pandering to interest groups, vanity projects, underfunded essential services and grotesque tax increases, especially from councils, who seem to think rate payers, are an open cheque book. Funny too, how major states like Victoria and New South Wales, Australia can cap rates but here in tiny New Zealand, that seems to be “impossible”.
This is a bloody disgrace. Taxpayers should not be funding RNZ to copy and paste fake news from CNN.
Paul Goldsmith is fool to believe any sum of money paid to these fake news presenters is going to make a difference to the outcome.
Its over Paul.
Agree with above!!
Our Zionist government provides “controlling the narrative” funding to our state owned and controlled “independent” propaganda outlets.
Goldsmith lying like Israel again.
This is the new government, just like the old government. Voting does not work- revolutions do.
Wellington voteforit.nz for a team of independents’ – no more party politics for New Zealand. go to this link for details voteforit.nz
“The people will not revolt. They will not look up from their screens long enough to notice what’s happening” – George Orwell
How did George Orwell (real name Eric Arthur Blair ) know about screens in 1949?
All government-funded media are incentivised to generate propaganda and can never be independent.
If any media truly dares to act independently, then the NZ government will be onto them via the NZSIS https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/558449/nzsis-inquiries-into-former-rnz-journalist-appropriate-spy-watchdog
The govt is funding (via the people of NZ’s hard earned taxes) mis and disinformation yet cracks down on the people for calling out the truth
You’re doing a crummy job and losing money.
You’re one of us, here’s some taxpayer money.
“—an $18 million reduction over four years. RNZ will still receiving $67 million of taxpayer money annually.” – Should read –
an $67 million reduction over four years. RNZ will still receiving $18 million of taxpayer money annually. There fixed it for them.
RNZ = Red radio, a complete misuse of taxpayers hard earned.
Legacy Media keeps the cardboard cutout masquerading as govt
An entourage of paid off crisis actors
Devoid of any substance
Standing upright
The man has to be an idiot. Who in their right mind would fund an organisation that is obviously opposed to your views and principles. If he is trying to buy them it’s too late, they have already been corrupted by the left,
Normal MO where the customers pay presstitutes and mediawhores for their services.
How do I get my tax dollars back, I don’t want to pay for something I don’t listen to or watch! This is fn sick! What a joke 🤬
I don’t know how simon dallow and and his side kicks sleep at night, shame on them.
Where I live we have a free local newspaper and most of the time information about local activities are published in advance; I very much appreciate the delivery and the firstarter. Otherwise it’s Facebook if you want to be scammed. As long as they are not funding the Wiggles it’s ok by me.
My Taxpayer Dollars to any journalists upkeep is an absolute outrage. These loony left lunatics who are nothing other than WEF Puppet WOKE propagandists. The sooner Main stream media fails the better for mankind.
If you hate main stream media already – I promise you , you do not hate them nearly enough.