This is a living document to capture the notes from The Peoples Commission into Public

Broadcasting and Media workshops that are happening in Wellington, Dunedin, Tauranga,
Nelson, Auckland and Nelson from Feb 19th - March 26th.

Comments have been enabled for questions, or clarifications, but edits are not possible.

Our goal with this open document is full transparency in this process, and to allow for New
Zealanders from all around the country to participate from wherever they are.

Notes are being taken by staff and volunteers from ActionStation and the Coalition for Better
Broadcasting.

Find out more about this project at www.makeourmediabetter.org.nz

CONTENTS

Workshop 1: Wellington, Sunday 19th Feb, 11am - 2pm at Meow Cafe

Facilitator
Panelists in attendance
Guest speakers
Number of attendees
Notes

Workshop 2: Dunedin, Sunday 26th Feb, 12.30pm - 3.30pm at Dunedin City Library
Facilitator
Panelists in attendance
Guest speakers
Number of attendees
Notes

Workshop 3: Tauranga, Sunday 5th March, 11am - 2pm at Papamoa Community Centre

Workshop 4: Christchurch, Sunday 12th March, 11am - 2pm at XCHC Exchange

Workshop 5: Nelson, Sunday 19th March, 11am - 2pm at NMIT Auditorium

Workshop 6: Auckland, Sunday 26th March, 1pm - 4pm at Mt Eden Normal Primary School Hall
Workshop 1: Wellington, Sunday 19th Feb, 11am - 2pm at Meow Cafe

Facilitator
Marianne Elliott from ActionStation

Panelists in attendance
Lizzie Marvelly, Mark Jennings, Kay Ellmers, Bill Ralston, and Lance Wiggs

Guest speakers
1. Peter Thompson, Media Academic
2. Steve Maharey, Former Labour Minister
3. Peter Griffin, Science Media Centre
4. Jan Rivers, Scoop Foundation and Public Good
5. Alex Clark, founder of PressPatron
6. Kristen Paterson, Community Access Radio

Number of attendees
45 (not bad for a beautiful Sunday in Welly!)

Notes
Running 15 minutes late to start due to traffic from Round the Bays!
Opening karakia from Kay Ellmers, and mihi to tangata whenua
Introduction of panelists from Marianne Elliott
Marianne explains format of the show:
60 minutes of 5 - 10 minute presentations from experts, time for Q+A
Short tea, coffee and food break
90 minutes workshop to get all the brains in the room inputting into process
Wrap up, thank yous and goodbyes
Marianne explains that sign in sheet is at door, as is koha jar for helping with costs
Myles from CFBB is filming workshop

First speaker: Peter Thompson

Thanks to everyone involved making it happen
Has done 20 years of research in media in NZ
Chair of Coalition of Better Broadcasting
Wants to talk about funding models
Media is crisis -- cliche to say, but issue is serious
Factors: deregulation, no foreign ownership laws, austerity on public broadcasting,
financialisation interest in share price and revenue > public interest. Convergence.
Failing business models. Newspapers hit hard. Sales collapsing. Online advertising
 eaten up by Google and FB. Consolidation and mergers as a result. Big corps trying to
create virtual monopoly.
Upshot: increased market failure. Greater focus on populist clickbait and stories.
Investigative journalism declining.
Netflix and online media is not a replacement for good journalism.
Proposal: a 0.5-1% levy on telecommunications, phone and internet bills, audio visual
retail (e.g. hardware like phones), advertising. Would raise a lot of money = $80 -
$160m. A 1% levy on this could be game-changing to fund public interest journalism.
Could unfreeze RNZ. Could fund noncommercial multimedia broadcaster. Could create a
contestable funding pool for people to apply for funds and resources to do investigative
journalism and public interest stories.
Fund would be fiscally neutral. Ring-fenced. Index linked. Industry wouldnt be badly
affected as they can pass 1% fee on to consumers, e.g. $100 = $101 or $1000 or $1100.
Might be badly affected for advertising industries, but we could make concessions
around that.
Levy model exists in Spain, France, Turkey. Not a wild idea. We have levies in NZ
already.

Questions from panel?

Mark: What level of success has it had in Spain, France and Turkey?
Peter: Ecologies are different than New Zealand so hard to compare, but it is working to
various degrees.
Lance: What would it to do profitability of Telco and media sector?
Peter: Levy is so small, dont think it will make a difference.
Lance: Lots of NZers cant afford it
Peter: Proportional to public expenditure. Area that its tricky is ads because you cant
pass on.
Lance: As an investor, 1% is large. And people will buy less.the internet.
Peter: They wont be paying the tax anyway. Equal to inflation, I dont think this is a big
problem for industry.
Lance: Tax on industry that is barely profitable.
Peter: Telco industry is profitable.
Lance: Media isnt
Lizzie: $80m fund for public broadcasting = good, what about private media e.g. NZME,
Fairfax? Is it at their expense? How will they compete?
Peter: Could increase pot for NZ On Air, contestable funding that local commercial
media could access. Commercial media would be first in pot likely.
Peter recommends checking out his chapter in Reimagining Journalism for all.

Second speaker: Steve Maharey

Thanks everyone. Feels deja vu since 1980s has been in conversations like this.
Acknowledges Graham Kelly - thanks him for contribution for NZ music
How we popularise this debate and make it important to NZers?
 Look at whats happening around the world. Genuine interest in medias role in politics.
References Brexit and Trump.
People are worried about echo chambers and bubbles. Commercial media driven to
micro-target people because ads = money.
Means people only get news that reinforces their point of view. This is at the heart of why
we want quality public broadcasting.
Public broadcasting helps national identity. We might be diverse but we hear about each
other. We might be different be have common values. Helps multiculturalism thrive.
Identity is left to Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson, but we need a progressive narrative
and leaders can do. One of the way to do that is through public broadcasting.
As Labour Minister in 80s/90s was key in driving robust public broadcasting, wanted full
range from local to national to culture. Lots of things happened. Quotas for NZ music,
more money for RNZ. TVNZ Charter. Good balance for a Government dealing with
economic downturn.
The only thing that has survived from this era is music. Everything else is gone.
We need to bring it back. Need to find an enduring funding public model for journalism
and broadcasting.
Thinks we should perhaps sell TVNZ. Worth $200m.[asked Bill - $400m quoted in 2000,
but worth half that now] Sale price would go up if they prepared for sale. TVNZ doesnt
have much to do with public interest, no reason to have it in public ownership.
Could use money to build multimedia platform in public ownership and interest. Needs
radio, TV, social media etc. Requires some input from Gov funding every now and again.
That endowment would allow independence and for the org to do a lot more than RNZ
can currently. Could build robust platform. Put money in Trust.
Very hard to get Gov to commit ongoing large amounts but this upfront injection could
make it more politically palatable.
Can expand on RNZ and existing platforms.

Questions from the panel?

Lance: How much money would go to each? (Question was how much money do you
believe such a fund would be able to pay out each year)
Steve: 10% of $250m to a fund for public interest broadcasting
Lance: 10% is far too high, 3-5% is a better estimate of what a fund could not contribute.
What does $10m give us? [LW afternote - Superfund returned only 8.34% over the last
10 years, and they are world class and dont spend their funds along the way]
Steve: Symbolic sum, says Trust/Gov are serious. Independent money. Wouldnt pay
whole amount.
Lance: How much do we currently earn from TVNZ
Bill: $12 million per year
Lance: So we are already Earning more from TVNZ than a fund would deliver
Steve: Owning commercial channel in these times doesnt make sense. Needs public
interest focus.
Bill: Would you put NZ On Air 100% toward NZ?
 Steve: Public broadcasting isnt just about NZ content, should be international for sure.
That is in public interest. NZ On Air fund should fund all forms of media.
Mark: How feasible is to expect Gov to sell because sales of public assets are
unpopular?
Steve: It will be as acceptable as anything else in politics. Comes back to central
question. How do you drive public to care? Need to sell public on benefits, recognise its
not easy. But we need to try by at least getting the issue and debate out there.

Third speaker: Was going to be Ruth Harley, but family illness. Will try and get her input in
another way.

Fourth speaker: Peter Griffin, Science Media Centre

Modest solution I am proposing.
Element of unfinished business. Tried to get it off the ground previously. Didnt work.
Lots to learn from that.
Small not for profit investigative journalism unit funded by crowdfunding and high net
worth individuals.
Science Media Centre, all about evidence based reporters.
Reality is no science reporters are left. General reporters trying to cover complex issues
trying to do the best they can with very limited resources. Imperative of clickbait and
eyeballs makes this hard.
$750k yearly funding for Science Media Centre. Has 4 staff. Supported by MBIE
(http://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/about/)
Good set-up, could do more.
Leave him with question if there is appetite to do more. Got Fulbright Scholarship &...
Went to visit ProPublica and Public Integrity has $10m/yr. Raised more in 2017 so far
than whole of 2016. Definite appetite in US.
Looked at project called Dollars for Dots. No disclosure regime between pharmaceuticals
and doctors. Making doctors millionaires. No disclosure. Lots of lawsuits. Outcome: GSK
had to make it public on website. ProPublica funded data pull from this act. This fuelled
the sunshine act which mandates the public exposure.
Example of modest resources = big change.
Could we do this in NZ? Mini Pro-Publica.
Has spent a year working on this, Public Eyes, got nonprofit status. But then died.
Not for lack of interest from high net worth individuals and public. But because journalists
were running it and not business people.
Could we capture 1% of money we give to ????
We dont know because untested. But examples like Spinoff provide proof of appetite in
NZ.
Only part of solution, but could make a key difference. Can work in partnership.
ProPublica works with CNN for example for prize winning journalism projects.

Fifth speaker: Jan Rivers (saving questions for both til end)
 Thanks everyone. Intro: Trustee of Scoop Foundation.
Activist in the issue of public good. Focus has been on open government and
transparency.
Scoop Foundation is owner of Scoop. Role is public interest journalism. Seeking to
become charity. Raised $100k in 2016. Wants $80k this year.
Ethical paywall. Great search engine. Supporter database of 1000. Second piece of
investigative journalism launching soon, first was on post-natal depression.
Experiments with pol.is (tool for online conversations) have been taking place on
website.
Problems faced by media are wicked and multi-faceted. Presenters before me have
made this clear.
Why is public interest impt? Single most important force at shaping our impressions.
When news fails we fail to grapple with world problems. Seeing this in world.
Scoop did some analysis on in-depth articles. Freerange Press have been doing good
work in this space. MediaWatch on RNZ doing good work. AS and CBB doing good
work. No shortage of good ideas. Civics & Media project has identified 30.
Proposal: This project prepare a Bill for presentation to Gov. Not just a report. (Need to
speak to Jan to fill in what Bill should contain)
Important to develop civics skills in public. By 2030 we need to ensure all NZers are well
informed and have the skills they need to bring about change. Talking about it is not
enough. Need way to have information base and critical thinking skills to combat social
media. Need shared not atomised media space.
Need to move away from frictionless news. The uncomfortable views that are not like
ours. Pluralistic society is one where we offer and respect diversity.
Need to stop giving airtime to manufactured outrage.

Questions from panel?

Audience member: Fundamentally this is about protecting journalism. Tendency to invest
in tech over journalist. Do you prioritise institutions over journalists?
Jan: There are threats to journalists and institutions in terms of self censorship, in terms
of policy changes diminishing good work. We need to deal with both.
Peter: Need to deal with both.
Lizzie: To Peter Griffin -- arent you simply replicating? Investigative journalists exist.
Cant we give money to them directly?
Peter: Meant to complement, not take away from with high-quality focus because there is
more time/resource/space to go deeper. High net worth individual might not put money in
NZME, but might put money in nonprofit with Charter and mission.
Kay: How does philanthropic funded journalism sitting alongside state funding?
Peter: Scale is modest, e.g. $5m. Not a replacement for state funding.
Lance: Peter how much is your budget? What about anti-science groups funding? Would
be good to get actual number on it.
 Peter: $750k/year, paid by MBIE. Hard to know lobbyist funding = perhaps 10xJan: Near
impossible. Research in UK recently came out that shows lack of transparency in think
tanks. Would be interesting to know.
Lizzie: Is Scoop the org that publishes press releases? Is that in the public interest?
Jan: Yes, I believe it is. In 2014, got a press release on TiSA -- was confused as to why
she hadnt heard of it. Couldnt find anything in MSM. Looked on Scoop, found 5 stories.
Was able to dig deeper thanks to that.
Lizzie: Might have anti-science press releases, how is that in public interest?
Jan: Scoop curates content. Critical of news.

Sixth speaker: Alex Clark

Background media researcher and entrepreneur.
Founder of PressPatron, launched last week.
No single answer but each are strong pillars.
None are easy, and that means we shouldnt dismiss them right away. Levy and
endowment and crowdfunding can work together.
Alex gives support to Peter Thompsons idea.
Research in how much people are prepared to pay for journalism.
Industry average for paywalls is 0.5% visitors pay this.
Research showed people are more willing to give more if payment is voluntary.
Want to support mission if you make it part of your membership.
Seems counter-intuitive, but open model might get larger audience and more revenue in
long-term.
People want to pay for quality. So if you want people to pay, you have to have top-notch
quality.
Research showed complaints about clickbait, widespread, entertainment clicks doesnt
mean people care about it.
Contribution model shifts incentive structures from what people will click to what people
care about.
Press Patron campaign for Public Address currently up. If you feel generous please visit.

Questions from panel?

Steve: Do you think ownership matters in public broadcasting? Is it institutions that are
most important or content? Which model would you follow?
Alex: All important, each needs to be strengthened. Each pursuing in slightly different
ways. Could expand existing platforms and contents at RNZ and NZME and Fairfax.
Needs boost and props in all areas good work is happening. Helps balance out
commercial incentives.

END OF THIS SECTION INTO KAI, TEA & COFFEE

Selection of highlights from each table:

Bill Ralstons table on governance / ownership the model
Immediately got involved in debate about content and platforms
Remarkable amount of consensus about the need for independence and
non-commercial
Should be broadly publicly owned
Question if it should be publicly funded or private or mix. Outcome on table: both, but
definitely state funding needed.
Should it be one single institution or a range? Giant NZ On Air or something else.
Decision was split in all three groups.
One option that come through a couple times was to sell part or all of TVNZ and use that
money to fund public broadcaster. Point needs to be made that 3 - 5% return is not a lot
for publicly funded and public interest journalism
Hard to stay focussed on arts, culture, etc and lots of reverting back to news/journalism
Lots to work through over the next few months

Kay Ellmers table on content

Why should state fund? Broad themes: informed citizenry for democracy, watchdog to
state, media plays role in nation building, broadens perspectives, develops critical
thinking. Cant leave this job to the market.
What should state fund? Current affairs and news - lots of support. Lots of appetite for
hyper local news. Need for better new services for youth and children. People want next
voting generation to be informed. Appetite for drama and comedy, but want local focus.
Mori perspectives need to be well represented, and diverse content of other significant
minorities important. Appetite was more focussed on educational and facts at table than
anything else.
Went into platform conversation, general thinking was we need lots of things for different
people. Distribution mechanisms need to suit the audience.

Lances table on funding

Why should we do public funding? Because profit motive is bad. Need to hear facts,
things like preventative health is important for people to know. Better health outcomes.
Elections would be better if we have good media. Trump.
How should we do funding? Government should just pay. Recognition neither National
or Labour have funded this. MMP means a single one or two platform individual could
get a policy through? Lots of talk about that. MBIE is funding public sector broadcasting
through Callaghan Innovation and Science Media Centre. Some of the things exist.
Talked about tax levy and how it would work, complexity and inefficiency versus returns.
There was some support for it. Recognised it was politically hard to get through. People
were willing to pay for no ads.
What should we fund? Should go to content creators, not corporations. Journalists need
to get paid! Private sector perhaps guilty of not innovating enough, not keeping up with
pace of change. We should lobby Government for more funding. Should be more
bundling of news and products.
Jan Rivers (previously Mark but he had to get taxi) table on other
Conversation about how do we trust journalists? Specific individuals but what about
institutions.
No science journalists left is problem. RNZ has lost lots of senior journalists.
Dumbing down is it because of austerity or something else?
Mori TV is closest analogue we have to public broadcasting with current affairs
coverage and longform interviews with both sides.
Talked about philanthropic funding or state funding, whether need both or one and if
they are competing.
Talked about media as social glue. All other English speaking countries have TV public
broadcasting. We are odd ones out. What must it be like for people coming into this
country? Level of shock for immigrants that there is no public broadcaster, makes
integration difficult.
Lack of charters a problem

Lizzies table on platforms

Lots of heated discussion. No consensus. Was good.
Why is platform relevant: different access/audiences. Platforms determine reach and
audience.
How: NZ On Air should be expanded to fund written journalism. Should find connectors
and bridges to audiences to combat echo-chambers. Public broadcasters should act as
curators of trusted content, not just creators.
What:
Need an ethical oath for journalists!
A commons site for content where articles go to die but searchable
Broadcasting standards should go across social media as well
Platform should recognise grassroots concern
Publicly funded Listener type magazine
What do people actually want to watch? Candy vs vegetables argument.
Should we focus on existing platforms and boost them rather than something
new? Could fragment.
Can we have all NZ content in one place?

Workshop 2: Dunedin, Sunday 26th Feb, 12.30pm - 3.30pm at Dunedin

City Library

Facilitator
Marianne Elliott from ActionStation
Panelists in attendance
Lizzie Marvelly, Shamubeel Eaqub, Bill Ralston

Guest speakers
1. Barry Stewart, ODT
2. Jeff Harford - Otago Access Radio, Hills Radio Trust local music

Number of attendees
45 (not bad for a sunny Sunday!)

Notes
Barry Stewart - editor in chief Allied Press and editor ODT
2 daily newspapers and 11 community papers
Regional TV station
Websites
Regional reach at heart of plans for future
420 FTE employees
Cautious in charging into digital world at expense of paper
Strength is hyper-local coverage and connection with community
Opened doors to free content but now we are paying for it and no-one else is
students and young people consuming more content than ever before. Dont consider
having to pay for it - a problem for those who write and consume news.
Newspapers provide c70% of revenue for newspaper companies
Funding for journalism stretched
Merger Fairfax and NZME - watching
A metered paywall on site will work for us - wont give away content for free
Makes economic sense to draw a line in the sand
First website launched in 2008
Cannot win clickbait war, so we are investing in what we do best - engaging with
community
Readers and advertisers want to be associated with facts, not made up lists
masquerading as journalism
Video seems to be the flavour of the month - we are pursuing. Have received NZ on Air
funding - not as much as reality TV gets - has given new opportunities
Video journalists deliver content to websites throughout day, package best the South
Today - broadcast on TV to Dunedin and Inv,
Ability to script and take videos - an essential tool of trade.
Have to have multiple skills to survive in a modern newsroom
Growth in PR/Comms people - often just another barrier
Dont write off old media yet - life yet in hardcopy papers, radio, and 6pm TV news
Citizen journalism, social media, blogs - no respect for facts and ethics (eg defamation)
 Greatest asset is print mastheads - reputation for strength, trust, fairness and accuracy
Training is important for young journalists - journalism training organisations will have to
train people to be multi-skilled to fit into the modern day newsroom
Challenging reporters to pick up their Iphone and go out on a story - competing with
instant news cycle
Have to get reach out - all about social media, getting stories to reach the people.

Bill - Last week Steve Maharey talked about need for an institution, but could you have not an
institution, but just more funding spread among providers. Do you want another monolithic
institution or see spread?

Barry - would like to see spread - NZ on air was competitive funding round. Organisations like
AP well able to use funds. Have had protests down here about cutting of resource - eg TVNZ
and TV3. Advantage - if funding goes to us its going to a well resourced machine

Bill - importance of regional input

Barry - tailor events we cover - still have print for more considered issues. Video will not work for
some reporting (eg Council meetings) - resourcing - have to supply multiple channels - journalist
has to make content for different groups

Lizzie - South Island seems to buck trend - print papers, TV news. How will you survive when
papers die?

Barry - when we look at revenue streams - part of bigger picture. Not naive enough to think
things wont change. Challenge is to provide content across platforms.

Lizzie - will you look at youth focussed content (ie a really well written listicle)

Barry - have picked up in last 18 months - ODT insight. We barely have enough reporters to
cover everything. Insight allows us to create more challenging content. Articles take a couple of
weeks. Put videos with them - cant do this offline. We have to look at how we present, what we
deliver. Who is reading us? UNiversity a classic eg - 25k people a year in town. We would love
them to be subscribers, but the boat has sailed - need to look at ways to engage with the
audience - innovative ideas.

Question - 40k circulation achieved by focussing on local things that no-one else covers. So
with public broadcasting too - need to tell our stories in depth.

Barry - we are a community newspaper with a metropolitan masthead. We are proud of that and
what we do. We get 2-3% declines over a year but other metropolitan newspapers are double
digit decline. We have an interesting demographic - conservative rural community have stuck
loyally to us. Our challenge to keep this up.
Marianne - when Myles (CBB), Laura and I thinking about this - never any question need to
come to Dunedin - place of ODT in wider ecosystem of public broadcasting. Dunedin is a very
interesting place in terms of broadcasting and media.

Jeff Harford - Otago Access Radio, Hills Radio Trust local music
Imagine radio that recognises diversity, belief systems, ages etc of community it serves
Represents interests of the many and the few
Imagine radio which challenges achievements of local artists
Imagine well informed and passionate presenters offering full immersion experience
How would it be if radio created in that environment went to air on a station that focussed
not on returning profit but sharing
This radio exists - Otago Access Radio in Dunedin and 11 other stations in NZ
480 programmes, 40 languages
Some contact shared across stations but each station connected with its city
200 volunteer broadcasters
Acknowledge crucial support received from NZ on air - without them wouldnt be
possible. NZ on Air - obligation under s36(c) Broadcasting Act
NZ on Air spent $1.7m last year on Jono and bEn
Faces challenges as support shrinks
Finite and shrinking pool of charities
For 2 of OARs 4 staff, most time spent trying to get money from charities
We are a not for profit. Commercial imperatives would threaten the essence of what we
do, which is not about keeping all listeners glued to our stations at all times. But e seek
sponsors and advertising in same space as commercial cousins
Have to engage in audience surveys to talk audience numbers with advertisers
Because diversity driven, some shows do have a small audience
When cost is a barrier to participation, participation drops. Then diversity narrows and
communities are challenged.
Challenges around visibility - raising profile is top of list for OAS. Want people to know
about content they can access across platforms.
So use resources to save RNZ but dont forget about access radio. Advocate for
increased funding in our sector. Tune in to access stations. Give them oxygen. Speak of
them as important part of NZ broadcasting landscape.

Lizzie - If there was to be support for access radio through RNZ umbrella, would that be
workable?

Jeff - i would wonder what the point was. There is one otago based reported for RNZ. It is under
resourced in this part of the country.

Lizzie - what i am seeing emerging is real focus on local, and how important for local
communities to be represented. Would you support RNZ assisting comm radio to empower?
Jeff- look at relative value. $2.27m across 12 stations. RNZ have different priorities from us.

Lizzie - how do you ensure editorial control (eg what if a presenter was misinforming the
public?
Jeff - we take risks. Thats pretty cool. Broadcaster signs a contract. But we are aware we
expose ourselves to risk. Have been with station nearly 6 years, never been an issue. MEntor
people to talk about what matters in an appropriate manner. Have filter on to assess people. Not
aware of it being an issue. Most controversial thing across access was Darren Watson not being
able to play Planet Key song.

Bill - interested in video? Podcasts?

Jeff - a lot of community orgs make podcasts. More and more the value is in the afterlife, being
able to share podcast is really critical. Eg - Braille show - made videos alongside to promote
braille. But would we sit camera in studio for the hell of it? Not a priority. What would be the
value.

Q - 1999-2002 - threat to access radios was spectrum, the space. Private broadcasters trying to
squeeze out.

Jeff - cant talk with authority on that. We still broadcast on AM and FM. There are people with
transistor radios still out there. May be an issue in other parts of country.

Q - 20 years - never restricted in what i can say. All journalists are biased.

Q - DO access radio stations negotiate with NZ on air - is this satisfactory, or should each
station get a percentage of what's allocated.

Jeff - i dont represent the collective 12 stations here. Assoc of community access broadcasters.
They have a responsibility to lobby. Do they do so strongly enough? However it happens, a
small increase across the board would help secure access radio stations future.

Themes -
Bill - governance, ownership and structure
Lizzie - platform (the different methods of delivery of content)
Shamubeel - funding
Marianne - content - the kind of content that matters
Allie - other

Allie
- Real concern about the information we are receiving from the media
- Perception of political bias from the mainstream media
 - What should we be doing as consumers?
- What should broadcasters be doing?
- To ensure that we can make informed assessments about the perspectives of that
content.
- Infrastructure - how our media is provided is sometimes marginalising people.
- e.g. who is responsible for providing the basic infrastructure for access?
- Making sure that information is accessible to all of us
- Need education:
- Educating our journalists: understanding how to work in a non-biased fashion,
recognise the importance of diversity
- Educating all of us: especially young people, there is no such thing as a
completely unbiased media - more critical consumers of media

Marianne

It's difficult to talk about content without talking about platforms

The importance of the WHY - why we need high quality content
Members of our communities need to be informed
The importance of high quality public interest content for children
Opportunities that might exist around existing content - eg partnerships between public
education and public broadcasting
If one option is that we focus on content, then the other component - funding
infrastructure, platforms
Structures matter - having publically owned and accountable media structures is in itself
important as well as having a wide range of content across platforms
Concerns where lines become blurred between publicly funded media and private
interests - there are pros and cons, but need to be aware of the risks
Do we need TV? Could Radio NZ work across wider platforms?
Choice of platforms is seen as positive but don't want to lose ability to access traditional
forms
Issues around tax and funding
Taxing distribution forums like facebook is a conversation that needs to happen

Shamubeel

Funding is so critical in terms of relevance, content

Big challenges for funding - around sufficiency and sustainability. There isnt sufficient
funding available at the moment. We will see political interference - ie Trump, Brexit. The
sinking lid.
We have been there before with levies - was proposed in 2012 and knocked back
Australia is trying to tax google, facebook etc.
The problem is not that the tax dollars aren't available, they're not ring fenced
Not only do we need to find sufficiency of funding
 We need to provide a buffer between politicians and the funding that happens
Need for plurality of views - value of democracy
Make sure enough money is available that is fit for purpose and meets public interest
test
Is all of the programming meeting the public interest test now?
What about regional requirements - funding needs to go outside Auckland and
Wellington
Funding will frame an important part of the recommendations

Lizzie - summarising the platform discussion

- Importance for democracy - so that the public can be well informed
- Why is diversity of platform important?
- Diversity of accessibility (lack of captioning on TVNZ on demand)
- Diversity of ideas
- When you lose a platform, in a disaster, you need another
- Different producers matter because te reo Maori is important
- Dont want to lose what we have
- Want more options rather than less
- How do we fix it?
- NZ on Air needs to adjust strategy for regional content
- Important to have content for children
- How do we tell the NZ story
- A centralised content hub
- A free-to-access, publicly funded commons for NZ media
- What is missing?
- Missing cohesion and common
- Proliferation of platform has caused a kind of fragmentation of discussion and a
kind of chas
- A way of rating the quality of different kinds of content
- Need media literacy in our education system. Young people need to know how to
critically assess media.

Bill - structure/model
- Is is a funding body or a broadcasting
- The perspective slid from group to group
- First group had a producer, didnt want to go back to a single gatekeeper
- If you were a broad funder, you could also be the aggregator of the content that you
have funded
- Take over RNZ, put all the money from NZ on Air back into a publicly controlled
broadcaster
- Is it another funder? Is it part of RNZ? Is it a new Leviathon of public media
- It has to be publicly owned (could have private providers)
- Board should be
 - Do not trust politically appointed Boards, they always refer back to their political masters
- Keep the Board away from the politicians

Workshop 3: Tauranga, Sunday 5th

March, 11am - 2pm at Papamoa
Community Centre
21 people

Myles Thomas greeted everyone

Charlie Tawhiao - karakia te mata

(opening)

Expert Speakers

Charlie Tawhiao Manager of Tauranga Moana Radio & Chair of Ngi Te Rangi

Iwi radio can be in our own bubble good to get out into other people's bubbles
pubic media gets us out of our bubbles.
Recently was challenged after giving a karakia at another event. Made me
realise that not everyone agrees with me. It is good to hear other perspectives
even when we dont agree with them.
Licence fee was once used to fund public media and Mori language and culture.
Made us very accountable.
Speaking Mori and the language central to Mori culture, important because
only way of maintaining the authenticity of Mori culture every native thing we
have in Aotearoa has a Mori name, [it is the language connected to our physical
place] Iwi radio a means of maintaining Mori Culture, and language.
Iwi radio gone from most regulated to least regulated radio in NZ It started
loud
Radio about raising cultural awareness
Fragmented media landscape has been difficult for iwi radio
Act says that radio must be for raising [the profile and understanding] of Mori
Culture and Language
Urban Mori issues is changing, and changing the way that Mori culture is
presented
For example, Mai FM [Auckland Radio station, formerly Iwi owned] has a
brown and Polynesian sound where Mori culture (especially urban Mori)
culture is heading today
Reason why I am here I want to sustain a place for Mori, I want to sustain it,
 dont expect anyone else to although others are welcome to help
Policy of the Crown is incentivising different Iwi tearing each other apart
effective Mori media would make the environment much less damaging for each
Iwi
Disengagement of young people from existing iwi radio seen as too much
talking and discussion need to find new ways of reaching these people

In the words of Kora band Song culture, they say never give up on your
culture, because when one dies another
takes its place.

Ptai // Questions

Shamubeel (SE) On the subject of

diversity of viewpoints, left to its own
devices would we have a Mori voice on
our airways?

Charlie Im known for being a diplomat

one of the less considerate members of
my board accused me of being tame the
only time that things happen for us
[Iwi/Mori] is when we take direct action
(eg dropping a tree over a road) Im more
interested in the result does direct action achieve what needs to happen all the
time? Does that answer your question? maybe?

SE if we didnt have PB would it just happen anyway? Would the Mori voice
diminish?

CT People look back fondly on the past, before Te Mngai Paho [Mori
Broadcast Funder] when iwi radio was [clandestine] it has become more
sophisticated and bureaucratic. So, would it have happened, yes, but it wouldnt
have grown to where it has, it would be very different and wouldnt have gotten at
far as it has.

Kaye Ellmers Mori voice, world views: how important to look beyond public
broadcasting and not be stuck on iwi radio and Mori TV?

Charlie Tawhiao Risk of mainstreaming the Mori viewpoint. Need to avoid

risking Mori views.

Reason for listening to RNZ is that it makes me feel included as a NZer and as
Mori but need to be able to make other people feel included too. 80% of Mori
 not speaking their language [need to make them feel connected too]. I like
French language because French fanatical about protecting their language and
culture. Mori have a lot of work to do.

Audience question: How do you think that current funding models for iwi radio will
react if their was just one umbrella funding model?

CT: Been a concern for some time so far it has been about protecting culture
rather than language. Once you have a funding model, it is very hard to give it up
(regardless of how bad it is). We are moving from promoting a Mori world-view
only, to promoting the language. Young people attracting, convincing, then
holding them in to iwi radio listenership. In all of our interests to have an act [of
Parliament] to hold to account iwi radio to the wider-public.

Question from floor Non-supporters of public media use an excuse that

proliferation of all media makes public funding unnecessary. Is fragmentation
causing this?

CT There is a case for public radio because of this fragmentation.

Leaving it to the market will diffuse our cultures and stories.

Politicians role is to manage the power of the market. We dont have a publically
funded newspaper, TV, just radio. Why is this? Because Radio is so accessible
such as when driving cars. Radio is in the background. Will it be the same in the
future?

We have a responsibility to do what we can to resist the powers of the market.

Myles what do Mori think of Mori TV?

CT Mori are proud of it, being visible. But only a third of Mori watch it. It
reinforces my language courses. And it has some good programming but Mori
TV doesnt have to do this alone.

Audience question: Does the Mori community have the ability to access media
on new platforms?

CT difficult for older people to access. Its a generational thing. Most Mori
young people have a mobile platform.

MT Young Mori are extremely early adopters of new platforms including social
media, as found by Mori TV research.

Audience member might be harder for Mori to produce media? While the
consumption is fine.
 CT Gives everyone the chance to be famous. Never enough funding. A matter
of resource allocation. NZOnAir never going to get it right but doing a good job.

Geoff Lealand, Associate Prof, Waikato University

Committed to defending and supporting public broadcasting

Need for better funded RNZ; celebrating Mori TV
As an educator, I try to expose students to all kinds of media, all kinds of views, all
kinds of experiences. Media bubbles or echo chambers gathering with people of
a like mind or like values. Futility of arguing on Facebook. Homogenised worlds or
sanitised tribes. Need to hear New Zealand voices and hear New Zealand stories;
combat neoliberal view that it doesnt matter where content comes from.
Conducted research into use of New Zealand screen content in New Zealand
schools. Teachers are strong advocates of seeing the local. Concluded that
students respond best to screen content that corresponds to their experiences,
identities, and age. Needs to reflect bicultural realities than monocultural histories
taught in the past.
Child audience still a primary audience for television.
Competition must remain paramount? Or does free markets travel towards market
dominance? Decision to merge FairFax and NZME domination of New Zealand
media by one company.
Ratings are deeply flawed. Ratings are not about what people watch on television
Neilsen measures presence in a room where a television is on and anecdotally,
many TV producers admit its a fiction, but its the system they have to work with.

Questions // Ptai
KE - No quality assurance checks in ratings measures how can NZOnAir measure
how many people are watching the content they are funding?

GL Webseries are very difficult. Philosophically, the idea of opening up to younger

players is good but the formula is difficult.

Wayne Turner Recently started producing a web-series. Applying for funding

included a 20-page proposal including audience demographics etc. Quality of project
and projected audience was less important than funding production houses and
producers that they are familiar with discount any production that they are not
familiar with. Claim to be open to new ideas, but the truth is that they are not. Likes
on Facebook arent transparent could be bought.

MT What should conceptions of what an audience is change to?

GL - Not who is watching what, but who is responding how much they liked the
 programme, whether they would like to watch more? Moving to a more qualitative
measure. Absurdity of 55+ demographic.

KE How much do you spend on research versus generating content?

GL - $5m to run Neilsen ratings every year but data that is a week or day old is
useless because it is used to sell advertising space, not to see what effect the
content has on the community. Radio New Zealand is the most popular station in
New Zealand, but you wouldnt know it.

Audience Member The most station in Auckland is other: ethnic radio stations, iwi
radio etc. If new stations want to be included in ratings, need to pay $10,000. Other
stations havent paid to be included so they arent defined.

GL Data on most popular shows last year is no longer available.

Jym Clark Website makes Radio NZ the most widely used news source, fullstop.
Why is this is it because the content is great, or because there are few other
options?

GL Government ministers are now appearing more regularly on public radio.

Audience Hugely concerned that there are two broadcasting schools in Tauranga,
but no students are here.

Workshops with Public around two tables

Subject 1 - The WHY

Why do we need public media? Is it
important?

Kays Table

Its educational.
It features diverse subject matter,
including social issues that are
important to NZ
Gets audiences out of their bubble
Its a utility like roads, police
A democratic platform a watchdog!
More likely to have local content its important to see ourselves
A place for politicians to engage
 It is accountable to the public
Builds communities

Shamubeels Table

Public Good
Balance - journalistically, its unbiased
Choice for audiences
Inclusive Voice subject matter that includes all segments of NZ
Values vs Commercial Viability - ???
Localism can include local media and local
audiences
Diversity Serving diverse across many
spectrum, and more likely to embrace diversity
on screen
NE - ???
Civil defence Emergency responsibility
Questioning of authorities, business, religious
and governmental
Marginalised Dialogue Conversations and
discussions of significance that dont make it into
the public sphere, ie public policy

Subject 2 - The WHY NOT

What are the barriers and problems faced

Kays Table

Funding
Representation for Mori
Small population
Lack of legislation/regulation
Vulnerable to political whims
Monopoly, not enough independent media
Commissioning editors at the networks some have been there for decades
Need a funding mechanism
Currently too market driven
Tensions between market and public good
Journalists in commercial environment not given enough time to prepare
Who makes the decisions about what has value?
Market gets away with failure, Public service cant fail (regarding public
service outcomes)
 Access for all ie UFB
Ratings failed measures
Sensationalist news, personality journalism, FAKE news
Audience now accustomed to junk food and not aware of what theyre
missing
NZ On Air funded content only screenable on market driven platforms, limits
output to commercial content
Political influence on content via withdrawal of funding

Shamubeels Table

Funding, in particular funding that is apolitical and independent

Political Will
Old Farts older generations hogging positions of power instead of handing
over to next generations
Worthy Content A mistaken impression that ublic media is only about
high-brow content for older generations.
Accessibility internet usage
Legisaltion the 1989 Broadcasting Act is not fit for purpose
Evaluation of Outcomes (Ratings) TV and radio ratings cannot be trusted,
and even worse internet clicks are highly unreliable
The battle in Journalism vs PR
Population Apathy disengaged public are accustomed to not being heard
Commercial will want access to public
funding
Technology, Fragmentation (dilution,
diversity) Tech advances resulting in
audience fragmentation weaken the
public good benefits of public media

Subject 3 - The FIX

Solutions, ideas and maybes

Funding:

Kays Table

A Reuters Agency, an independent

fund for news and current affairs,
protected from inflation to fund
long-form, investigative journalism
Levy on ISPs
An additional tax on tax returns
 Venture capitalism
philanthropy
sponsorship
TV licence fee, includes any delivery device inc smart phones
Levy on platforms

Shamubeels Table

PBS model?
Levy the infrastructure a targeted tax on
Limited to publicly owned platforms only

Content:

Kays table

Must be appealing to audiences, diverse, helpful

Include social issues
Social responsibility and not entertainment
need a checklist for content for platforms to stick to, genre based allocations
Important to not worry about small audiences for some content as still
important that it is there and available whats the point if no-ones
watching? doesnt wash
Quota on commercial providers

Shamubeels Table

Evaluation Better evaluation needed of content for quality and innovation

Platforms:

Kays Table

Public Service Broadcast platform or

quota
Free UFB
Start a real public service television
broadcaster
RNZ goes to TV as well
Better scheduling of NZonAIr funded
material
 Shamubeels Table

Cross Platform requirement

Public broadcast network like TVNZ7
On demand and on other platforms like Netflix and Lightbox

Governance:

Kays Table

Need for qualitative research

Govt owned
Boards, who are they appointed by?
An NGO trust that holds the fund?
A watchdog agency to look at output? BSA? CBB?

Shamubeels Table

Independent of Govt
Renovate 1989 Legislation1
Transparency of Funding to Commercial companies2
Commissioner - Establish a Commissioner of Media

Karakia whakamutunga (closing) Kaye Elmers

2:15 pm

Workshop 4: Christchurch, Sunday 12th March, 11am - 2pm at XCHC

Exchange

Christchurch
XChc, 376 Wilsons Road
Sunday 12th March 2017, 11am-2pm
33 people present

Panel: Mark Jennings (MJ)

Lizzie Marvelly (LM)
Lance Wiggs (LW)

Expert speakers:
Donald Matheson Lecturer in Media and Communication, Canterbury University

Were at a key moment in media and broadcasting. Journalism and role in society
changing.
NZ has healthy public culture, strong freedom of expression, but diff business model.
Many new media companies, Google etc, not investing heavily in journalism.

Here are 4 key words: independence, investment, pluralism, diversity.

Independence significant risks to media independence family ownership, media moguls,

lack of local ownership, local content and investment at risk. Revenues declining.

Investment: most investment now in web-based media, niche media, more than broad-based.
State investment limited by amount and subject. Investment in other things book companies,
events companies and peripherals to journalism.

Pluralism: Media concentration world-wide 6 large companies own 90% media. Finland also
an example a shift to social media. NZ proposed mergers eg: NZME and Fairfax. NZ has no
cross-media ownership regulation very open. NZ ranked with Hungary, Turkey for media
pluralism as such a small number of media voices.

Diversity: State funding for public broadcasting is norm elsewhere. NZ very little and
exceptional. Most countries have licence fee or fully funded public broadcaster, so better able to
correct market failure. NZ does not measure up well re minority voices etc. Social media gives
platform for those who do well in other media, so social media does not solve the problem.
Amateur operations are significant in serving local community and diversity of voices, but no
funding for them.

Questions:
MJ: Scale impact?
DM: Yes, very important. But changes have been due to govt taking view that market provides
solution. Not sure can go back to a licence. New taxes not popular.

MJ: Expanding RNZ, selling TVNZ?

DM: Would love talent in TVNZ. Favours more moderate solution. Need to add services rather
than attack TVNZ.

LM: Tax revenue might go where? Digital?

DM: Yes, experienced organisations could do that well. Boosting RNZ and TVNZ production
would be good.

LM: If funding goes for digital, would attract young audience.

DM: Should think of what we want rather than what platforms we want. Eg: more
documentaries.

LM: Eyes are elsewhere than documentaries though.

DM: Always pressure to produce popular programming. Should focus on people producing
good quality product and fund them in small NZ.

LW: What niche media is working in NZ?

DM: Business media eg: NBR.

LW: Should TVNZ not be profitable?

DM: Not enough public interest broadcasting there.

Floor: People dont like public good broadcasting.

DM: Mass market model encourages that. Need to believe we can connect with public and
keep working on that.

Floor: What are drivers of huge costs in broadcasting?

LW and LM: Not cost, is revenue which is declining. Producing is actually cheaper.

Tara Ross Head of Journalism, Canterbury University.

Recently completed a PHD in Pasifika media. The Pasifika audience care deeply about their
media. Ran 7 focus groups, all were alienated from mainstream NZ media. When reading NZ
mainstream news, its read as not about them, like world news. Implications are a disconnect
from media and NZ.

What should publically funded media do? A problem is that ethnic minority groups are always
presented in cultural terms (music, dance, traditional culture) and not in human terms such as
ability to find a job.

Meeting language requirements does not reach most of that audience many of whom do not
speak the language. Need fully nuanced coverage. Audiences tired of seeing themselves in
poly-fest model. Want hard-hitting coverage of the reality of their lives.

Of the Pacific media - many are mum and dad operations. No investment or training. Little
knowledge of social media, where their children are.

Questions:

LW: How solve?

TR: Talk to people on ground. But not only elders, young people as well.
 MJ: Mori TV very well-funded yet has tiny audience not questioned that most money
goes to this. Is that fair?
TR: Part of that is about Treaty obligations. Maori Television primary role is to strengthen the
language and not provide media and its benefits, so is incidental that they do.
RNZ needs to reach out to diverse communities.

Cate Brett Former Editor of the Sunday Star Times, researcher at the Law Commission,
Chief of Staff for Chch Mayor and now with the Chief Justice Office

Detailed her experience in print media. Her next role put media regulation under spotlight at the
Law Commission.

Now acting for Chief Justice where concern is that news media no longer covers courts
properly. A result of a hollowed out media. Dept Justice need to set up own social media
platforms.

Went on to discuss overall approach to media in NZ. That Wellington is a media elite talking to
itself. The agenda is not shared anymore. So only have elites, and young people on social
media. Disconnection on massive scale. What is the model we need? Should be careful about
not being snobbish about social media.

She believes strongly in supporting commercial media. If only support public interest journalism
will still have that disconnect. Current funding very prescriptive, worthy and powerful. Should
bulk fund and require minimum public interest coverage and let them go on the rest.

Questions:

Audience: Disagrees about elites for UK. Brexit on tv no disengagement in the UK

over that.

LW: Commercial goals leads to fake news. How is that addressed?

CB: Mainstream media should be held to account.
TR: There is a lack of media literacy.

LM: How do we make sure funding goes to right people to produce what is needed in
bulk funding model?
CB: Content based model supported by her. RNZ is giving away its content currently a
commons model is a good idea for all state made content. Belongs to people.

MJ: Local body coverage?

CB: Almost gone. Councils have had to set up their own news and video departments to get
news out somehow. So bulk funding could specify this type of coverage.

MJ: Eg Wairarapa Times getting support from local businesses. So is there

responsibility from businesses to support local media too?

Floor: Does audience need to look all the time on the web?
LM and LW: Explain their own system of finding media on the internet.

Nicki Reece - Access Radio Christchurch

Access radio has an important role to play in media landscape:

Value in public arena
Produce local content
training also, Seed journalists
Support media training schools eg: ARA.
Provide detail on local and authentic content, young people, diverse local groups.
Refugees, migrants, - to speak and hear own voices on radio.
No editorial control.

Programme makers must find sponsors to pay so they can get onto Access Radio. Awareness
of what do is low, not much funding, but see strong communities built from ground up. Partly
funded by NZOn Air.

Plains FM has no time to lobby.

Asks the Commission to note this hugely valuable function and role.

Questions:

LM: Whats the demographic?

TR: Not much evidence of younger audience for this type of radio.

LM: What about partnership between RNZ and Access radio?

NR: Would welcome talking about that. Interest.

LW: Whats the ownership structure?

NR: Trusts own each not for profit station. Demographics? Few surveys as cant afford. Thinks
audience jump in and out. Nearly 80% of programming goes online and that increases
audience. 18,000 podcast hits last month. You dont agree necessarily about young people not
being interested can do niche things with them. eg: interactive writing a play and performing it
on radio.
Workshops with Public around three tables

Subject 1 - The WHY

Why do we need public media? Is it important?

Marks table:
Democracy
Ad revenue is disappearing overseas
Govt doesnt fund public service TV
NZonAir funding mainly commercial programmes or ghettoised fare
Educated viewers are marginalised
No longer broadcasting its now narrowcasting

Lizzies table:
Allows people to engage and participate in their own communities
To see and share our own stories
So its easy to access information
People need to be informed. To be informed they need to be engaged.
For independent reporting and commentary.
Public Interest Media should set a standard for content
For inclusiveness of diverse opinions
Needed because we dont have civics education in NZ, we need that too.
Gives minority voices a media platform
Hold power to account
Gives some control over how we are perceived internationally
Provides context for who we are, where we are and why we are.
Online media can plug gaps in local reporting
Questioning the status quo
Its important to have nationwide news coverage not just AK and Wgtn media bubbles.
The Chch experience is a national story and not just a local one.
Community Access radio can serve civil defence purpose by providing info to speakers
of other languages

Lances table:
To disseminate news and ideas
Enable us to understand each other
to reflect our stories back to each other
For entertainment
Strengthen diversity
Maintain our democracy our rights and responsibilities
A pillar of democracy
To prioritise social values that are more than just money
 To hold elites to account business and politics
Share values
Educate
Forge connections
speak truth to power
to give a voice to all
As a source of trustworthy information
To defend against manipulation

Subject 2 - The WHY NOT

What are the barriers and problems faced

Marks table:
Political and ideological
Uncertainty of media landscape
Lack of leadership
Civics training lack of

Lizzies table:
Cost! Quality costs money
Political Will
Panic! In the industry getting in the way of solutions to broader issues
Scale lack of scale due to lower population and audiences
Experience isnt valued
Inaccurate perceptions of what the audience is interested in by programme makers and
funders/politicians
Lack of awareness of smaller media outlets
Lack of storytelling initiatives ie new technologies
Platform snobbery
Spectrum bandwidth
Lack of will to collaborate
Excessive gatekeeping
Expectation that journalists have to do everything
Manipulation of online feeds

Lances table:
Commercial motivation
Political Will
Neo-liberalism is against public service media
New technology adoption rates differ across society
Cost many cannot afford internet access
Older people can resent the relentless march of technology and commercialisation
Ties to the Telcos providers VERSUS free-to-air
 Consumers not seen as citizens
FB driving page views
Hard to find quality content
Headlines misrepresent an article
Speed of content creation means details left off or incorrect
Broccoli vs candy analogy:
people prefer candy
broccoli has been poorly presented (MYLES NOTE: ITS RARELY EVEN ON
THE MENU)
media landscape distorted towards candy
Bubbles outside of our social circle, you dont know what you dont know

Subject 3 - The FIX

Solutions, ideas and maybes

Marks table FUNDING AND GOVERNANCE

Revive TVNZ6 & TVNZ7 on TV and online. Using the TVOnePlus1 channel (now
redundant since rise of on-demand) provided by guaranteed funding from NZOnAir
Levy on all communication devices/internet
Tax on FB/Google and aggregators and distributors of other peoples content
Legislation levy and/or content requirements could be offset by:
anti-siphoning (requiring games of national significance to be screened live on
free-to-air) would offer great revenue to free-to-air
rebate on spectrum fees
Licence Fee UK pays $300 whereas we pay $600 just for the Sky Channels

Lizzies table - CONTENT:

Make more digital platforms available ie TVNZ6 & TVNZ7 - better as can utilise
cheaper studio based formats
Create content that will hold politicians to account at prime-time better scheduling for
current affairs content
More funding for long-form journalism
Local content quota
Make one day per week for public service content.
Greater content regulation
Greater investment in future content creators
Create a media lobby group all major organisations

How about a NZ Saturday Night Live!

Bring back Video Despatch
TVNZ needs to take community created content seriously example of a series offered
free but not even screened after midnight
Parliament TV should output listicles/palatable and informative summaries
 It should serve an educational function
RNZ should be official civil defence channel MYLES NOTE: IT IS ALREADY
Content commons for NZ content
More attention to diversity of content and content producers

Lizzies table - FUNDING:

License Fee

Stop requiring TVNZ to pay dividend

Lances table - PLATFORMS:

Theres a tension between old and new.

Previously the priority was on platforms. Benefits were that TV was findable easily,
everything was free-to-air (TVNZ and RNZ). Looking forward everything should be on
RNZ. Maori TV is a great model of entertainment and information (candy v broccoli)
More recently the priority is on content. This is seen as a good thing and that there is a
need to be careful about locking funding to certain platforms (MYLES NOTE: WHY?
WHAT EVIDENCE FOR THIS?)
And there is a need for a new NZonAir funding model. And funded content should be
free-to-screen on other platforms, like a Commons license.

Assert our Sovereignty

Tax Facebook/Google and give revenue to public media
Ban FAKE news. How?
How to make this global? Fix regulation of platforms in NZ and simplify.
Look at content and hit platform
We need new forms of critical literacy content evaluation and education.

Public Media should include stuff we dont like.

Some people complain about funding Jonno and Ben (Lance has never heard of it!) yet
theres a double standard as Fred Dagg and Billy T James is considered ok to fund.
Public media is not for elites!

Reform TVNZ
Bring back the Charter
Remove need to provide a dividend

Other notes:
Peoples tastes change over time referring to RNZ audiences
TVNZ shouldnt be subsidised if its going to only continue current levels of output
de-bubblification is necessary perhaps via a national Broadcaster
Closing Thank you to panelists and to the participants who gave up the best part of
their Sunday to come along and help develop the Peoples Commission

CLOSE - 2:15 pm

Workshop 5: Nelson, Sunday 19th March, 11am - 2pm at NMIT

Auditorium

G104, NMIT, Nile Street, Nelson

Sunday 19th March 2017, 11am-2pm
27 people present

Panelists:
Bill Ralston
Kay Ellmers
Lance Wiggs

Facilitator: Laura from ActionStation

Notes: Gemma (ActionStation volunteer)

Late start due to panelists flights being late coming in from Auckland

Expert speaker:

Ruth Harley (Former CEO of New Zealand On Air)

Born and bred in Nelson
Fifth generation Nelson person
Has also worked in broadcasting and film for almost all of career
A cultural nationalist
Started in TVNZ in 1986
First commissioning editor
To build the sector- at that time making all content in house
In 1989 went to NZ on air when it was formed- first chief of executive
When BCNZ disestablished
RadioNZ and Orchestra was separate for funding- she helped set that up
Went to Saatchi's for advertising
Then went to film- 10 years
Then went to Australia- put together three television and documentary making channels
to make Screen Australia
Strong drama background
 Most is about drama and documentary because she thinks that runs out the picture
Sees public interest media having two dimensions
Journalism- fourth estate- fundamental to good democracy
Other side- arts and cultural- drama and documentary
Not mutually exclusive, may have different release strategies though
By definition both of these branches require pluralism of worldview and of cultural
expression
Also require quality
Have to meet international standards
Does not think quality in eye of beholder- can be measured by standards- if you want to
measure it by the number of people viewing it- thats fine but its only one measure
Our tv drama is not sellable internationally
Why is that?
Thats an important element in this
Respected and trusted is also fundamental- even to drama where its about real peoples
lives
What are the instruments- funding, regulation, institutions and professional creators
(professional is important. We wont get trusted and respected journalists and worldclass
drama by people who will be paid a penny. Need a professional industrial base)
Funding:
She thinks there is a lot of money in the system- TVNZ, Maori broadcasting, NZ on air
etc
Some or all of TVNZ money when sold should build public sector
Private sector funding- Trump- if people want private broadcasting it should be privately
funded
Not entirely stupid
Saw video online of other sessions with a man talking about Scoop to fund journalism
Workarounds to get around the fact that there isnt enough money to pay proper
journalism
Need proper pay for journalism
Private money needs to be explored more
Havent incentivised it- particularly in the drama sector
NZ on air needs some improvements
Need a much more entrepreneurial view of the world
If all you do is fund stuff 100% and then you cut out other funding possibilities and keep
your pie small
Need to make pie bigger
Money needs to be re-thought how its spent for public
For private money- think tanks, high net worth individuals, pay money for journalists to
run an argument
It definitely is not free and fearless journalism
Postmodernism has a lot to answer for- there is truth and unbiased
 Need open government- ombudsmen act OIAs, regulation is not fundamentally a
problem, probably have enough statutes
Institutions- sky tv, etc all have their place
Radionz is the base of public interest broadcasting- inhouse production, purchasing of in
house production
John campbells program little baby model of what could grow in the future
Sell and put money into radio nz
Maori broadcasting on track
Broadcasting should not be self directed
What should the goals of the money be? About cultural identity, drama and documentary
(film commission money etc)- but should not be about volume, we need to have
impactful product in the public interest
Programmes need to be of an international standard
Build our skill and revenue base by doing this- could be more like Sweden and Denmark,
could grow our production base and the impact of our storytelling
Its a lot of work to put money in, and no overall strategy
A few years ago there was a task force- they were a strategy run by MBIE and they run a
series of creative industry strategies
The taskforce for broadcasting goal was to build fifty companies- but the goal didnt align
with the broadcasting agencies goal
But the goal wasnt wrong
If we bring in companies that are entrepreneurial then you will get more money coming in
and people will be paid well
South Pacific Pictures took a lot of money
Need something much clearer about all the parts that we need to create us a healthy
environment
News and current affairs on the one side and drama and documentary on the other
Need local
People like us are not everybody- learning from Trump and Brexit
Our systems and structures have completely failed to listen and include
Local is very important
Story: working with company making a project. He said I can't work with you, I dont think
netflix, hbo etc know their audiences. They know they dont know their audiences. Back
to the old question- will it play in a small town in Illinois- to middle America?
Queen St in Auckland is not it
We dont want a Donald Trump or upheaval
But if we are not inclusive thats what well get because were not doing our job as a
nation by being inclusive
Professional creators
Its a business
They need to be paid properly
If its a hobby you dont have respect and trust and quality
Weve impoverished our tv drama output by the focus on volume
 South Pacific Pictures has produced a large volume- which is fine- but thats all there is
Media sector is a very entrepreneurial business
Need to connect with market and standards and the rest of the world
Need to have the drama and documentary side- need our institutions to work towards an
ecology that understands- TVNZ used to do this, but it doesnt anymore- maybe need
back to the future
Should be entrepreneurial, trusted and of international quality.

Panelist questions to Ruth

Bill:
Do you see a useful expansion of funding of content that doesnt get views?
Ruth: not having a go at anyone. The institutions get their own momentum, but does it
mean that if you put all the resources and ideas together you could have a higher
purpose? Platinum fund good but a step in the direction, not the destination

Kay:
Tension of how we play the entrepreneurial approach with documentaries- usually local-
hard to sell to international audiences
Ruth: can accommodate both. A research documentary takes time, and it takes the time
it takes. You dont know what its going to be when it starts. All of those things need to
be in mind. Its difficult not to be regimented when running a public agency. When first at
NZ on air- first got on newspaper for 100,000 documentary falling over. There are those
tensions, and you cant get rid of those.

Lance
Why did you send shots at South Pacific Pictures and sending money to UK?
Ruth: because they were owned by a UK conglomerate. Didnt mean it as shots. The
structure produced was too skinny in the sense of the number of companies. It wasnt
enough. The idea of the taskforce was 50 companies- weve got nothing like the strength
of the business ecology that we need in the sector, because one player became very
dominant. Another company at the moment, in the factual entertainment business
couldnt survive, that model fills out the ecology?
Lance: what Im hearing is that if we had a funder here that was partially funding folks
that were internationally sellable but maintaining our cultural identity.
Ruth: thats what Australias done and its successful
Miles: how hard is that for NZ?
Ruth: its hard, but its not unachievable. Problem is the separation of missions of film
commission and NZ on air.
Film commission- of nz culture and also internationally attractive. You measure success
by international sales and festival exposure. Mandate to develop industry.
NZ on air has more money and its mandate is to produce a volume of content. Nothing
about bringing other money to industry, being international.
 Separation between mandates and the money that is creating the product. Opportunity
to make these a closer fit. Need to look at where gaps are. Its not unachievable.
In australia- money to be spent on project by project and some on company
development. Some was successful and some were brought by universe pictures- im not
against that, but we dont have an ecology to do that.

Questions for Ruth from the floor:

Helen Reynolds from Fresh FM Nelson: where do you see radio broadcasters fitting in
the mix?
Local content is essential. But i dont know exactly what it is to build that sector.
Helen: access radios strengths, accessible to all, affordable and relevant to local
communities. Should have bigger part of the pie.

How important it is that we are local, and inclusive of all voices. The model of talkback
radio is not exactly the forum, but how do you envisage a way of allowing the disparate
voices to have commentary that raises consciousness?
Its part of the picture. John Campbell- radio content and tv and website. Good
model.
Another is to do with individual artists- have created a bank of information about
our artists- we used to do that. Not anymore.
What if we had an interview with an artist- could be on website, radio and tv.
The 360 degree commissioning of an idea (all the spokes of ideas wheel a ways
to get to audience and getting information from audiences)
There are plenty of ways info can come into programme maker and go out
Important to use that model now

Mainland tv- it dies and somehow it comes again. Used to watch Hawkes Bay one- isnt
that another way to get local people into that system?
Im sure it is, but now that spectrum is not the issue. But i do think that local is
important. But doesnt know much about mainland tv.

Q from floor: where do you get these international standards from?

Intrinsic in the programmes and films that sell around the world.
Borgen- you like it, other people like it, you know its high standard. The market
knows the standard, and it buys and invests in the standard. Denmark and
Norway can play, why cant we play?

Q from floor: tv producers dont know what these standards are. I come from
performance training at Radionz- was coalescing all . How can you have a standard?
People who work with an ambition to achieve those standards, then it will work.
Awareness of international quality. Its not conceptually hard.

Whats available from their countries- Denmark, Israel etc?

 Homeland- from Israel
The Americans brought the format of Israeli show
Borgen is another one
The Bridge
The Killing

Ruth: Difficult to be a producer right now post Trump election because the networks
dont know who their audiences are. The world has changed so our buyers are
re-assessing.
Lances table

Why public broadcasting

Democracy
Need information that we know is true
Preferably without ads
Education information and entertainment
You get entertainment because people want to watch that
Need education to give them information so you have true information shared
Overload of information is a big issue
Dumbing down of content is an issue
Over focus on entertainment
Someone used to work at PBS (USA network)- show what is good everyone will follow
you- not followed in states
Fox news and Whaleoil- deliberately there to incite- that is dangerous, but very much on
entertainment these days
Maybe people don't know what good looks like, esp if younger
People don't understand media can be biased and how do you account for that
We have different time to consume now
Lots more pressure on times
People need to work longer hours
Not time to sift through newspaper now
How do we get change?
Politicians in power prefer to not fund media because ask hard questions
Voters need to do something about it and let local MP know
Other people want different things- hard to get a consensus to get these things changed
They already know this demographic likes RadioNZ
Not enough discussion on media- but a lot of discussion on foxnews and very
inflammatory
Are we educating our children and teenagers- do they learn how to understand media in
school?
My understanding is yes we are creating inquiring people
On the one hand you have Hitler who lied and kept lying and people started believing it
 On the other hand you have a horrible dystopian place where there is only one form of
speech and that might be taken control of by a govt
Do you change the law or do you provide an exemplar like the BBC?
How do we get to these audiences? Need to be on social media
Need a code of ethics or somewhere that shows where good news is, maybe name and
shame where bad news is
Culture of today is different to when we were young
Should still fund Jono ANd ben
Need more public money for it
Not demand for a lot more though
Indexing TVNZ for inflation and RadioNZ
Concert FM- perhaps do need to kill, but some people might need direction as to where
to find similar
Wide variety of answers to where to get music

Bills table

Why do we need public interest broadcasting?

A cohesiveness of culture
For the public good
Better informed public and hopefuly more informed voter
See ourselves
We are bombarded by information- some is good but there is a great white noise
People were basically saying we need an aggregator of public interest content
Online and streaming is fine, and whatever the public interest broadcaster is needs it,
but still need things like freeview and sky
One strategy is a funder- like NZ on air, or funding one public agency doing
broadcasting, and maybe another broadcaster like from the States
Funding: sell TVNZ- can be put into an endowment fund
Private funding should be explored
Film Commission may be partial funding
Sponsorship was talked about but no commercials- then you are talking about audiences
and volume again which destroys idea of public service
Why dont we just increase state funding?
Funding via visitor tax- maybe we could tax them to show them our culture
Need to keep board and maangement well clear of government
Concert fm is an anochronism close it and use its funding for public interest broadcasting
Need current affairs, documentaries, drama, unresolved over sport- maybe minority
interest sport?
Make public interest broadcasting an election issue- get together a proposal and start
lobbying for it to see who picks it up
Be prepared to fight existing media
Kays table

Why do we need public broadcasting?

What market alone provides is a concern
Things around trivialisation, sensationalization and lack of balanced news is a problem
For democracy
Need childrens content
Balance of colonisation of international content
How do we find what is of concern to us in all this content?

Barriers
Money
Constant tension if it is about a commercial imperative its a different agenda
Concern about what motivation of journalists might be
Notion of truth and balance

Solutions
Central government funds
Halfway step to selling TVNZ to be put towards public service media
Introducing a new tax might not be palatable
Need state owned distribution mechanism
More focus around tv and radio- where our group is currently consuming our content
But obviously internet will be part of this
Government- keeping that independent from party politics
Keep distance around political independence
Civics and media education in schools
Maybe need to do policy document on this topic
A lot of support for momentum built up in this when a report is ready to get soldiers on
the ground to lobby their local MPs- national acting locally

Closing Thank you to panelists and to the participants who gave up the best part of
their Sunday to come along and help develop the Peoples Commission

CLOSE - 1:45 pm (early finish!)

[NEW ADDITION] Workshop 6: Auckland, Wednesday 22nd March,

12pm - 2pm, AUT, Sir Paul Reeves Atrium

Sir Paul Reeves Centre Atrium, AUT

Wednesday 22nd March 2017, 12pm - 2pm
20 people present
Panelists:
Bill Ralston
Kay Ellmers
Lance Wiggs
Lizzie Marvelly

Facilitator: Myles from Coalition for Better Broadcasting

Notes: Laura and Eliot from ActionStation

Opening from Myles to explain process so far. Hands over to Lizzie to fill whats been
happening at other panels.

Lizzie:
Were looking at whats going right and wrong in our media
Weve been discussing themes around: platforms, ownership of media, governance and
funding
Trying to work out how we can have the best media landscape in Aotearoa

Kay:
Looking at whether or not the State has a role to play in how we spend our taxpayer
dollars to ensure our public broadcasting works well for New Zealanders
Keen to hear from younger audiences

Lance:
Here are the evil business guy to make sure the numbers work
Looking for a different voice today
Asks audience how do you consume media?

Bill
Looking for a younger audience feedback
Why do we need public broadcasting? More importantly, how can we do it?
What is the content you want to see? More local music? More international current
affairs? Its that kind of feedback we need
Steve Maharey suggested selling TVNZ and setting up an endowment fund and funding
public interest broadcasting. Another suggestion has been to ringfence profit to fund
public interest journalism. Difficult because in a couple years according to one Producer I
spoke to recently, there wont be any profit to ringfence!

Lizzie - that was the intro

Were going to divide into two groups
Inviting everyone who is watching from the balcony!
Everyone breaks into two tables, two panelists at each table. Lance and Lizzie at one. Bill and
Kay at the other.

ROUND 1 DISCUSSION: Why is public media important? What is it?

Lance & Lizzies table

Its not PR, its balanced
It can be news and entertainment
Local
Variety of views
Clickbait can be a term for material relevant to groups of people
Its important for democracy
Want to fairly represent minority groups, honour te Tiriti
Fight the profit motive which creates bias

Bill & Kays table

Suggestion was to have public interest channel to allow ourselves to see ourselves
It can be an incubator for talent, people start their careers there and can move on to
other opportunities
Has to be non-commercial

ROUND 2 DISCUSSION: What are the barriers to getting a good media and broadcasting
landscape in New Zealand?

Lance & Lizzies table

More views than news - too many shock jocks
Preference for infotainment - dumbed down and more about celebs
Infrastructure eg. not fast broadband
Fake news
Bias
Lack of civics education - more difficult for young people
Lack of diversity in newsrooms eg. no young people on panels on TV
Cost
Agenda setting - who is doing it?
FB algorithms
Bombardment of messages and so many platforms they are delivered on

Bill & Kays table

Cost
Lack of young engagement
State of transition in delivery of content but TV and radio still important
Excess of content internationally, so much choice
Publicly funded content - problems when its mixed with private content
ROUND 3 DISCUSSION: What are the solutions? What should we do?

Lance & Lizzies table

Is money really the problem?
Should we be looking for the startups eg Spinoff and fund them
Could we fund print as part of public interest? - but young only on digital now, vidoe and
image most important
Young folk digesting Vice - others dont even know about it - we need to bring public
content to those places where people are
More realistic representation of the population eg. quota on old white folk
young people dont know where to get news - could have a central repository of all the
news in one place
Something about fighting fake news, not sure of an answer
Getting better at clickbait techniques
A Charter is important
Young people could be preparing and presenting news

Bill & Kays table

Some sort of space for publicly funded content is a good idea
Govt owned means of production. Possibly returning to older models e.g. government
owned studios and camera get a bit more socialist on it. A return to the commons
Partner with Universities to get more content from students to the world in creative and
excellent ways
If we have public interest, public owned media it needs to curate high quality
international content so we can be good global citizens
Government needs to do more investment in qualitative research > just quantitative
We need more satire!

Myles thanks everyone and closes up at 1.45pm.

Workshop 7: Auckland, Sunday 26th March, 1pm - 4pm at Mt Eden

Normal Primary School Hall

Facilitator
Marianne Elliott from ActionStation

Panelists in attendance
Lizzie Marvelly, Kay Ellmers, Bill Ralston, Shamubeel Yaqub, Mark Jennings and Lance Wiggs
Guest speakers

1. Paula Penfold - investigative journalist

2. Allison Mau - journalist and presenter
3. Suzy Cato - childrens presenter
4. Jane Wrightson - Chief Executive, NZ on Air
5. Paul Thompson - Chief Executive Officer, RNZ
6. Dan Salmon - director & producer
7. Gavin Ellis - former Editor-in-Chief, NZ Herald
8. Anna Jackson

Number of attendees
100 and something

Notes
Eliot from ActionStation

Marianne introduces and does housekeeping remarks

Kay introduction
Acknowledge tangata whenua + karakia

Marianne outlines the process today

Amazing number of people
Tight timeframe to hear from everyone
We want to hear from as many of you as possible

Panellists introduce themselves

Marianne
is ActionStation and Myles is CBB
Introduces Suzy

Expert speaker: Suzy Cato presents small and big kids on stage
Need to make our media better for our kids
Representing local authors, illustrators, singer/songwriters, productions companies as
well as the kids and families of NZ
We dont bring the statistics ourselves today but Kids on Screen have those - they and
the childrens advocates Dr Ian Hassall and Arthur Baysting
Miranda Harcourt shared with me Fred Rogers (Mr Rogers) kids case in USA, 1969 -
this conversation is taking place is all around the world over many decades
Keen to hear NZ On Air outcomes for children content
 There were over 20 kids programmes 20 years ago - lots of drama, enviable content
Sadly not the case now - primarily due to broadcasters commitment to international
packages and lack of funding
Kids content was shared by whole family, in general times on TV
What kids need hasnt changed much at all
Kids want drama, action, sports, friendly gaming, appropriate music, NZ content, family
movies, kids news, comedy, positive content
Kids on Screen advocating for kids content - needs to be on our minds for kids to grow
up educated + positive
Funding for kids content - Green Ribbon campaign - needs to be a priority when we talk
to politicians
Kids shouldnt be just another category - they are the future of our society - their
experience increasingly comes through digital media - needs to be meaningful
experience
Funding is key
Having our kids stories told is very very important
Eg. mental health - If kids dont know where/how they belong nationally - how can they
know that in a global sense?
Seeing/hearing their stories now validates who they are as individuals and as
contributing members of our society. They become engaged and participate.
Why would they turn to local news as adults if not as kids now?
Growing kids who watch local content (drama/docos/entertainment/news - will grow our
audiences for the future, keep our broadcasting valid and viable)
Now digital content is not as regulated and it is far more accessible
Better options will make them stronger as citizens and as themselves
Our stories on our screens/platforms, please.

Panelist questions to Suzy

Lance: what about foreign content coming to NZ, how to identify good content?

Suzy:
some international co-productions have been amazing
The NZ On Air platform will hopefully focus on NZ content
Kids content now is primarily on demand - content is there but needs to be more easily
found

Expert speaker: Jane Wrightson

Congrats to AS and CBB

Never been a better time to talk about this issue
Economic challenges, its an issue around the world
No easy fixes, even in well-resourced countries
 We need big-thinking
There are no single solutions
We need to be clear what public media is -
Not just public broadcasting
Media made in the public interest
In many different mediums now
Enriches cultural experience
Diversity
Ensures accessible content
Strengthen community
Encourages debate
Has to focus on NZ viewpoints because it comes from nowhere else
Not monopolistic or binary
Really need RNZ - has stable funding now but could always use more
Many Kiwis do not access RNZ - no one stop shop
This is where NZ On Air comes in - could do with more funding too
Eg. Suzy Cato or Shortland St, tele-features, dramas, comedy, specialist current
affairs - all telling NZ stories, funded by NZ on Air
Local communities get content out through radio
New platforms
Most NZ content has NZ on Air backing
All focused on the NZ stories and creativity - thats public media
Commercial media also has a role with this and should be recognised, eg.
Scoop, Spinoff, the Wireless
What else does NZ need?
Better media partnerships
Everything is moving, changing
New media fund is being launched
Looking to support different content on different platforms, to get to new
audiences
How to identify?
How can people find the media and content?
Also want to include investigative journalism
Hope my statements provide context
Public media is a broad church
Cant forget about younger audiences
We want to back every kind of NZ content
The full fabric of our media and culture
New solutions must be part of longterm media environment
NZ on Air will be here to help

Panelist questions to Jane

Lizzie: young people have so much media coming at us, fragmented - any funding for
promotion of media?

Yes a great deal; not for our mainstream content but will put much more effort into new
platforms that will screen or stream our material
We expect a promotion plan from all applicants who want to screen our content

Mark: some news and current affairs is now being funded but will it increase: will it become core
activity?

Were always struggling with this - will depend on funding

Doubt it will be core, but there is a space in collaborative space, especially specific
audiences or investigative - but never enough money for mainstream news - terrifies us!

Marianne - thanks, normally we would have a lot more time for questions

Expert speaker: Paul Thompson, RNZ

How many people in the room listen or see our stuff online? Lots of friends here!
What RNZ is
Now do all kinds of stuff, where people need it
Down 20 staff; more costs than revenue
Offices and staff around the country
Top share of radio market
Also a Pacific news service going outside NZ
750,000 people reached in NZ - growing audience, especially radio, but now online
growth
Online growth means younger and more diverse
Commercial free is enshrined in our charter
Want to be seen as a trusted source
Very happy to share content to reach other peoples audiences
Multi-media as well as radio
Challenging but successful recent years
Reorganised, and many road bumps along the way
Thanks to talented staff and Board
Were on the cusp of something special - ambitious for new diverse audiences
Purpose to create connected nation
Endorse a broad church and RNZ ready to play pivotal role in this
Green shoots but also problem with decline in publicly funded media
Strong public service organisations will play a role in fragmented societies
We provide training for next generation of journalists
Strong ethical content and set benchmark for quality
Resilient in times of crisis
 Fragmentation of media is no good for times of natural disaster
Independent journalism - were big and strong enough to push back against commercial
pressure
The difference we provide compared to commercial context is really important
RNZ has its challenges but we are uniquely position to provide leading and constructive
role in changing media landscape
Really looking forward to hearing ideas that will help us do this

Panelist questions to Paul

Lance: what are the demographics?

Mainly older, 55+ because of its radio origins

RNZ Concert has younger audience surprisingly
Websites fastest group is 35-40
A long way to go to be relevant to other audiences
Concert is 16th biggest radio station in NZ, unique role, devoted audience

Lizzie: people in our workshops in the South Island felt RNZ wasnt catering to them

Ive heard that as well

We have a small team down there
We do an OK job but held back by small staff - comes down to priorities
We need to focus on Auckland first because of the market and growth there

Kay: do you plan to move more into visual area?

Yes we do, and working on video eg. Checkpoint

Our videographers have too much work
If we are successful with next budget thats where new funding will go

Marianne: Im making many enemies Im sorry, but need to keep moving forward. Make sure
your questions are recorded

Expert speaker: Paula Penfold

Thanks for putting this forum together - there was a backlash in the beginning wasnt
there but this is great to see come together
Its been an interesting and challenging time, especially now
Profound challenges right now, not seen anything like it
Good news - there is great journalism
But theres fewer of us doing it
 We need to ask these questions, because it is very important eg. Hit and Run launch
this week
I dont have the answers, but heres an insight into my experience on something I
worked on for a long time, and Marianne asked me to talk about:
Will talk about the miscarriage of justice against Teina Pora
Outline of the case
In 2012 I was at TV3 and we saw excellent story in NZ Herald about how we got the
wrong guy
Started to took a closer look - so damn hard but so rewarding
He was 21 years in jail; he was completely different from the video of police interview
from 20 years ago - he was captivating and articulate; had just seen Skytower for the
first time on work experience; he was over the anger and now wanted NZ to understand
he was innocent
and we came away wanting to do everything we could to help him
2015 he was set free
We didnt free him - it was his legal team who worked for free on his case
But the journalism did affect the case - it helped the public to question, to pay attention
Helped to explain to the public what is justice and to get the powers-that-be to take
notice
The problem is that journalism is resource heavy, this report took many years so was
expensive, so especially TV have walked away from it
Also what their priorities are, but its expensive
Lost my job when TV3 canned current affairs - picked up by Fairfax and Stuff
Now lead a video investigation team - very grateful to Fairfax because without them we
wouldnt be doing it
Still expensive - maybe landscape is changing, we are being funded by NZ on Air for a
new doco, its the biggest project weve ever done - very important topic, raises further
serious questions about our deployment to Afghanistan
Journalism is not dead, but we need new ways of making it not vulnerable
Actually clicks do matter, when you see good journalism share it and click like on it

Panelist questions to Paula

Kay: can you expand more on the new direction for investigative journalism?

Our project is a new format for Fairfax

Was TV but now you can watch longform journalism online

Lizzie: what about younger people who usually watch short material?

Conflicted on this
not just short form for young people eg. Vice
Hoping if its done in right way that audience will stay there
Lizzie: maybe 7 min?

Yes exactly
Also now were not restricted by the 25min of TV with ads, our content can be any
length.

Marianne: live google doc - you can type your questions into it - you can write any question

Expert speaker: Dan Salmon

Representing myself and Peter Bell

Heartening to see so many RNZ listeners here - maybe its a bit of a bubble - want to talk
outside of that too
Was working with NGO up to now so have been engaging with questions such as how
do you mix long form with short form?
Currently directing 2 TV shows - one diverse, important public broadcasting, and one
prime time (quality) TV show
Free to air isnt dying
public broadcasting must have an audience - well never build something with bigger
audience than TVNZ
Having said that, TVNZ needs reinventing
TVNZ cant compete with Netflix with so many good shows
But it can have really good public content
It can focus on more in depth and long form on public broadcaster
This is best public broadcasting can do: current affairs, drama, new exciting presenters,
youth, music, diversity
We do need a flagship and we think its TVNZ
Can be reinvented as online,vital, ours

Panelist questions to Dan

Audience question: How much is being planned to cut from TVNZ budget?

Its a civil servant question

Mark: interesting what you have said, because others say TVNZ should be sold - if we keep it,
how should it be funded? Local content is very expensive.

That is the second question, first is just to decide this is what we want; then how do we
fund it
In an ideal world we would have all the existing funding sources eg NZ on Air
The selling option assumes we would get a good price for it - but we missed that boat
 Need to answer how communications can work in this country

Lance: thinking as a businessman, do you have anything more concrete?

Actually I dont think theres been a real effort to find new funding
Charter was great, but TVNZ needs a complete rethink
Eg. Christchurch, do you look at throwing away Chch or is the problem with Gerry
Brownlee? (do you throw away TVNZ or is the problem political will?)

Laura from ActionStation:

some frustration in the room - shall we go through each expert speaker, or take time to
take questions from the floor? [go through experts]
Were extending time for submissions online
Were also taking publicly available notes

Marianne: Laura is the person who has the solution when I dont know what to do

Expert speaker: Gavin

I was the editor of Herald many years ago

Later on, I put my oar in many different areas
Im going to address the 5 questions on the website
How do Kiwis want the media delivered today?
They dont - want to find it where they are already
Dont get bogged down in the technology as you wont win
Its impossible to predict where it will be 5 years from now
Concentrate on what is being delivered, the content
And the structures that have flexibility that can be delivered on many systems
and high social engagement

What international models?

We do need different structures to operate in civic engagement
Eg. Scott Trust and the Guardian is a good model
We need to move away from RNZ Board idea to a Trustee model, not just
custodians but also as the advocates for the outcome
I suggest Trusteeship because in the future different media structures will happen
eg. public-private partnerships
Need to be able to support those different structures
Taxation - funding needs stability
In the future there will be less and less profitability from media

Content NZers most want and need

The need is most important
 Too much focus is now on what we want, media has gone to entertainment
Lord Reef of BBC said the role of BBC is to inform, educate and entertain in that
order - at the moment is opposite
In a civic democratic society the inform and educate functions are most important

Who should make decisions

The public should not decide! It has taken us away from the democratic functions
of the media
We should tell them what they need

Do we fund public broadcasting? And how?

Yes of course we should
A levy
Should access the money FB and Google are taking from NZ
If we have that funding we can look at who can deliver the public content
We lost the press association
We need a new media cooperative to push public interest journalism forward
So we can distribute it over all different media

What about, how do we bring the people to the content?

It starts at school
The way we teach civics at school needs to be looked at
Its very important

Expert speaker: Allison Mau

Ive been a journalist for over 30 years
Like Bill, and even have the same hairstylist
I start the day with Morning Report
There are many different platforms so I dont feel like a traitor
Considering where the media is going very lucky that I can work in this field, as a woman
over 50
Im a big fan of public broad coming from Australia which has good PB
Many ways of doing it
I miss the longform journalism
But there is very good work being done on platforms on commerical too
Eg Nation reporter producing report mental health and justice system, even when lean
on staff and money
Now can be accessed in different ways at different times, not just screened once
Thrilled to see next wave of journalism, eg millenials in the room
Many important topics are being addressed on - fantastic initiative
Shows up a lack of training
After putting together a curriculum but was rejected by TVNZ - loved but no budget
Many funding models are suggested by these forums which are sorely needed
 But TVNZ will not be where most people get news - an idea is to ring fence funding
which can be accessed by commercial broadcasters
Newshub does have -access to reporters who can come in to talk eg for specialist
information
Funding for health, science etc. information that can support content on commercial
platforms
First lady my book, despite confidence it could get public funding, it did not qualify -
TVNZ said its not a crime story
Questions on talkback radio, if thats what you want to talk about?

Marianne: apologies for mispronouncing your name Allison

Expert speaker: Anna Jackson

Observations from my own experiences:

I teach at CoLab, AUT - there are students there working with drones and holograms
Broadcasting does not relate to young people now
Their media is virtual, augmented, playful, participatory, mobile and incredibly complex.
Must be relevant to their needs, as better citizens, not consumers
I studied innovation and change in NZs doco industry - public service providers are
drivers of innovation
We have suffered from a lack of a PSM organisation, but must celebrate NZ on Air
Platform neutrality is great
I was a co-founder of Loading Docs which produces NZ stories - it showed me we have
incredible talent in NZ, we love seeing our stories on screen - but it is very difficult to
reach audiences online and we need strong, supportive platform partners and the
resources to promote content across multiple platforms.
Arts Foundations crowdfunding platform Boosted - has shown how much NZers
appreciate NZ content & how much can be achieved through crowdfunding and
philanthropy
Government still has a role - Crowdfunding and philanthropy are great & support
diversity & innovation but should not be seen as a replacement for adequate Govt.
support.
We need to introduce a user-pays system
We need to redefine public broadcasting - a network space, or Commons
Yochai Benkler is a scholar who advocates for a core common infrastructure
A core common structure to support a Commons
Physical, the infrastructure
Platforms, standards, regulation
Content - open, shareable, standards, regulation
Can result in very diverse models and content
It could look very different from the past
 These questions being faced in UK and US too - see Public Media Platform (PMP in the
US) and we have models for API based sharing/dist. here with Digital NZ and Open Data
NZ initiatives
Secure distributed platform could be a model for media too eg. a blockchain - Public
Media content could be assigned a public media license and distributed in ways that
reflect the complexities of funding arrangements and licensing agreements - we would
need criteria for what is public interest media
Radical new approaches need time
Still need a broadcasting organisation
RNZ is already doing this
We need to make funding an election issue and give RNZ the support it needs

Panelist questions to Anna

Lizzie: infrastructure - would you advocate a centralised solution?

RNZ and NZ on Air already provides a lot of strength - we should start there with funding
Need to put in thought for the future - how do we get content to audiences?

Marianne: almost finished, one new special surprise speaker

Expert speaker: David Jacobs

Participation - thanks for mentioning Anna
Participation is the key for modern media
Yes to public broadcasting but creating a participatory space is the challenge to bring
into NZ now
How we do it is the question - the charter for TVNZ was a start but didnt grow - has
grown in RNZ
This is what young people expect - how else can they relate to public content?
A lot of questions about *** (funding/content/etc) FOR young people, but what about ***
BY young people?
Its a civic democratic issue
Us young people in the media
Shout outs to the platforms for young people
If youve got that culture you can do it in a much bigger way, if you have a larger
organisation doing it
Sorry for talking about BBC, as a Pom, but there was a time when things like video
diaries was happening, exciting stuff with camcorder stories - NZ sometimes leapfrogs,
lags behind but then jumps ahead - we have the opportunity now for reinvigorating a
reconceived public media
Exciting for a small nation
Content by youth and all people, but need content to grab hold of it, public media
Participatory media!
Marianne:
here we go, 11 tables with 11 table hosts
Introduces the hosts, panelists and others
Have a break and then come back at tables in 5-10 minutes

After break

Marianne:
It is now 4pm
The book Reimagining NZ Journalism is for sale
Also a koha jar to help cover costs
Lets kick off with reports

ROUND 1 DISCUSSION: Why do we need public broadcasting?

ROUND 2 DISCUSSION: Barriers?
ROUND 3 DISCUSSION: What are the solutions? What should we do?

Report back of 3 discussions all together

Stefs table
Huge diversity of what we need
The models were used from the past may not be relevant
Public media is imperative to democracy
Strong content needs to be commercial free - so needs funding model to support
So people can debate important issues
Examples such as Al Jazeeras the Stream

Lauras table
If government can deliver free to air TV, also should deliver online services free
Media literacy in schools
More online hubs that we can access
Make use of offline channels to get content out - eg libraries
Kapahaka and Diwali - diversity is great
Move away from academic to make it accessible - the Bachelor is liked by some people
and thats ok
NZ on Air funding for NZ stories
Increasing percentage of GDP levels of funding

Paulas table
Barrier is (lack of) funding
What happens to independent makers of journalism? - need training and funding
 Phenomenon of PR and comms people instead of journalism
We need conscious consumers of media - requires education
Lack of diversity in journalists themselves
online/offline platforms
Is online best for public broadcasting? - accessibility
Content - relevance is most important
this will be the public record in 20 years so quality is very important
Predominance of opinion now over news
Integrity! Should be the guiding rule for content
News doesnt need to be entertaining - what they need not what they want
RNZ would be financially fine if it could advertise - controversial!
Ratings shouldnt be the only measure anyway - what about other metrics?
Innovation fund - not about the platform, funds go to the makers of the content - not
filtered by programme makers
Tax

Lances table
We should just do it (public broadcasting), not just for democracy
Independent and objective
Challenge power
Current state of broadcasting isnt what we want - if we had ABC would be better for
example
Maybe young people havent seen the good stuff to know it?
We are distracted
Not enough knowledge - dont understand civics
size of NZ makes it difficult to find solutions
Whatever we come up with will be imperfect - cant please everyone
But we really have to try
Need to look at both public and private
Need to fund the people, the makers, the journalists
Platforms are changing very fast, it will continue to change
Now able to target smaller groups of people because of this change
Why fund RNZ, we could put out good content from anyone, commercial too
Media should reflect how NZ is, not how we think it should be
Thanks to the table, very considered

Kays table
Things that havent been mentioned:
Resistance to change by those who are served by present system
Sometimes commercial organisations have done well out of current funding model
Professional system is set up a certain way
How can we measure programme success in the new model? How many people
watching it?
 Servicing local viewing needs, but also so can be sold overseas
Trustee model would be good
Elected reps could be on it, like a DHB, not political appointees
Recognise the Treaty whatever the new structure is
Should not be like the Freeview board - too many commercial reps
Levies for funding - FB
Public-private partnerships
Platforms - do we really need a public platform? Could just be for content
Participatory platform if we have one - diverse representation

Marks table
Support for civil society
NZ values
Holding politicians accountable
Access to info for everyone
Funding is the barrier
Tax on advertising, FB etc
More government funding - what is the priority?
Cost of presenters salaries should be reduced
Should stick with TVNZ and RNZ
Strong support for reinvention of TVNZ
Governance - needs a charter
trustee idea - not politically appointed
Content - local drama, music, everything, sport included
Investigative journalism
Also childrens news programme
Natural history, civic education
No advertising was a strong view of table
Other hybrid models discussed
Should RNZ have some advertising? No support here

Shamubeels table
Getting more Kiwi-ness in public content
Funding - should be more
Needs to be stable funding
How do we add other forms? Grants, crowd-funding, taxing, fine trolls on comments
sections
Like the Reserve Bank model - separate from politics, longer terms than election cycle
Platform needs to be participatory - for younger and ethnically diverse audiences
Content - high quality editorialised content, but also space for crowd sourced content -
not sure how but important
Hyper local and real - very diverse and specialised
This is missing from commercial interests who move to the middle
Lizzies table
Why is it important? For the NZ story
Balance
Democracy
Diversity of voices
Not market driven - corrects market failings
Addresses social issues
Barriers - now there is a lack of cooperation between media organisations
Agenda setting by mainstream media
Audience deprivation means theyre not accessing
Political will, ideology
Lack of promotion of content - needs funding for promotion
Some experience alienation from society
We are in a bubble in this room - each audience has its own taste
Some media is far away from audience, elitist
Can tax FB and Google
Create affirmation funding model - fund more marginalised groups eg. to correct lack of
female directors
Tie funding to outcomes, need of audience
Incremental change - workshops for journalists funded and media makers for new media
Train citizen journalists
Kids making content for kids
Bring back the Charter
Idea of an industry-wide voluntary charter - organisations sign up and held accountable
to their promises
Outreach/education to make platforms intergenerational
Public uploaded channel
Please dont sell TVNZ
Single board overseeing TVNZ + RNZ pursuing same goals
A media commons where all publicly funded content can all go, collaboration between
organisations

Myles table
Funding - access to different platforms, especially kids platforms
Policy and lack of funding - how can you change policies?
Goes back to the why important question - for democracy, inclusion in society, profit is
not the be all, cohesion in society
How to think, not what to think is the importance of public broadcasting
Change the government is the popular solution at this table
Content - have a half hour serious news show - not 1 hour waffle - no advertising
strong support for non-commercial TV
 Crowd-funding, Nordic model, government funding from general taxation but what about
stability? - licence fee, or a levy - why not?
Telecommunications levy already exists, will finish 2019 but could go to NZ on Air - or
could increase it - just $3 on everyones monthly phone bill could fund an ad-free TVNZ
FB, Google tax and other smaller ones
Too much money for public broadcasting could be a problem? they need to be lean and
mean
TVNZ could be sold

?s table
The barrier is political
Trusteeship model for diverse range of product
Funding - data tax
Totally independent for democracy similar to Press Association

Jyms table
Funding question is a red herring - need to change government and policy
No problem with content, so much already there
Getting it out there and accessibility is the issue - more mobile providers for free data
Or current providers provide it for free eg NZ music on air as a model
A trust managing funding rather than government - de-politicised

Marianne: what happens next?

Our panelists will take all the input and written submissions into a report with
recommendations by early May
AS and CBB will launch a campaign at this time to adopt the recommendations before
the budget in May
Turn it into political pressure
You can comment on the notes, link to feedback form, you can make a koha to this
project
If you didnt register online give us your email address so we can report back to you
Thanks to all of you

David - CBB
I want to thank the panel for going round the country, the report they will do, so much
work and contribution
Thanks to AS
Thanks to Myles for championing this process

Kay
thanks and safe travels home
Closing karakia