Cripes TVNZ is a shambles. The argument for a state broadcaster is apparently that they're neutral and independent. Bzzzzt. Wrong. That they provide a quality product, one that private broadcasters wouldn't bother with? Bzzzzt. Try again. Um?
What would you do with the state monolith if you had the chance? Don't let my line of questioning influence your vote. ;-)
2 comments:
I wouldn't sell it as it is - it has too much of a malignant culture within it, it thinks it is too important to New Zealand. I would break it up into two, sell off one half, and give away the shares in the other half - let the other half be the so called public broadcaster, and see how the public respond to it, or whether they all clamour to flog off the shares too.
Public broadcasting is dying a slow death everywhere. Note that the most comprehensive and objective TV news in Britain is on Channel 4, NOT the BBC.
I would sell it as is with a short period to raise worldwide media awareness and for bidders to do due diligence. I would go for full disclosure to potential bidders to reduce info asymmetries. Television entrepreneurs are best placed to work out what's worth keeping and what's worth trashing (i.e. the Maori issues guy on the Board) and will up their bids based on their estimates of what wastage can be quickly disposed of. Thus there's no point the gov't holding onto it and trying to improve its profitability.
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