"My strong preference is to disestablish the Broadcasting Standards Authority..."

"Early this year the Ministry of Culture and Heritage issued a discussion paper on media which included a statement to the effect that as the Broadcasting Act 1989 did not cover internet radio like entities such as The Platform, the Broadcasting Standards Authority’s scope should be extended to them. ...

"Instead of waiting for the government to decide on whether to proceed down this route the Broadcasting Standards Authority decided existing law did give them jurisdiction over The Platform and presumably Reality Check Radio. This is extraordinary.

"One might have thought [Media + Communications] Minister Goldsmith would have said that, as we do not believe it has that authority, it should await a government decision. But no ... he told RNZ’s Media Watch programme: ... 'I’m happy to let that flow through the system and see how it goes.'

"I hope the Minister will regret these words because they won’t be career enhancing. ...

"My strong preference is to disestablish the Broadcasting Standards Authority and allow all media entities to decide whether or not to come under a voluntary entity such as the NZ Media Council ...

"ACT and NZ First have laid out their positions. Is it too much to hope the National Party will end its dismal 80 year record and do the right thing? Or will it be more muddle through?"

~ Barry Saunders from his post 'The BSA power grab: Post 2' [His 'Post 1' is here]