Politicised project

Stuff editor-in-chief Patrick Crewdson

(Why government money won’t corrupt our journalism, June 19) goes to some lengths to convince readers that Stuff’s editorial integrity isn’t compromised by accepting money from the Government’s $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund.

Fair enough, as far as it goes. But what he doesn’t mention is that before applying for money from the fund, media organisations must commit to a set of requirements that include, among other things, actively promoting the Ma¯ ori language and ‘‘the principles of Partnership, Participation and Protection under Te Tiriti o Waitangi’’.

In other words, any news outlet that seeks money from the fund is signing up to a politicised project whose rules are fundamentally incompatible with free and independent journalism.

Despite what Crewdson says, sceptics will take some convincing that the fund, while purporting to ‘‘save’’ journalism, isn’t a brazen, taxpayer-funded indoctrination exercise.

Karl du Fresne, Masterton