Union launches bid to halt restructure
The union representing workers at Televison New Zealand has launched a campaign to stop a proposed restructure which could result in almost 70 redundancies.
E tū launched the Save Our Stories campaign after TVNZ last week announced a proposal to make significant cuts to its workforce and programming.
The proposal would see 68 jobs cut, with current affairs shows Fair Go and Sunday, and news programmes Midday and Tonight, set to be axed.
The campaign was launched with an open letter to the chief executive and board of TVNZ, as well as a video featuring presenters and journalists from across the broadcaster’s work force.
“This is not just about job cuts for us, but about losing the ability to tell your stories,” Sunday host Miriama Kamo said.
Journalist Barbara Dreaver said that included uplifting stories as well as those which held powerful people to account and advocated for change. “These are the stories that have changed laws, exposed corruption and have held the powerful to account and they’ve given so many in our communities a voice,” Kamo said.
“So we’re asking you to back us as we fight to protect your stories.”
E tū negotiation specialist, Michael Wood, said the campaign was about “everyone coming together” to protect the media platform.
“We’re bringing together workers, viewers, and supporters to remind TVNZ of their purpose and responsibilities,” he said.
“TVNZ isn’t just some business, it’s a vital part of our society and Kiwis need a strong TVNZ to tell Aotearoa’s stories and hold power to account.
“This is about everyone – every single New Zealander is a stakeholder in this, so we invite everybody who wants to build and protect a strong media landscape to support the campaign.”
In a statement, a TVNZ spokesperson said the broadcaster invested more than $40 million a year in news and told New Zealand’s stories every day.
“We’ll keep doing that in the future,” she said.
“The revenues we’re currently generating don’t support us continuing on exactly as we are, and that’s why we’ve proposed these changes.”
Ultimately, TVNZ was a commercially funded business and needed to make “tough calls” to live within its means, she said.
However, all feedback from staff would be considered before any decisions were made.