Otago and Southland mayors join MP in support of Newshub office
A former Newshub broadcaster turned MP has shared her concerns over the company’s plan to axe its Dunedin office, and she has now been joined by the mayors of Otago and Southland.
Labour’s Ingrid Leary, who was elected to the newly-created Taieri electorate last year, has sent a letter to Newshub head of news Sarah Bristow opposing the proposal.
‘‘I would strongly encourage the retention of a local Newshub crew in Dunedin,’’ Leary wrote.
The proposed restructure of Newshub’s South Island newsrooms may result in the loss of a Christchurch-based radio journalist and the complete axing of its Dunedin newsroom, staffed by reporter Dave Goosselink and camera operator Grant Findlay.
In a letter seen by Stuff, Leary said she did not want to interfere with Newshub’s commercial decisions, but it was a concern to potentially lose ‘‘the two-person southern crew’’.
‘‘I support a viable fourth estate as a central feature of a healthy democracy and within that lens I would highlight the need to retain journalistic capability in our regional newsrooms.’’
The Dunedin office covered 65,000 square kilometres, and Leary questioned how a Christchurchbased office would cover news from Otago and Southland.
The network had operated an office in Dunedin since the early 1990s, and had two reporters covering the area until late 2015.
‘‘Regionally focused journalism contributes significantly by informing and valuing our communities,’’ Leary wrote.’’
That included not only celebrating ‘‘our local heroes’’ but holding others to account.
Journalism also helped to combat misinformation prevalent on social media, Leary said.
‘‘If the decision to reduce the regional and rural journalistic coverage is pursued there is real risk to the public interest, as well as health and wellbeing in our communities,’’ Leary wrote.
Leary’s opposition to the move was shared by the mayors of Central Otago, Clutha, Dunedin, Gore,
Invercargill,
Southland.
The group, in a letter released to Stuff and sent to Newshub, said: ‘‘The loss of your team, a team that have local knowledge, professionalism and respect, would surely impact on the connection our communities have to the local issues that most directly affect them.
‘‘While we were never advised of this proposal, only seeing it in the media, we wish to communicate to those charged with making such an important decision that, on behalf of our communities, we oppose the change suggested.’’
Newshub was approached for comment yesterday, but declined to add anything other than a previously released statement from new owner Discovery ANZ.
The statement said: ‘‘We are working to determine the structure, skills and capabilities needed to achieve our goals, as we integrate the Three and Top TV businesses into Discovery and create one organisation across Australia and New Zealand.
‘‘Our people are our priority as we undergo this period of change.’’
A decision on the proposal was expected this week, but had since been pushed back.
Queenstown and
‘‘Regionally focused journalism contributes significantly by informing and valuing our communities.’’ Ingrid Leary, Labour MP