Radio New Zealand (RNZ) is New Zealand’s independent public radio service. RNZ broadcasts three nationwide channels, RNZ National, RNZ Concert and the AM network (focused on parliamentary proceedings). RNZ Pacific (which used to operate as Radio New Zealand International or RNZI) is the group’s international news broadcaster.
Media assets
Radio: RNZ National, RNZ Concert, AM Network, RNZ Pacific
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent State-Funded and State-Managed (ISFM)
Ownership and governance
RNZ is a Crown entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act of 1995. Its governors, the main governing directors of the public radio company, are appointed by the Crown ministers.
In 2023, RNZ was to be merged with TVNZ into a new public media entity called Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media. RNZ, as a Crown-owned company, was to disappear and function instead as a subsidiary of the newly created entity, according to legislation that regulates the TVNZ-RNZ merger issued by the government in June 2022. Nevertheless, in February 2023, the government announced it had totally abandoned the planned merger. Some experts expected the merger to strengthen the stability and independence of the public media in New Zealand. Yet, RNZ’s staff was apparently against the merger as they expected the change to lead to job losses and the radio content being eclipsed by television production, according to a manager at RNZ interviewed for this report.
Source of funding and budget
RNZ is almost entirely funded by the state, with some 95% of its budget of NZ$ 48.5m in the 2021 fiscal year being accounted for by a government subsidy, according to the latest RNZ annual report. Most of the state funding is disbursed via NZ On Air, a government agency with a board appointed by the Minister of Broadcasting.
In 2022, the station had a total budget of NZ$ 50.7m (US$ 31.7m), most of it coming from the government budget, according to a company’s annual report. In 2023, RNZ’s total budget reached NZ$ 57.7m (US$ 35.7m), according to data released by the company. Most of it was accounted for by government funding.
Editorial independence
The government doesn’t impose editorial rules on RNZ that alter the station’s independent coverage. On the contrary, state officials are forbidden to make editorial requests to RNZ. According to local experts and journalists and an ad hoc content analysis carried out for this report, the station is known to be editorially impartial and objective.
The editorial independence of RNZ is guaranteed by the Radio New Zealand Act of 1995 and reinforced by the RNZ Charter.
RNZ has a mechanism through which the public can lodge complaints about the station’s programs and editorial coverage.
July 2024