TVNZ is the public television in New Zealand. The broadcaster is state-owned but commercially funded. It operates five television channels, including TVNZ 1 and TVNZ 2, and a news program, 1News. TVNZ was established in 1980 by merging two government-owned television chains, Television One (now TVNZ 1) and South Pacific Television (now TVNZ 2).
Media assets
Television: TVNZ 1, TVNZ 2, TVNZ Duke
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent State-Managed (ISM)
Ownership and governance
The TVNZ Board, the highest governing structure at TVNZ, is appointed by the Minister of Broadcasting for a three-year mandate, according to the publisher. TVNZ is a Crown-owned company.
In 2023, TVNZ was expected to be merged with RNZ into a new public media entity called Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media. TVNZ was planned to disappear as a Crown-owned company 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. However, in February 2023, the government announced abandoning the planned merger. Some experts expected the merger to strengthen the stability and independence of the public media in New Zealand. The move is part of a series of policy changes that the country’s new Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, who began his mandate in January 2023, had planned.
Source of funding and budget
Most of the funding in TVNZ’s budget, some 90%, is generated commercially, mostly through ad sales. The remainder comes from government agencies. In the fiscal year ending in June 2021, TVNZ generated commercial funding worth NZ$ 339.9m (US$ 228m), according to a company’s annual report. In the following fiscal year, the station earned NZ$ 341m (US$ 213m) from ad sales, according to data from the company. In the 2023 financial year, TVNZ reported revenue totaling NZ$ 327m (US$ 202m), according to TVNZ’s annual report.
Editorial independence
The government imposes no provisions on TVNZ’s editorial agenda. The broadcaster is known for its editorial integrity and independence. An ad hoc content analysis carried out for this report didn’t find the editorial coverage at TVNZ to favor the government in any way.
The main document establishing TVNZ’s editorial independence is the Television New Zealand Act of 2003.
TVNZ has a complaints procedure in place that allows viewers to submit feedback about the TVNZ programming and rules that oblige the broadcaster to respond to these complaints within 20 days.
July 2024