Yates Dianne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Yates Dianne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:613;Page:9709] 
5.  
DIANNE YATES (Labour—Hamilton East) 
 to the  
Minister of Broadcasting 
: What is the contribution of publicly owned broadcasting to New Zealand's cultural and economic development? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Broadcasting) 
: 
 Television New Zealand is an important asset both culturally and economically. A recent survey indicates that the new charter environment has seen an average of 70 percent of New Zealanders regarding TVNZ favourably and that its audience share is 71 percent. Of the top 100 programmes last year 88 screened on TVNZ. The network is a leader in broadcasting. Television One broadcasts 46 percent local content and TV2 broadcasts 20 percent. It is also a very sound company. The television business made a profit of $29 million in the last financial year and the transmission business made a profit of $11.2 million. Advertising revenue of $305 million exceeded the company’s expectations. 
Dianne Yates 
: What proposals has the Minister seen to change that situation? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Last Wednesday proposals were floated to sell a number of State assets involved in the “competitive market” as it was put with TVNZ at the top of the list. By Sunday the originator of those proposals had hastily backtracked and had advanced the possibility of a fully funded non-commercial Television New Zealand along the lines of the BBC. That would require advertising revenue of $308 million to be replaced by taxpayer funding. Already the dithering by Dr Brash looks a lot like that of the person he deposed last week. 
Hon Georgina te Heuheu 
: What answer can the Minister give to explain New Zealand’s economic and cultural development through charter-prescribed programmes like  
Willy Nilly 
 and  
Edwards at Large 
 when the New Zealand public does not watch either of those programmes? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The Edwards programme was funded by New Zealand On Air as was  
Willy Nilly 
 a comedy that a large number of people seem to find enjoyable. From my point of view I say to I think the National spokesperson on broadcasting—whose name is not yet on the website—that the company itself rather than the Minister has to decide what it will put on air. We are here to ensure we get charter television; the company decides on the programmes. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Does the Minister agree that our publicly owned broadcasting system would be able to make an even more significant contribution to New Zealand’s cultural and economic development if it did not have to pay the Government a $7.8 million dividend this year; and why on earth does he not allow TVNZ to invest that dividend into making New Zealand programmes? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Television New Zealand already invests a large amount of money in its own programming but I point out to Ms Kedgley and the rest of the House that we do expect this company to operate in a commercial fashion which means it should make a return. It will give a dividend and over the next 3 years it will give a very good one. 
Marc Alexander 
: In light of the fact that 80 percent of charter funding is being spent on Television One programming does the Minister concede that publicly owned broadcasting’s contribution to New Zealand cultural development is being delivered through only Television One while TVNZ continues to utilise TV2 as nothing but a cash cow; if not why not? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: No and I give one example. One of the requirements in the charter is for children’s television to be developed. Television New Zealand has been doing that. Most of those programmes will play on TV2.