Save TVNZ 7Tuesday 22 May 2012, 1:36PM
Media release from Save TVNZ 7
It was standing room only for latecomers at Save TVNZ 7's 2nd
public meeting last night, held in Wellington.
More than 400 people turned out to the Taranaki St meeting to
listen and lend their support to the campaign to save the public
service television channel, which is due to go off air on June
30.
Speakers included Victoria University media studies lecturer Dr
Peter Thompson, long-time media commentator Tom Frewen, Labour MPs
Clare Curran and Grant Robertson and ex-Green MP Sue Kedgley. The
meeting was moderated by Back Benches frontman Wallace
Chapman.
Many attendees were angry and disappointed that funding for public
service television was deemed such a low priority by the current
government.
However, there was also a clear determination not to give up, even
if TVNZ 7 was no longer on the air.
Save TVNZ 7 spokeswoman Kirsty Fyfe said that during question time
many Wellington residents expressed their resolve to support a
long-term campaign to ensure access to public service
television.
"There was a feeling that this group of meetings was just the start
of a strong, ongoing grassroots movement. People are passionate
about seeing high quality, New Zealand made programmes."
The Save TVNZ 7 meeting held in Auckland last Tuesday was also a
full house with 350 in attendance. Other Save TVNZ 7 meetings are
taking place in Nelson on May 25, Christchurch on May 28,
Palmerston North on June 6, Dunedin on June 7 and Hamilton on June
13.
ENDS
Note: The Save TVNZ 7 campaign has thousands of members from across
the political spectrum, and is not affiliated with any party or
other interest group. The website and online petition is at www.savetvnz7.co.nz
For more information please contact Save TVNZ 7 campaign organiser
Myles Thomas, 021 666 297
TVNZ's annual report [http://tvnz.co.nz/content/845012
page 17] contains independent research that shows:
• 70% of Kiwis want programmes that are
educational for young people yet only 34% believe TVNZ is doing
that well
• 85% of Kiwis want high quality programmes but
only 45% believe TVNZ is doing that well
• Cultural diversity on TVNZ is very important to
roughly half the population but two-thirds say that TVNZ could do
better
• Three quarters of respondents note that TVNZ
fails to properly deal with minority interests