By LOUISA CLEAVE
A consultant employed by TVNZ to assess proposals for children's programmes makes her own independent pre-school show for the broadcaster - funded by almost $3 million of public money.
Janine Morrell, executive producer for children's television at TVNZ, makes the show Bumble for TV2 through her private company, Whitebait Productions.
It received $1.45 million in 1998 for 150 half-hour episodes of the first series, and just under $1.4 million last December for 130 second-series programmes.
Concerns about the double role arose after Janine Morrell turned down a television proposal for a show developed by Hamilton producer Nick Kearney.
Mr Kearney, who has spent 10 years creating Sam the Lamb and developing the show, said: "I would just like to know how Janine can decide on behalf of TVNZ who will get the nod to apply for NZ on Air funding and make programmes for our children, when she herself has a vested interest in securing funding for her production company."
Janine Morrell and TVNZ yesterday defended her position, saying she did not have final say on whether a show went ahead or not.
Geoff Steven, head of commissioned programmes, said Janine Morrell gave her opinion on proposals but any suggestion of a conflict of interest was "pretty paranoid."
He said that ideally, it would be best to have the two interests entirely separate, "but, hey, we're in a very small production culture here. In specialist areas like children's programmes there aren't a lot of people who have the track record."
Janine Morrell is a former head of children's television at TVNZ and has worked for the broadcaster for more than 15 years. She is executive producer of its long-running show What Now?
A production house, which did not want to be named, said Mr Kearney's concerns were valid and that questions should be asked about the TVNZ commissioning process of children's programmes.
Janine Morrell declined Mr Kearney's proposal in February, in a letter saying that TVNZ's 2000 viewing schedule was full.
She said yesterday that her aim was to get more children's programmes on air and she would "outline the more positive aspects of a proposal" to TVNZ.
"I haven't thought about that being a conflict. The reality is that the network consults me on issues where they believe I have something to offer."
Double TV role conflict claim rejected
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