TVNZ staff are in tears as they hear plans to axe Sunday, Fair Go and two of the state broadcaster’s daily news bulletins. Video / NZ Herald
The possible death of Fair Go amid a broader TVNZ news and current affairs massacre prompted a promise from the show’s producer to keep the programme going, somehow.
Is that bombast during an emotionally charged time, or could the show find a way to survive, even outside TVNZ?
Former Fair Go host and reporter Alison Mau said the programme had a strong brand built partly on the “hokey” and quirky personality of long-time host Kevin Milne.
Mau, co-founder of access to justice initiative Tika, said the show articulated complex or even boring but important business and consumer affairs issues to the public in an entertaining way.
And she said working on Fair Go required rigorous investigative skills and fact-checking.
“You’re putting people on camera and accusing them of wrongdoing, essentially. If you’re going to do that you have to be absolutely sure of your grounds.”
Mau queried if Fair Go would work as an online-only offering.
“If it was going to exist as an online-only brand, what would make it different from Consumer NZ’s website?”
Media industry writer Damien Venuto said: “Fair Go is an incredibly powerful brand, and if you are going to move something to a different platform, you’re going to need that strong brand.
“Internationally, we’ve seen a few examples of people taking their personal brand and/or their news brand to another platform.”
Venuto, former Herald media writer and now senior account director at One Plus One Communications, said Fair Go was built on the idea of holding powerful businesses to account.
It also had a reputation for supporting the underdog, he said.
“Nobody could accuse Fair Go of being soft or being clickbait.”
He said a reincarnated Fair Go should be able to make a strong case for public funding through New Zealand On Air.
TVNZ has argued it had already cut costs elsewhere across the business.
Television news and current affairs shows were notoriously expensive to produce, at least compared to many other types of news media.
“The reason is because of the higher production value,” Venuto said.
Visitors at a TVNZ studio in Auckland.
Those production values ensured a programme matched the look and broadcast quality of other shows on the TV station but required technical expertise and sometimes expensive equipment.
A consumer affairs show such as Fair Go also needed staff working on research and legal issues.
An online-only show would probably be cheaper to make. That would bring obvious benefits, but also risks.
“People are used to seeing the Fair Go brand being presented in a certain way,” Venuto said.
He said lower production values of online-only shows, in a world where countless people uploaded smartphone videos daily, could complicate that transition or make the show less distinctive.
Bill Ralston, former head of TVNZ news and current affairs, said Fair Go could potentially work on another platform.
“It is feasible, no doubt about it. It’s a strong product. It’s a very, very strong brand,” Ralston said.
Staff at TVNZ heard news of job cut proposals today. Photo / NZME
“If they can get a production house to do it and put it together for them they might be able to get New Zealand On Air funding for it.”
Ralston said Fair Go required many staff and a substantial budget.
“You require studios, a host of researchers and research time.”
He said a production house outside of TVNZ could potentially make the show with a smaller budget than the broadcaster did.
But he queried why Fair Go was on the chopping block and if “bean counters” made the right choice.
“I’m still struggling to figure out who the hell decided to cut this ... There’s a lot of fat in the TVNZ beast outside of news and current affairs.”
A publicist for one major production house outside TVNZ would not comment on speculation or on the costs another TV show might have.
TVNZ today said proposed cuts would mean a net reduction of up to 68 roles.
TVNZ chief executive Jodie O’Donnell hailed the 'legacy' of shows including Fair Go. Photo / Dean Purcell
“The proposals we have presented in no way relate to the immense contribution of the teams that work on these shows and the significant journalistic value they’ve provided over many years,” O’Donnell added.
Asked at a press conference in Whangārei today about the layoffs, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said job cut proposals would be difficult for staff and families but he didn’t address whether it was damaging for democracy.
“For 47 years we’ve been battling for New Zealanders, and we are not ready for that to end,” Fair Go executive producer Nicola Russell told One News.
“Our next challenge is working out how to keep going for you.”
John Weekes is Online Business Editor. He has covered court in New Zealand and Australia, crime, politics, breaking news and consumer affairs.
