Jodi O'Donnell joins Newstalk ZB's Heather du Plessis-Allan live in studio to discuss the proposed restructure at the state broadcaster including why they're proposing to cut Sunday, Fair Go, Tonight and Midday.
TVNZ’s chief executive was challenged by one of the state broadcaster’s most respected and senior journalists at a heated staff meeting over job cuts and the axing of shows such as Sunday and Fair Go.
Media Insider understands 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver asked chief executive Jodi O’Donnell if shewould apologise to staff - apparently for referring to her watch during an earlier staff meeting on Friday.
TVNZ would not confirm specific details last night, but it is understood O’Donnell pushed back during yesterday’s meeting, along the lines that perhaps she might also be owed an apology. One source said she talked at one stage about the response she had been receiving.
“We expect sessions like this to be robust, but to give all TVNZers the opportunity to be free and frank in their participation, we don’t comment on the details of these internal meetings to the media,” a TVNZ spokeswoman told Media Insider.
TVNZ journalist Barbara Dreaver. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Dreaver told 1News last night: “We need really strong leadership and we expect to get it. And I’m quite happy to call out and challenge it [and] my own bosses when we don’t get that, just as I would a politician or any other person who deserves it.”
In a social media post today, Sunday journalist Kristin Hall described Dreaver as a “legend, icon, queen”.
Yesterday’s meeting comes amid an increasingly fractured relationship between the TVNZ newsroom and management over the way the company has handled the announcement of up to 68 job cuts.
Other media, including the Herald, revealed details of the cuts as early as last Wednesday, a day before staff were told and two days before they were called to specific meetings.
Yesterday’s meeting was also held at the same time as one of the shows that is proposed to be axed, Fair Go, was being filmed, meaning staff - including hosts Pippa Wetzell and Garth Bray - could not attend.
“I missed pretty much everything that was said because they were busy producing their show for the coming week,” Bray told 1News.
E Tū union negotiation specialist Michael Wood said: “That’s the kind of thing that doesn’t give you a good signal.”
Media Insider understands TVNZ chief executive Jodi O’Donnell was asked to apologise at a staff meeting. Photo / Dean Purcell
The TVNZ spokeswoman told Media Insider last night: “Two meetings were scheduled to provide TVNZers with an opportunity to ask questions and provide initial thoughts on the proposed changes - a newsroom meeting which took place on Friday, and an all-staff meeting which took place this morning.
“Today’s session was scheduled for mid-morning to give as many people from the newsroom the ability to attend this second session as possible, while also providing an opportunity for other impacted teams from around the business a chance to ask their questions.”
She said TVNZ was a 24/7 organisation with news broadcasting from 6am to 11pm.
“There will never be a time that will suit everyone. The mid-morning timing today ensured Breakfast was concluded, Midday was yet to go to air, and 1News at 6pm and Seven Sharp teams were in the office. We are always happy to look at alternative scheduling based on feedback from our people. No concerns were raised prior to today’s meeting taking place.”
Meanwhile, E Tū said it believed TVNZ’s timetable for the proposed cuts were “unreasonable, unrealistic and probably illegal”, and planned to challenge this.
Bray told 1News the Fair Go team had received plenty of support.
“Surely this is about more than just money. It’s about giving people a fair go. Maybe giving us a fair go too.”
Editor-at-large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including managing editor, NZ Herald editor and Herald on Sunday editor, and has a small shareholding in NZME.
