Radio NZ may seek public donations

Richard Griffin. Photo / Wairarapa Times-Age

New Radio NZ chair Richard Griffin says the broadcaster is considering seeking donations from the public to help it.

Speaking to the Commerce Select Committee, Mr Griffin said Radio NZ remained committed to a commercial-free future, despite its funding being frozen.

He personally believed sponsorship was a possibility. However the board had decided against it.

It was now "a very real possibility" that a trust would be set up to seek donations from those concerned about public broadcasting.

Mr Griffin said the board would "move mountains" rather than cut staff or programmes.

RNZ's chief executive Peter Cavanagh said it could survive with the funding freeze for "another year or two".

"If the freeze continues beyond that point, the board will have very tough decisions to make."

Mr Griffin later clarified that the trust would likely only be for RNZ's Concert station, not National.

Green MP Sue Kedgley said it was ridiculous that the government funding freeze reduced Radio NZ to "scramble round holding cake stalls".