By ROSALEEN MACBRAYNE
Television New Zealand has a new head of news and current affairs, who describes himself as a firm advocate of public broadcasting.
Heaton Dyer, aged 35, who is director of current affairs for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, will take up his new role in November.
Mr Dyer replaces Paul
Cutler, who has joined CNN. His appointment, in time for phasing in the Government's programming charter from July next year, has been well received at TVNZ.
Although the Canadian public broadcaster had a defined mandate to serve the French-English divide in a large geographical area with five time zones, the fundamental principles were much the same as New Zealand's charter, Mr Dyer said from Toronto yesterday.
Clear objectives included providing quality news and current affairs with editorial integrity.
"It is a fantastic opportunity for me and a great period for TVNZ. I think the company is braced for it and embracing the idea of the charter," he said.
The son "of a Kiwi dad and an Aussie mum," Mr Dyer was born in Australia but spent childhood summers in New Zealand.
He has worked for television networks in Australia, Britain and Canada, and was with TVNZ from 1992 until 1995.
While here, he launched 60 Minutes and was involved with other current affairs programmes such as Eyewitness and News Night.
TVNZ chief executive Rick Ellis said Mr Dyer's record as a world-class news and current affairs producer and executive in public service broadcasting organisations would be invaluable.
