TV staff demand answers

By REBECCA BARRY

TVNZ staff have demanded answers from management after holding emergency meetings in the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch studios yesterday to discuss the budget cuts and axing of jobs and programmes.

Union representatives joined 60 staff in Auckland, 25 in Wellington and 12 in Christchurch in a telephone conference call.

"The meeting expressed deep staff concern at a lack of consultation over the announced job losses and at the reduction of news and current affairs programming," a statement said afterwards.

They want to know the reasons for the 10 per cent budget cuts that have contributed to job losses at Breakfast and the dumping of award-winning investigative programme Assignment.

Fair Go reporter and staff spokesman Simon Mercep said that while smaller groups had been consulted over the changes, all staff should be kept better informed.

"People are obviously concerned for their jobs and want to know what is going to happen," Mercep said.

"We want to know, what's their vision, where are the changes coming from, how do they fit with the charter, what's happening to specific programmes?"

Staff wanted answers within two days and TVNZ spokeswoman Diana Schnauer said a meeting to answer the questions would be called next week.

In Parliament yesterday Green broadcasting spokeswoman Sue Kedgley questioned Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey over whether the Government was seeking a dividend from TVNZ.

She said his confirmation demonstrated a "ludicrous situation".

"On the one hand, the Government is pumping in $60 million [over four years] to help TVNZ meet its charter obligations, yet on the other hand is demanding a dividend." At the same time TVNZ was slashing its news budget by up to 10 per cent.

"It is time for TVNZ to come clean and explain exactly why it is seeking to making these cuts when it is expecting record advertising revenue in excess of $300 million this year as well as a Government grant of $15 million."

Peter Williams has accepted an offer of redeployment after losing his job as a newsreader on Breakfast.

He will read the midday news and produce sport for Breakfast and Midday.