TVNZ staff will learn their fate as job cut meetings loom, a warning as the Government looks at our gun laws and weather warnings in place. Video / NZ Herald / Getty
One of TVNZ’s most enduring and popular shows, Fair Go, will be axed, the state broadcaster has confirmed to staff today.
Fair Go staff met TVNZ bosses on Tuesday morning - two days after the 47th anniversary of the consumer show’s first episode in 1977 - and were told theshow would end, as earlier proposed.
The Midday and Tonight news bulletins would also be ending, as earlier planned. It is understood some reporters are being redeployed within the TVNZ newsroom.
Fair Go staff are among up to 68 roles to be cut by TVNZ.
Sunday staff will meet tomorrow to learn their fate. A Sunday source says they hold little hope the show will be saved in light of events today.
Four video content producer roles at TVNZ will also be axed as staff in various departments and from myriad shows began hearing their fate following a period of consultation.
The meeting for video content producers confirmed an earlier proposal to cut the existing 10 roles to six, although a team leader position - which had originally been earmarked to go - will be retained, says a source.
The meeting of Fair Go staff was held at 11am while Re: News, Midday and Tonight news teams have also met with TVNZ bosses today.
An all-staff TVNZ meeting is expected to be held at 1pm on Wednesday, after the Sunday meeting.
A TVNZ spokeswoman said today: “Meetings with our people take place today and tomorrow, so we won’t be providing an update until we’ve had the opportunity to speak to all teams. We’ll be able to share the decision regarding the proposed show changes tomorrow afternoon.”
A company spokeswoman said “we won’t be confirming any specific timings until we’ve spoken to our people”, however, she did not dismiss the Herald’s understanding.
Fair Go and Sunday, along with the Tonight and Midday news bulletins were on the line while the company’s digital news brand aimed at youth, Re: News, was also proposed to have roles cut. Staff were reportedly in tears when TVNZ outlined which shows were in the proposal.
TVNZ chief executive Jodi O’Donnell couldn’t rule out cutting other shows like Shortland Street either, saying during the initial announcement that the broadcaster was “looking at everything”.
The cuts were necessitated by falling revenue, O’Donnell said. Tough economic conditions and structural changes had impacted revenue and prompted difficult choices “to ensure TVNZ remains sustainable”, she said.
Despite trying to lower operating costs in the past year, “we’re now at the point where we need to reduce the size of our team to bring our costs more in line”, O’Donnell said.
“Changes like the ones we’re proposing are incredibly hard, but we need to ensure we’re in a stronger position to transform the business to meet the needs of our viewers in a digital world,” she said.
One News newsreader Simon Dallow presents a story on TVNZ's proposed news cuts.
The union for media industry workers, E tū, pushed back on the proposals. It wrote to TVNZ on behalf of its members raising concerns about the proposal process and a lack of consultation with staff.
“Union members... feel their experience and expertise simply wasn’t utilised, which is obviously going to lead to a flawed proposal,” E tū negotiations specialist Michael Wood said.
“There’s no use in proposing radical changes like this without exploring other options first.”
TVNZ reporter Baz Mcdonald speaks to the crowd outside his employer's head office protesting the proposed cuts. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
