The Labour Government continues to mislead the public on their reasons for the TVNZ and Radio New Zealand mega media merger, National’s Broadcasting and Media spokesperson Melissa Lee says.  

“Yet again, Labour’s justification for its costly TVNZ and Radio New Zealand merger just doesn’t stack up.

“Both the Prime Minister and the Broadcasting Minister made repeated claims this week that revenue at TVNZ is declining.

“But TVNZ’s own annual reports show that their operating revenue has increased in each of the last three financial years.

“Between 2019 and 2022, operating revenue increased from $310.7 million to $341.7 million.

“This follows the Prime Minister making the incorrect claim earlier in the week that Radio New Zealand was at risk of ‘collapse’ if the merger didn’t go ahead. However, the entity is 100 per cent taxpayer funded, is in no danger of collapse, and its revenue has nothing to do with how many people listen to it.

“This merger is an expensive ideological solution looking for a problem. The Government needs to scrap it and put that money towards solving one of the many issues facing this country, like under-achievement in education, rising crime, the crisis in the health system or the escalating cost of living.”