TVNZ Must Pay Dividend to Level TV Playing Field

“Today is a very sad day for media and democracy in New Zealand,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“For years MediaWorks have warned that a media market skewed by the Government’s ownership of TVNZ would force independent commercial media to pull out of television broadcasting.

“They weren’t bluffing. Today, MediaWorks announced Three is on the chopping block.

“TVNZ’s Government ownership has placed MediaWorks at a severe disadvantage. Any normal private business must pay dividends to their shareholders, as MediaWorks has, but TVNZ is not under the same commercial pressure to be profitable.

“Government intervention is pushing competitors out of business and endangering the media landscape in New Zealand.

“We need free and competitive media providing New Zealanders with news but we’re now staring down the barrel of only government-owned TV.”

“New Zealanders should never be in the position where their only source of media broadcasts about political news are from Government-owned media.

“If MediaWorks finds a buyer for Three, there must be a level playing field. TVNZ must pay a dividend like any buyer of Three would expect.”