Hi Friend,

This week news dropped that TVNZ as good at balancing their books as they are balancing their reporting. This year alone, taxpayers are on the hook for an $85 million dollar loss. 

With TVNZ's financial distress back in the news I asked the team on an update on our petition to sell TVNZ launched just a few weeks ago. Our petition calling for the sale of TVNZ has already hit more than 8,000 signatures. 

Given that level of support (and the fact TVNZ is now costing Kiwis money) the Taxpayers' Union is looking to fire the start gun on a full campaign to sell TVNZ.

We say taxpayers should only be paying for media that actually provide good-quality public service broadcasting and news that, well, Kiwis actually trust.

With nothing changing (in fact, public trust in 1News is dropping even lower!), it seems that TVNZ are doomed while Government continues to own TVNZ (and keep it afloat).

But we need your support to get this effort off the ground. Will you take a moment to sign the petition and consider backing this campaign?

"Jessica, then Tova, then Jessica again"

Public funding of a state broadcaster is supposed to be for fair and balanced current affairs programming (showcasing the range of New Zealanders' views and opinions). But for too long TVNZ's programming seems to be "fifty shades of red"! 

Look at John Campbell – TVNZ's so-called "Chief Correspondent". While he's off on opinionated rants bemoaning the election result the as ‘deeply regressive’ and 'shocking', he's now also hosting Sunday's Q&A programme! That show is supposed to be the "down the middle" serious politics programme. And let's be honest, it's the only one left!

Even the Media Council – who are usually the biggest defendants of the MSM's actions – expressed concern about TVNZ's encouragement of Campbell's anti-government rants

"Seeing a senior correspondent expressing strident personal opinions raises doubts about the impartiality of its reporting and the public’s trust in the media”.

No kidding!

And with losses mounting  – $85million this year alone – the longer the Government waits to sell this dying propaganda outlet, the less it will be worth.

 >> Sign the petition: Sell TVNZ <<

Not even pretending to be neutral anymore

Remember a couple of months ago Maiki Sherman's utter glee when reporting cheerleading 1News' poll showing a dip in support for the centre-right, handing the balance of power to the Māori Party?

But when the next month showed a bump in support for the Government, it was a much more sombre affair. 

Not to mention their dodgy claims that only a 'slim majority' favoured public sector job cuts – when their own poll numbers actually showed 52% were really in favour, compared to only 35% opposed! "Slim" they say. Yeah right!

If New Zealander's can't trust our state broadcaster – what's the point in still owning it (and paying millions to keep it afloat)? 

Sign the petition now ✍️

Thank you for your support.

Jordan Williams Executive Director New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union