MP Tim Barnett has expressed frustration that there will be no gay/lesbian programme on TV for the run-up to the Civil Union Bill vote in Parliament. Queer Nation, the world's longest-running gay and lesbian TV programme, finishes next week for good and replacement shows made by other production companies are not scheduled to screen until April 2005. Barnett, who attended a queer television symposium convened by TVNZ late last year to gauge the feelings of the gay community on the future of gay programming, says there seems to be little evidence that the state broadcaster is living up to the promises it appeared to make at the symposium. "Having attended the TVNZ consultation, I had detected a real desire for a format which could respond to the ongoing events of and affecting our community. What seems to be planned does not on the face of it seem to be doing that," he told GayNZ.com. "And I would have thought that they would have informed people who attended that seminar what was eventually arrived at." TVNZ's long and laborious process of replacing Queer Nation has still not been resolved. Two new shows which TVNZ commissioned pilots for have been pencilled in to screen on TV2 next year, although the production companies concerned are waiting for confirmation of NZ On Air funding and won't comment. Reaction from industry insiders and test audiences for the two new shows has reportedly been mixed. The office of Steve Maharey, Minister of Broadcasting, had no comment to make on the internal programming decisions of TVNZ, or NZ On Air's funding decisions. "It is important that this distinction is maintained so that TVNZ can operate free from the fear of political interference," said a spokesman for the Minister.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Saturday, 6th November 2004 - 12:00pm