Rnz Needs $10m To Get Beyond ‘survival’ Level (Press, 12 August 1985)

On 12 August 1985, Beverley Wakem, the director-general of Radio New Zealand (RNZ), revealed that the organisation needs an additional NZ$10 million from licence fees in order to enhance its services and move beyond merely surviving. During a session of the Royal Commission on Broadcasting in Auckland, Wakem explained that this funding would enable RNZ to establish commercial ZM FM stations in major cities and provincial areas. It would also allow for the expansion of non-commercial services, particularly in the realms of Māori broadcasting, education, Access Radio, and services for Pacific communities. Wakem cited the current financial landscape, indicating that a shortfall in licence fees has left commercial radio networks shouldering a NZ$3 million annual burden to support non-commercial services, which has hindered RNZ's ability to expand. Since 1975, RNZ has significantly reduced its workforce by 19 per cent and implemented programme cuts in an effort to improve its financial standing. The anticipated introduction of a third television channel poses an additional risk, potentially resulting in a loss of NZ$7 million in annual income. The priority for RNZ is to develop ZM FM coverage, with plans to modernise the Concert programme transmission alongside, using the same equipment. Additionally, there are proposals to repurpose vacant AM frequencies to extend coverage for Parliament and to boost broadcasts for Māori, Access, Polynesian, and educational programming, contingent upon new commercial opportunities arising to cover associated costs.

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