You know, I struggle to see how the government can justify cuts to Radio New Zealand’s funding after its outstanding coverage of the tsunami yesterday. While the other radio broadcasters were jammed up with bee pollen adverts and deer horn aphrodisiac jingles, RNZ had informative, up to the minute information from all over the country.
In a time of ever-shrinking newsrooms RNZ is becoming more, not less, important. What other media outlet has reporters in every part of the country and the nationwide reach to get information to the public in times of national emergency?
Even the Minister of Civil Defence, John Carter, was full of praise for Radio NZ’s coverage this morning. Perhaps he can have a word with his mates around the cabinet table about the importance of a properly functioning public broadcaster. Because make no mistake, when the screws come on it’s the regional reporters who’ll get the chop first.
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