|
|
The Global Plan for Maori Radio
I researched and wrote the Global Plan in the summer of 1986/87, for Prof Whatarangi Winiata at Victoria University. At that time Radio New Zealand was planning to provide a "Maori Programme" on AM frequencies. This was the alternative plan: a network of iwi-based FM stations; more accessible to Maori and closer to the flaxroots.
The Global Plan was picked up by NZ on Air in the early 1990s - but the environment had changed by then, so it was not implemented as envisaged. The Global Plan foresaw an integrated system; comprised of small, medium and large radio stations, developed and promoted by a BCNZ-style agency. The NZ on Air funding model permitted many more smaller stations to emerge, but in a less structured way. Maori radio therefore developed with perhaps greater diversity, and accessibility than even the Global Plan had envisaged. However, there was less funding for each station, little support for professional development, and a less coherent broadcasting system.
View/download
|
|
|
Treaty Claim on the Radiofrequency Spectrum
I spent the summer of 1990/91 working on the Treaty Claim on the Airwaves. My contribution was the Statement of Claim, in Appendix 2 of the report.
Not many people understand the Radiofrequency claim. It was founded on the previous Te Reo Maori claim, which established the Maori language as a taonga for the purpose of Article Two of the Treaty of Waitangi.
The Radiofrequency claim insisted that, if the protection of Maori language was guaranteed under Article Two, then Maori must have the right to broadcast on radio and television. How else could Maori be said to "possess" their language, in the 20th and 21st Century, without such rights? Summary and full report
|
|
|
Maori Television
I researched and wrote this for the New Zealand Maori Council in 1991, while working for the Maori Council as an analyst on the "Broadcasting Assets Case". This report was written after Justice McGechan had delivered his verdict in the High Court, before the case went to appeal. A summary of McGechan's judgement is included in the appendices.
I recall Piripi Walker saying at the time that we wouldn't get Maori television for at least ten years. It was thirteen years later that a viable channel was finally established, on 28 March 2004. The Crown's assumptions that Maori television would use UHF frequencies were well out-of-date by then: technology had moved on, and digital broadcasting by satellite would prove to be a more effective transmission option. View/download
|
|
|
Transferable Maori Language Quotas
I wrote an article for this edition of Continuum (Vol 10:1 1995/96). I am grateful for the assistance of the NZ Broadcasting School, where I had been tutoring in 1993 and 1994).
The article discusses how it would be possible to create an "efficient" allocation of Maori language on mainstream television. It was really to demonstrate that a preference for neo-liberal economics ought not excuse policy-makers from providing Maori language in primetime: if there were a will, there is a way!
This was written for a "Cultural Studies" audience, so I had some fun packaging the economic ideas to suit that style of discourse. The section on what constitutes a taonga was particularly interesting to research. View/download
|
| |
Economic Theory and Local Content Quotas for Television
This report was written for SPADA in December 2000. SPADA had produced a discussion paper titled "Television Programme Quotas - A Blueprint for New Zealand". A coalition made up of TV3, Sky, Prime TV and the TAB subsequently published a paper (commissioned by Chen and Palmer) that purported to refute SPADA's quota model by using economic theory.
This paper is a rebuttal of the Chen and Palmer paper and something of a lesson in applying economic theory to broadcasting. SPADA have kindly given permission to make it available on this site. View/download
|
| |
The TVNZ Debacle: A Tragedy in Three Acts
On 31 October 2005, Ian Fraser, the CEO of TVNZ, resigned following a dispute over what he saw as unwarranted Board interference in negotiations over a newsreader's contract. The Finance and Expenditure Select Committee of the New Zealand parliament resolved to hold a "Parliamentary Inquiry into Television New Zealand".
I was invited to appear before the Committee on Wednesday 14 December 2005. This proved to be an interesting, if not particularly edifying, experience. The primary objective of the inquiry appeared to be for the members of the Committee to appear on television themselves.
Mr Fraser stole the show, with a spectacular demonstration of how a public sector Chief Executive must never, under any circumstances, behave. I confess to watching his performance with some satisfaction; it is not often a policy analyst experiences instant gratification (refer to pages 11 and 12 of my submission, on "attention-seeking behaviour"). View/download
|
|
|
