Niue broadcaster defends programming quality

Transcript

Niue's public broadcaster is defending itself after the island's MPs sought changes to improve the quality of programming.

The Niue cabinet is being called on to take action over what MPs say are excessive repeats and a lack of diversity in the programming on the Broadcasting Commission of Niue television and radio links.

MP Terry Coe says there is a widespread desire on the island for change.

But the manager of BCN, Trevior Tiakia says the criticism is unfair and resources determine what they can do.

TREVOR TIAKIA: It is happening everywhere else. There are repeats. We just don't have the financial resources to buy programming from distributors. It is just too expensive for us and hence there are repeats throughout the year.

DON WISEMAN: Yes well MP Terry Coe says that there's material available from NZ, from the BBC, from the ABC and that this is available to you at no cost as far as the material goes, is that the case?

TT: The only material that is provided to us free of charge is Australia Plus. Anything else we have to get the rights to rebroadcast those programmes on air.

DW: So the short answer is that unless there are a lot more resources directed at BCN there's not going to be any significant change as far as that goes.

TT: At the moment we will be implementing digital television and we hope it will provide another alternative to our customers. At the moment we are trying to secure rights from the broadcasters to allow us to rebroadcast those programmes.

DW: These were the big changes announced in November?

TT: And that's also the inclusion of the new television programming from New Zealand that will also assist us in our programming.

DW: And it's always intrigued me, one of those things included in those changes was that you are going to change the frequency for the radio station so that people buying Japanese used cars wouldn't have problems with the radio, is that going ahead?

TT: Yes that is going ahead. A lot of tourists visit our island and a lot of them hire cars which don't have the frequencies expanders installed in them, so we have agreed to change our frequencies to cater to a lot of the tourist market.