The Labour party will re-establish a public service television station if it gets into Government - and it plans to run it as part of Radio New Zealand, MP Kris Faafoi says.
Maggie Barry, left, Kris Faafoi and Laila Harre at the Coalition for Better Broadcasting debate. Photo: RNZ
Labour would look closely at the experiences of TVNZ6 and TVNZ7, which were disbanded under National in 2011 and 2012.
The new station was most likely to be run as part of Radio New Zealand, and a working group would be set up to look at how much it would cost to set up and how it could be sustainable, Mr Faafoi said.
Speaking at a debate about the future of broadcasting, Mr Faafoi said a plan would be formed as to how the station could keep up in a fast-moving media world.
"I think that's quite an exciting challenge for Radio New Zealand. It's something that they need to do. They also need the funding, and so we'll start a working group to make sure (of) how it's going to be funded on a regular basis," he said.
"Also, it needs sustainable funding, because as we've found with experience with TVNZ6 and 7, if you don't have sustainable funding, something that we love ends up getting chopped."
The current level of funding to New Zealand On Air would be kept the same, and Radio New Zealand will be adequately resourced, Mr Faafoi said.
He funding for Maori television and iwi radio would continue, and there would be more support to provide Pasifika and ethnic TV and radio programmes.
Labour would also work with the broadcasting industry to set up a new self-regulatory standards group to cover complaints.
