The Green Party supports a thriving, vibrant media sector, with a diversity of accessible and independent sources to entertain and inform New Zealanders, and hold power to account. The media sector is changing fast, under enormous financial pressure in an environment of diminishing public trust. New thinking is needed.
COVID-19 has brought the issues the media faces into harsher light, with sudden job losses and uncertain futures. Less journalism means more unchecked power for decision-makers, which is bad for everyone. A strong media sector is crucial to a functioning democracy, and public interest journalism is the core of a strong media sector.
The Green Party will work to enable new funding streams to support our journalists and storytellers. This means innovation in the content produced and the platforms it appears on, not just propping up unsustainable business models.
Aotearoa can ensure a diverse and resilient fourth estate. One well equipped to hold power to account and share our communities’ stories, promoting our shared identity and challenging us to be better.
The Green Party will:
- Establish a Public Interest Journalism Fund, making grants available for projects and journalists, with criteria to ensure diversity of voice in media is considered as part of the grants process.
- Implement a ‘digital services tax’ on digital advertising revenue, to disincentive sending revenue offshore and provide a new stream of funding for local media.
- Support NZ on Air to continue funding the production of local content.
- Increase RNZ’s funding, including RNZ Concert, which could then employ journalists losing jobs in the private media sector.
- Protect and further support student media, Māori media, and Pāsefika media.