TVNZ to call on news specialists to spread wings

Television New Zealand is considering dropping a number of specialist news reporting roles, despite an $11 million budget boost last year.

Sources told the Business Herald the state-owned broadcaster had told its health, business, economics and Maori issues correspondents that they might be asked to report on general news.

One source said TVNZ indicated the move would allow it to deploy news resources more efficiently in response to a "difficult upcoming year".

TVNZ executives could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The plan does not include political specialists or foreign correspondents, but is understood to affect Lorelei Mason (health), Owen Poland (business), Mike Jaspers (economics) and Maori issues specialists Tini Molyneaux and Gideon Porter.

While they may still report on stories in their specialist areas, they will also be required to undertake general news work.

The proposal is not believed to be motivated by a desire to cut costs.

But some insiders questioned the move in light of TVNZ's charter, which states that TVNZ will provide "comprehensive ... and in-depth" coverage of news and current affairs to meet charter objectives.

In November, the Government gave back nearly a third of TVNZ's annual dividend as extra cash to help to implement the charter, adding nearly $11 million to the $23.3 million of taxpayer funds the company already receives.

While most of that windfall was earmarked for local drama and children's programming, news and current affairs boss Bill Ralston has also publicly championed the need for hard news.