Readers' views: TVNZ programming

Herald readers have reacted strongly to this week's call for better programmes and fewer ads on TVNZ. Here is a selection from yesterday's emails:

I believe that the advent of Maori Television has lifted the quantity and quality of New Zealand programming. I speak as a Maori first and a Kiwi second in saying that if TVNZ doesn't improve, Maori TV is more than able to cater for those of us who want to see our stories.

Shane Nikora.

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One of the first things I noticed when I arrived in the UK two years ago was the little advertising on public television channels.

Of the five channels available to the public, BBC1 and BBC2 have no advertising whatsoever. ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 have advertising breaks every 15 minutes, and these breaks are short.

Instead of dragging out The Simpsons or Friends over half an hour, the British can watch these shows, virtually uninterrupted, in 20 minutes.

Secondly, they tend to choose documentaries or reality shows (eg, House Doctor or Super Nanny) for prime time. If you want to watch shows such as CSI Miami or Desperate Housewives you have to stay up until 10pm, which is socially responsible programme scheduling.

Elizabeth Burgess.

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A commercial-free public television channel would be a good thing, since the imperative of delivering eyes to advertisers compromises public television's potential as a public forum.

In recent years, even the news has gradually been reduced to something resembling a gossip column, presumably so the maximum number of people will be exposed to the exhortations to shop that are slotted in between the stories of blood and mayhem.

Olwyn Stewart.

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I agree that the quantity of advertisements should be reduced or done away with on TVNZ.

It is also remarkable that the afternoon service is taken up with cartoons rather than tuition for secondary school students writing NCEA exams. Let the little children watch the cartoon channel.

How come a Saturday morning is devoted to Maori issues when there is a Maori channel not yet fully functional? I don't see a morning devoted to Indians, Sri Lankans, South Africans and other minority groups.

Of all the sports played and enjoyed by New Zealanders, how many of them are shown on TVNZ?

Barbara Miller.

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A commercial-free channel would indicate national maturity in the field of television. And it would save the repetitive strain injury my finger suffers from using the mute button on the remote during ad breaks and, yes, there is far too much negative reporting on the news.

In my house the news is known as the Rape and Pillage Show.

J. Shakespear.

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Mr Maharey says the Government has no plans to create a fully funded television channel. How does he know what the public wants and is prepared to pay for?

To get an alternative to the predominantly shallow dross, and the advertising avalanche, of TVNZ, I pay Sky $72 a month for its Start Up package, Sport 1 and arts channels.

If we were to get public, commercial-free, television to the standard of the ABC in Australia, I would happily contribute at least half of this money to public television.

Keith Urquhart.

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I agree utterly with the eminent New Zealanders' complaints. We have a first-class and respected publicly funded radio service, but the commercially driven TV service is mediocre compared with Britain, Canada and Australia.

In desperation I turn to Sky TV, particularly the arts channel, but I would rather give my fee to public channels if they were available.

Syd Hunter.

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The idea that TVNZ can deliver what the self-described, old-age pensioners are seeking is a quaint and novel notion of what life was like or is like somewhere else.

The solution to providing true public broadcasting in New Zealand lies in unlocking the existing asset to fund a new one. All one has to do is allow TVNZ to revert to pre-charter where profit was the corporation's goal.

Then you sell the asset, unencumbered by state goals, to another media organisation or as a public business and invest the proceeds. This would provide a fund of between $50 million and $100 million a year.

Combine these proceeds with the NZ On Air funds and redirect the Film Commission to provide its outputs into a pool with these two sources of money and create a new broadcaster - a lean, clever acquirer of high-quality content that is inexpensive to source. Combine this with NZ On Air and NZ Film Commission outputs and you have a solution to the need for a real taste of New Zealand, and not an ad in sight.

John Davies.

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Until a commercial-free channel is available, a start could be made on reducing the volume of advertising on all channels simply by doubling the price charged to advertisers.

Some revenue might be lost, but generally the advertisers would simply halve the duration of their adverts, one of the few instances of price-fixing that would benefit us all.

Mike Smith.

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I wept with joy and relief on reading your lead article on TVNZ. I have not watched direct TV for years - l censor it through videoing it so l can block out the ads. And what little there is to watch that is not reality shows, American sitcoms and other assorted trash.

Diana McLennan.