MPs keen to interrogate TV chiefs over troubles

Top executives at TVNZ could face a grilling from MPs, with two parliamentary select committees keen to investigate the company's problems.

TVNZ's ratings have fallen in key demographics in the past few months, chief executive Ian Fraser has resigned and it has been embroiled in high-profile pay rows with several presenters.

Act leader Rodney Hide has written to Parliament's finance and expenditure committee requesting an inquiry and National broadcasting spokeswoman Georgina te Heuheu said yesterday that she had written to the commerce committee also requesting an inquiry.

It appears there are enough MPs on both committees who support an inquiry to force one on the Government.

Commerce committee chairwoman and National MP Katherine Rich said yesterday she and three other National members on the nine-member committee supported an inquiry.

United Future MP Gordon Copeland, also a member of the committee, said he too supported an inquiry - assuring it could go ahead.

But Mr Copeland said it was possible the finance and expenditure committee, of which he is also a member, could get in first to order an inquiry when it meets on Wednesday - a day before the commerce committee meets.

Mr Copeland said he believed an inquiry should focus on the erosion of shareholder value in TVNZ.

Mrs Rich said she would be keen to see an inquiry examine what role TVNZ's public broadcasting charter was playing in the network's fortunes.

Meanwhile, presenter Susan Wood, who this month won an employment dispute with TVNZ over its plans to slash her pay by $100,000 to $350,000 a year, will face a "critical meeting" early this week over her future at the network.

Wood was away from work on Friday on stress leave. Her lawyer, Mai Chen, said it was on doctor's advice.

- NZPA