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Big job cuts at Television New Zealand look set to turn former Close Up presenter Susan Wood into a come-back queen.
It is understood Wood - who resigned at the end of last year with health worries - has been lined up by TVNZ to host the Saturday current affairs programme Agenda.
As part of the news revamp, Lisa Owen, presenter for the taxpayer-funded programme, has been moved to work on One News.
The show's independent producer, Richard Harman, would not discuss whether he had been talking to Wood, saying decisions were in TVNZ's hands.
TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards said she knew nothing about Wood's returning.
But a broadcasting source said Wood was almost certain to take over at Agenda, the low-rating but charter-friendly current affairs show.
The cost-cutting, which will see 160 jobs go, came under fire yesterday from opponents pressing the Government to drop its requirement for a dividend.
Andrew Little, national secretary of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, and TVNZ's former head of news, Bill Ralston, called for Labour to stand by its commitment to public broadcasting by giving up its dividend.
Mr Little, tipped to be a Labour candidate at the next election, said the Government had to take responsibility if the return it received from TVNZ compromised its public service ethos.
Mr Ralston, who resigned in February, said targeting news and current affairs would make it impossible for TVNZ to deliver on the charter.
"This is a retreat from any form of serious news gathering and current affairs.
"The charter required 'independent, comprehensive, impartial, and indepth coverage and analysis' and now on every one of those points TVNZ will demonstrably fail to deliver if these cuts go ahead."
More details about the cutbacks yesterday showed that remaining staff will have to increase productivity with news anchors - including Simon Dallow and Wendy Petrie - required to "multi-task".
A news executive who would not be named said they would have to do odd jobs that had previously been done for them such as writing on-air promotions.
Meanwhile, a campaign against plans by newspaper publisher APN New Zealand to outsource most of its editorial production to an Australian company was launched yesterday.
APN is evaluating a plan to source some editorial production services from an outside supplier, Pagemasters New Zealand.
The plan would be implemented at the Herald from July and in other papers after that.
- additional reporting: NZPA
Cost cutting
* 160 jobs are to go at TVNZ.
* Remaining staff will have to increase their productivity.
* The Government is coming under pressure to drop its dividend.
