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BROADCASTING & COMMUNICATIONS
INTRODUCTION
Free, open and affordable access to information and communication technology is the foundation of the democratic state. The role of government should largely be confined to essential regulatory matters, thereby ensuring issues relating to community standards, access, impartiality, and diversity are addressed. There is, however, an important role for publicly owned television and radio networks to reflect national identity and cultures and to provide essential communications in the event of national emergencies.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
- combine Television New Zealand (TVNZ) and Radio New Zealand under one state-owned enterprise known as New Zealand Broadcasting (NZB), modelled on similar public broadcasting systems overseas, and with clear aims that include promoting our nation's unique qualities, and the coverage of significant national events;
- continue to develop the re-establishment of TV One along the lines of a public service channel with limited advertising and a concentration on quality programming;
- lower dividend requirements (to allow the establishing of digital capacity, reductions in peak time commercials, the maintenance of transmission capacity and better quality programmes);
- run TV2 on a commercial basis to help fund TV One and Radio New Zealand, and return dividends to the taxpayer;
- require TV One and Radio New Zealand to establish a common complementary administrative and logistical system;
- require TV One and Radio New Zealand to establish a common complementary news service that enhances coverage;
- ensure that all future appointments to the NZB board are made on the basis of experience, expertise, and appropriate representation from industry and consumers, and not political patronage;
- broaden the scope of the Concert FM network to make it more accessible to a wider range of New Zealanders and to promote our nation's uniqueness by broadcasting a wide range of indigenous music as well as the best loved of the classics. It should cater for all age groups;
- improve Radio New Zealand's international services;
- require that salaries paid beyond accepted public service broadbands, particularly but not exclusively in broadcasting, be cleared with and signed off by stakeholder ministers;
- immediately introduce a fair process of allocating digital channels and radio spectrum bands;
- continue to work with the industry and the public to achieve and maintain a voluntary quota system to increase the New Zealand content of radio and television broadcasting;
- open public debate on raising broadcasting standards especially in relation to violence, obscenities, pornography; and,
- review the regulations and practices relating to the use and allocation of funds for the broadcasting of election programmes. New Zealand First will remove political representatives from the Electoral Commission.
COMMUNICATIONS
New Zealand First will:
- improve electronic and traditional access to government information and services including improved telephone directory listings;
- conduct an analysis of the current telecommunications regime, evaluate the effects of deregulation, investigate and overcome barriers to competition, and address interconnection issues;
- ensure that social objectives in the wider telecommunications sector are safeguarded in the interests of both business and consumers. We will investigate Kiwi Share, its valuation, its application to internet services, and consider its replacement and its application to Telecom's competitors;
- use appropriate regulatory powers to ensure fairness in the telecommunications sector which facilitates fair competition in the market and benefits New Zealanders;
- implement the 'unbundling' of Telecom's networks to ensure true competition across all communications technology, not just part of it;
- provide a long term solution for the total portability of telephone numbers;
- require full financial disclosure for Telecom's monopoly and contestable business;
- provide all primary and secondary educational institutions, particularly those in rural areas, with up-to-date communications technology;
- improve access to communications technology in rural and other isolated areas;
- ensure that adequate anti spam measures are put in place and advance solutions for phishing and internet fraud; and,
- promote adequate measures to deal with internet pornography and in particular child pornography, with both legislative and regulatory powers, including substantial jail terms.
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