TVNZ job cuts: Fair Go to be axed as staff begin hearing their fate

One of TVNZ’s most enduring and popular shows, Fair Go, will be axed, the state broadcaster has confirmed to staff today.

Fair Go staff met at 11am on Tuesday and – according to RNZ – were told the show would end, as earlier proposed. The Midday and Tonight news bulletins would also be ending, as earlier planned.

Fair Go staff are among up to 68 roles to be cut by TVNZ.

Four video content producer roles at TVNZ will also be axed as staff at the state broadcaster as staff in various departments and from myriad shows began hearing their fate following a period of consultation.

A meeting of Fair Go staff started at 11am on Tuesday, while Re: News, Midday and Tonight news teams also met with TVNZ bosses today.

A meeting for video content producers confirmed an earlier proposal to cut the existing 10 roles to six, although a team leader position – which had originally been earmarked to go – will be retained, says a source.

Sunday staff will meet tomorrow to learn their fate.

A TVNZ spokeswoman said today: “Meetings with our people take place today and tomorrow, so we won’t be providing an update until we’ve had the opportunity to speak to all teams. We’ll be able to share the decision regarding the proposed show changes tomorrow afternoon.”

EARLIER

Staff at Television New Zealand will today find out whether they can keep their jobs, and the viewing public will learn whether their favourite shows survive proposed cost-saving cuts.

The Herald understands the state-owned broadcaster is holding a series of meetings where the roles and shows first proposed to be axed last month will be finalised.

A company spokeswoman said “we won’t be confirming any specific timings until we’ve spoken to our people”, however, she did not dismiss the Herald’s understanding.

Television New Zealand (TVNZ) proposed to cut up to 68 roles and four programmes on March 7, eliciting disappointment from staff, their union and the public.

The loss of news and current affairs shows concerned many, with some worrying about how it would affect wider society – particularly given TVNZ’s announcement came a week after its only competitor, Newshub, revealed it would close by the end of June.

Fair Go and Sunday, along with the Tonight and Midday news bulletins were on the line while the company’s digital news brand aimed at youth, Re: News, was also proposed to have roles cut. Staff were reportedly in tears when TVNZ outlined which shows were in the proposal.

TVNZ chief executive Jodi O’Donnell couldn’t rule out cutting other shows like Shortland Street either, saying during the initial announcement that the broadcaster was “looking at everything”.

The cuts were necessitated by falling revenue, O’Donnell said. Tough economic conditions and structural changes had impacted revenue and prompted difficult choices “to ensure TVNZ remains sustainable”, she said.

Despite trying to lower operating costs in the past year, “we’re now at the point where we need to reduce the size of our team to bring our costs more in line”, O’Donnell said.

“Changes like the ones we’re proposing are incredibly hard, but we need to ensure we’re in a stronger position to transform the business to meet the needs of our viewers in a digital world,” she said.

The union for media industry workers, E tū, pushed back on the proposals. It wrote to TVNZ on behalf of its members raising concerns about the proposal process and a lack of consultation with staff.

“Union members … feel their experience and expertise simply wasn’t utilised, which is obviously going to lead to a flawed proposal,” E tū negotiations specialist Michael Wood said.

“There’s no use in proposing radical changes like this without exploring other options first.”

About 100 protesters, including TVNZ staff, gathered outside the broadcaster’s head office in central Auckland in opposition to the cancellations on March 28.

Sunday presenter Miriama Kamo told the Herald that as journalists, they didn’t want to be on the other side of the microphone and it felt unusual.

“The fourth estate is a very important pillar of our democracy, and I’m not sure how much that’s understood by our power brokers,” Kamo said.

She said Sunday was the last long-form current affairs show of its kind, and once it went, there would be nothing like it again.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.