Public service television heads for extinction

No channels, no charter; is there no hope for TV that isn't driven by ratings?

Print Share

20th August, 2011

Mag Features

If “public” television were an animal it would surely be the subject of a David Attenborough documentary. He would present it as a noble but fragile creature struggling to survive in an increasingly hostile environment: harassed by aggressive rivals, driven out of the benign habitat where it once grazed contentedly, and viewed with apparent pitiless indifference by those in a position to save it. Advocates for public television – a term that can be loosely defined as television driven by values other than ratings and advertising revenue, and with a high ratio of local content ...

Get full access to Listener.co.nz

Subscribers can read the full version of this story.

You can subscribe and get full online access for as little as $5 per week.

Enjoy the high-quality, in-depth journalism of the Listener magazine with convenient online access. This includes access to thousands of archived articles and up-to-date TV and entertainment listings.

Our great content is available online even before it hits the shelves, and includes more focus on breaking news. With our responsive design you get a great reader experience whether you read from your home computer, tablet, or even smartphone.

Already a subscriber? Just login to read full version of this story.

Already an existing print subscriber? As part of your magazine subscription you are entitled to receive full access to the New Zealand Listener Online content. Click here for instructions on how to redeem your digital access.

Or you can subscribe now to get unlimited access to listener.co.nz.