A New Zealand media expert says the announcement of job cuts at TVNZ is a "shock" that leaves the country worse off.
The broadcaster is proposing to cut up to 68 roles - including in the newsroom - amid falling revenue. Chief executive Jodi O'Donnell said the company had to respond to challenging economic times and structural challenges within the media sector that were impacting revenue.
Victoria University of Wellington media studies professor Peter Thompson said he was surprised by the announcement.
"We know that the television sector has been facing some real difficulties," he told Breakfast this morning.
"But coming so soon after the terrible Newshub announcement, this really was a shock.
"It leaves a gaping hole in the news media ecology."
Thompson continued: "It's fundamental that these media support informed debate and uphold democratic processes.
"If we don't have a news media that's robust and capable of conducting serious journalism across a wide range of issues and different regions and peoples, then we've got a hole in our democracy, not just the news sector."
There are a number of factors behind the issue including audience fragmentation and the big tech giants, he added, calling the problem "manifold". Thompson suggested levies would be the most elegant fix.
The Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill – currently being considered – would create a binding arbitration process that digital platforms, like Google and Facebook, would be forced to use if they were unable to strike voluntary deals with news media companies.
But Thompson wasn't convinced by the proposal.
"I think the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill is well-intentioned but it won't deliver on its promises," he said, adding the bill contains no guarantees around where the proceeds would be reinvested.
He said journalism like local government reporting and regional reporting needed secure support.
"If we don't have that, then I think there's an even bigger gap in our news media.
"I think a much more elegant solution to this would be a broad-base levy.
"There's a conversation that we need to have and it needs to be an urgent one."
Staff affected by the proposals are attending meetings this morning. It is understood current affairs show Sunday and digital youth platform Re: News are among those affected within News and Current Affairs.
Further speculation has centred on consumer affairs show Fair Go – and the content producer team, which edits video for broadcast and digital, is also understood to have been been invited to consultation meetings.
News and Current Affairs staff expect to learn details of the proposal at a newsroom meeting this afternoon.
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