RNZ shelves proposal to change Concert following backlash

Wednesday, 12 February 2020

RNZ has cut short talks over job cuts, sources say.

After prominent lawyers delivered a letter to RNZ and a petition with more than 26,000 signatures was handed to the outlet - RNZ has shelved its proposal to move Concert.

On its website, chief executive Paul Thompson said he met with staff in the music department on Wednesday afternoon to withdraw the proposal.

Radio New Zealand (RNZ) announced last week it intended to move Concert FM's frequency to a new youth-oriented music channel that it planned to have on air later this year. The plan included a raft of changes, turning Concert into a fully-automated service and axing all of the station's presenters.

But over the next month, Thompson said RNZ would develop a new strategy for Concert aimed at improving its audience and it would work with the government on its new service for young people.

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* RNZ says new 'youth oriented' music brand will lift whole radio industry

* RNZ moves ahead with plans to create new music station for a younger audience**

Speaking shortly before Thompson's statement, Public Service Association national secretary Glenn Barclay said it looked like there had been a welcome development.

'We were about to write to them to ask them to go back to scratch and it looks like they may have beaten us to the gun.

'It is very promising and I'm sure our members will be relieved.'

RNZ had been consulting with staff over axing 18 positions within its music division, including all presenter roles at Concert.

Four new roles would have been created at Concert and 13 at a new youth-oriented music brand which the board has said it is still committed to.

The consultations had been due to conclude on February 21.

Sources told Stuff jobs would be safe for now and any restructure would need to start again from scratch.

Barclay said he understood Concert would revert to the 'status quo' for the moment, RNZ would introduce a new strategy for the review of Concert's operations, and the broadcaster would 'press ahead with its youth service, which he said was great.

Music writer Elizabeth Kerr, who delivered a petition to RNZ about Concert, said the consultations were a 'temporary reprieve'.

She understood staff members still felt 'pretty vulnerable'.

Although protesters had been heard by management, she did not think they understood so the campaign to support would continue, she said.

On Monday, Julian Miles, QC, former attorney-general Chris Finlayson, QC, and Adam Ross, QC, had been working on behalf of some orchestras to try to stop RNZ from going ahead with its proposed changes.

A letter was being drafted and in it, the broadcaster would be put on notice, telling them unless the changes were abandoned legal action would follow.

Miles told Stuff the letter was delivered on Wednesday.

'The letter was seeking assurances from RNZ that they would immediately put the process of sacking the presenters on hold and we required that assurance by friday or we would issue proceedings on Monday,' he said.

'However if RNZ has already decided not to proceed with moving the station onto an AM frequency and has put on hold its intention of dismissing the presenters then proceedings won't be necessary and these issues can be discussed on a rational and legitimate basis with an appropriate recognition by the board of their responsibility to ensure the ongoing role of the concert programme.'

RNZ chairman Jim Mather said on Tuesday that the Government's decision announced on Monday to free up an extra FM slot for RNZ was a 'game changer' that would allow it to keep Concert on FM, while also having an FM slot for its new youth station.

But RNZ wasn't able at the time to discuss the staffing implications.

RNZ's original plan would have seen Concert switched to AM radio transmission, with a total of four managers and schedulers looking after its programming.

However, once the continuation of FM broadcasts was confirmed, there was speculation RNZ would be likely to retain at least some presenter roles.

RNZ ran into heavy flak over the restructure, including from former prime minister Helen Clark.

Head of music Willy Macalister has said its youth music brand would be strongly differentiated from existing commercial channels, with a strong focus on promoting local music, including new artists and coverage of music festivals, and more discussion.

Barclay said the PSA and its members were very supportive of that initiative and of RNZ improving its connection with young people.

'But the whole notion that you have to sacrifice Concert in order to get it, we don't accept. It has been a pretty bad process up to now,' he said.