AUCKLAND: MediaWorks and Sky TV – two of New Zealand's biggest media companies – are set against the formation of a single telecoms and broadcasting regulator in the country.
In addition, MediaWorks believes its pay TV rival should be broken up and its sports rights unbundled.
These were among responses to a review of the country's existing broadcasting regulations by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.
While a majority of submissions were said to favour a single watchdog resembling the UK's Ofcom, MediaWorks – which owns TVNZ and TV3 – and NewsCorp-owned Sky opposed the idea.
MediaWorks also argued that Sky had a near-monopoly on major sporting events and that it should be split into two companies - one focusing on programming, the other on managing satellite transmission and set-top boxes.
Sky, on the other hand, beleives pay-TV programmes should get taxpayer subsidies.
Neither of the country's main political parties – Labour and National – has yet stated their position on any of the review's findings.
In addition, MediaWorks believes its pay TV rival should be broken up and its sports rights unbundled.
These were among responses to a review of the country's existing broadcasting regulations by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.
While a majority of submissions were said to favour a single watchdog resembling the UK's Ofcom, MediaWorks – which owns TVNZ and TV3 – and NewsCorp-owned Sky opposed the idea.
MediaWorks also argued that Sky had a near-monopoly on major sporting events and that it should be split into two companies - one focusing on programming, the other on managing satellite transmission and set-top boxes.
Sky, on the other hand, beleives pay-TV programmes should get taxpayer subsidies.
Neither of the country's main political parties – Labour and National – has yet stated their position on any of the review's findings.
Data sourced from nzherald.com; additional content by WARC staff
