400 TVNZ credit cards to go
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:00 am by David FarrarThe Herald reports:
More than 470 of its 900 or so staff have had cards, and in the six months to January this year – a time of cost cutting – they spent $3.18 million. Almost 100 of the cards had a monthly cap of at least $10,000.
Mr Ellis racked up more than $140,000 on his own company plastic in two years – including $32,000 entertaining.
He and senior executives will be among those losing their cards, and soon there will be as few as 50 left at TVNZ.
Staff will now have to apply to get work-related expenses reimbursed, though some field staff will retain their cards.
Having half the staff with credit cards was excessive. Most companies have very few credit cards issued, and other staff are on a reimbursement system.
I’ve never had a company credit card in my life, yet in certain roles have had tens of thousands of dollars of expenses – I just file expense claims.
Tags: TVNZ
September 3rd, 2010 at 9:20 am
Now cut their salaries to the bone. Overpaid and useless most of them. Partisan agents of Progressivism, and not a new’s (or entertainments’s) organisation’s arsehole.
Their reporting on the Beck rally was criminal.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 9:22 am
I’d be severely pissed off if my employer made me put expenses through a company card – miss out on all those reward points for spending someone else’s money? Not likely.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 9:26 am
I raise my eyebrows at the average annual spend of all 470 of them – $16k per head.
Much of it will be legitimate but $7.6 million per year? Come on now. How much of it was spent entertaining future Labour Party employers?
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 9:34 am
Why do we have a state owned broadcoaster anyway? Is there really no other ways to get the news out? TV3 is left enough if the Lefties think there wouldn’t be enough left bias to fill the airwaves.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 9:44 am
Some of the junior reporters and field staff have had problems getting personal credit cards because most have large student loans and low incomes. I’m not sure how they are meant to pay for things like accommodation when they get sent out of town at very short notice.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 9:48 am
Read further down the story, and you’ll see that staff are upset because they can only use their credit cards for after-work Friday drinks once a month now – entitleitis is alive and well, it would seem …
http://keepingstock.blogspot.com/2010/09/tvnzs-culture-of-extravagence.html
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 9:48 am
“I’m not sure how they are meant to pay for things like accommodation when they get sent out of town at very short notice.”
Caravan parks are pretty cheap I’m told.
Stuffed up my apostrophe’s before- “not a news (or entertainment) organisation’s arsehole.”
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 9:55 am
““I’m not sure how they are meant to pay for things like accommodation when they get sent out of town at very short notice.”
Simple do what I always did before credit cards. Tell the hotel to send the account to head office, certify it correct when you get home, or get an advance for incidentals.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 9:56 am
What will the Pollies and the Media Luvvies do now when they have no credit card to buy a bicycle or have to do the Friday ‘Big Shop.’
Think there will be a lot of AKL and Wellie top end Restaurants exclaiming, “Oh Crap!”
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 9:58 am
First Ralston then all the credit cards. Toto won’t last to the end of the month.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 10:02 am
Not really applicable in this case, but it seems the employee can carry quite a risk if the company is to go under, I imagine leaving the employee out of pocket to what could be thousands of dollars.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 10:11 am
I somehow very much doubt that 470 is accurate. It seems highly unreasonable that every 2nd employee had a company credit card.
And having a credit card does not mean that you don’t have to file an expense report and justify your expenses. I had company credit cards before and the rules were strict and enforced. If I would have spent the card on anything inappropriate I would have had to repay the amount and if it happened too often I would have lost the card.
I actually don’t see credit cards as the problem, as long as the rules are clear and enforced.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 10:17 am
Serious downturn in the retail and bar trade looming.
Vote:That’s Auckland retailers and bar owners down the tubes.
Helicopter operators might feel the pinch too. Oh dear how sad.
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:27 am
“Their reporting on the Beck rally was criminal.”
Hang on a moment, while I am in no way defending the abuse of tax payer funds by TVNZ I struggle to work out how you can be upset about how they report a rally organised by an irrelevant bible bashing nut bar from Fox News.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 10:29 am
“I actually don’t see credit cards as the problem, as long as the rules are clear and enforced.”
They are not, and this is a clear indication that the managers there are over paid and not competent. Not only in basic management but in the operation of a television station.
They plunge while FOX rises. Fox managers know what is what and will give their shareholders a healthy return on investment. TVNZ managers are incompetent and politically partisan, and survive only because they are propped up by government favouritism and tax payer funded “public good’ advertising.
The whole corrupt and crumbling edifice should be closed down and sold off. An anachronistic white elephant and a poisonous propaganda outlet that was past its use by date three decades ago.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 10:31 am
“I struggle to work out how you can be upset about how they report a rally organised by an irrelevant bible bashing nut bar from Fox News.”
Yes, most people who have only a weak regard for truth and accuracy would similarly struggle.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 10:32 am
Paul Henry made Pippa lead by example this morning by cutting her credit cards.
Another morning of excellent television …..but theatre I would suspect.
No such thing as making a eunuch of a woman.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 10:33 am
Some one famous needs to say that last line
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 10:38 am
I recall paying for the entire The Grand Chateau for our annual staff ski-trip weekend a few years back. IIRC the bill was $35,000 and I left early to fly Sydney on the Sunday afternoon. My card was declined on check-in… followed immediately by a call from Amex to ask if I really was in Sydney.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 10:56 am
“Yes, most people who have only a weak regard for truth and accuracy would similarly struggle.”
The truth as you see it you mean.
I fail to see why you are so concerned about the reporting of an irrelevant event that occurred on the other side of the world, what Glen Beck gets up to is not important to Kiwis.
Thankfully we have a healthy disregard for bible bashing nut bars.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 11:00 am
Foi …… for you Glen Beck may be “irrelevant bible bashing nut bar from Fox News” but the reality is that he is urguably the top political show host in the US with ratings that his Democrat opponents would die for …. and probably will once they see their beloved Party dorked in the mid term elections now 61 days away.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 11:02 am
Fuck the shit will hit the fan now. They’ll be like cornered rats at TVNZ now, squealing, hissing, spitting. Socialists don’t take it well when the cash drys up. I suspect Shonkey and the National Socialists will be sent to the sin bin. They mos well dispose of the entire outfit as they shall always be looked upon as scum of the earth now and treated accordingly.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 11:10 am
Mr Miller, what you say is true but it is not the argument. Whatever the subject, (and especially given they are a government owned broadcaster), the reporting (from TV One) should be objective and truthful.
Its best not to rise to the bait of uninformed Progressive style bigots and fools like Fot on this particular thread.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 11:25 am
The thing is Redbaiter that you do not want objective and truthful reporting from TVNZ, you want your bigoted religion based lifestyle forced down the throat of the rest of us.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 11:28 am
Fot, whether its irrelevant or not, if it is to be reported then it should be reported accurately and without the bullshit sensationalised “celebrity” sound-bite partisan slant bollocks that masquarades as news in this country. Your point goes to whether it was worth reporting in the first place. Given that TVNZ ran it, the only inference that can be drawn is that it wasn’t.
Any public service rationale in state-owned TV disappeared years ago when reality TV and the tandem newsreader/blonde bimbo/tits flopping out on the coffee table vogue of “news” and “current events” took hold. They are a complete and utter waste of space and if the government hasn’t got the balls to administer a righteous kick in the slats that are TVNZ and make it do something useful, like perhaps being credible, then we should ditch it.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 11:32 am
wikiriwhis business
Are you serious? Does (did) that stupid bimbo actually have a TVNZ credit card????
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 11:34 am
davinci
Nobody is more in favour of selling TVNZ than I am.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 11:36 am
kino – they can ask for advances on allowances. If someone regularly travels kicking up say $300 per trip, they can be paid $300 up front to be docked from final pay when they leave. For infrequent travellers they can be paid an advance up front. Employees have a right to not be expected to meet travel out their own pockets and be reimbursed later.
There is another valid use of credit cards – when small quantities of things are purchased where it is not worth opening an account. The card holder would only use the card as authorised. This applies even more so if odds and ends have to be purchased from overseas as credit cards are the most convenient way of paying for them.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 11:40 am
I don’t think selling TVNZ will repair the credibility damage already incurred, the privately owned alternatives are as bad at manufactured news and magazine shows.
I’m also amazed that a token talking head would need a credit card.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 11:56 am
“The thing is Redbaiter that you do not want objective and truthful reporting from TVNZ, you want your bigoted religion based lifestyle forced down the throat of the rest of us.”
FOT, I so tire of you progressives who cannot argue the point but dream up some completely fallacious falsely premised (and off topic) issue that I am meant to subscribe to and then demand that I defend it. Get a fucking brain or go away you dimwitted bore.
My point is that whether it be Glenn Beck of Jim Anderton, whatever is reported by TV One should be objective and impartial and truthful. If they cannot achieve this simple objective than they should fold their tent and cease the pretence of being a professional broadcaster. This is not a thread to divert to a rant concerning your simpleton surrender to left wing political strategies.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 12:10 pm
@davinci,,
Yup, two got the snip treatment. Not Pauls’.
It was denied tvnz is completly hosted by blondes.
Every woman on ‘Good Morning’ is blonde.
I blame Maoridom. If they got onto broader issues in the community and showed intelligent social dialogue they’d be listened to and host these programmes. But no, its always me,me,me.
Tau Henare was great hosting Holmes. Be so good hearing Maori talking about NZ.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 1:29 pm
I’d quite like not to have a corporate credit card – the time and hassle doing acquitals plus the risk of something I do being perceived wrong is high and getting higher. Problem is when overseas our puny outfit is not often able to get accounts with hotels and restaurants unless we have a large deposit and/or organise many months in advance. And of course can’t use own credit card because then that is a ‘personal benefit’ and you can’t have that..tsk tsk .
And KrazyKiwi “paying for the entire The Grand Chateau for our annual staff ski-trip weekend a few years back”..Grand Chateau….annual staff ski trip…man if only i could work for you….
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 1:41 pm
wikiriwhis
If only. But then it must be a tough choice between at the very least acknowledging the source of the funding in the way you suggest, and broadcasting Mister Ed in Maori.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 1:44 pm
Fot,
You’re quite right about Becks rally not being newsworthy. Very little occurred compared with protests for left wing causes such as these:
http://tinypic.com/r/15wxcgk/7
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 3:43 pm
I worked for a major international company for 20 years. I travelled all over on company business. never had a company card.
It wasnt policy even for the President of the company. Secretary would make flight hotel and rental car bookings i paid with my personal card and got a reimbirsment on return.
If I was going to be away when the monthly card payment was due I got a cash advance to pay it and reconciled on return.
No problem. Just a case of egos getting in the way.
Chop up the company credit cards and see how the expenses decrease.
Vote:September 3rd, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Mark Burton who is standing for Mayor in Taupo seems to have been very handy with his Ministerial Credit Card according to the Herald.
Also his staffers seem to have followed his poor example. The money never seems to get repaid though does it?
Ridiculous.
Vote: