One can no more save TV3 than you can save the horse & buggy

Stuff reports:

Three is not suddenly up for sale. It has always been for sale but it came as a package deal with radio.
MediaWorks has finally accepted the integration of its radio and television businesses has failed. Putting Three on the block in a distressed asset sale will not give it much of a financial windfall.

People are demanding the Government do something. The Government should do nothing.

Not because I think it is a good thing TV3 may close. I’d be very sad if it does, especially for the many great people who work there.

But you can’t change the reality that TV channels are no longer a particularly useful valued commodity in the Internet age. Programmes are. Staff are. But not channels.

There is still a huge market for television programmes and money to be made in production. But the era of channels is dying. People now watch programmes, not channels.

TVNZ also has a limited life span as a commercial broadcaster. However if TV3 fades then they will be eligible to pick up more NZ on Air funding. But if TV3 goes, I would question if we keep NZ on Air in its current form.

If TV3 goes, I’d say time for the Government to bite the bullet and wrap up all the public broadcasting money into one entity – a combined television and radio public broadcaster. This would encompass all the funding for NZ on Air, Radio New Zealand and Maori TV.