Nobody asked me, but... why are all the luvvies getting their collective knickers in a knot over Government demands that Radio New Zealand learn to live within its means?
You could be forgiven for thinking that Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman had actually pulled the plug on the public broadcaster, rather than merely asking its managers for a range of longer-term options on how it will meet the challenge to remain a high-quality service in the face of rising costs and a frozen budget in the foreseeable future.
One would have thought this was a pretty reasonable and rational request. Especially given the fact Radio New Zealand relies solely on the generosity of taxpayers to function, the world is in the midst of a deep recession, the Government is borrowing around $1 billion a month to keep NZ Inc afloat and the rest of the public service - ie police, schools, hospitals et el - have all been given the same message of cutting their cloth to fit the extraordinary tough financial times the country is currently facing.
Instead, the National Radio luvvies - a snobbier, bunch of pompous and pretentious types you will ever come across - are running around doing their Chicken Little impersonations and claiming the sky is falling and the fat, sacred cow called National Radio is about to be slaughtered.
Speaking of cows - sacred or not - even former Prime Minister Helen Clark has waded into the debate over the future of Radio NZ, saying it is an important service that provides in-depth and specialised reporting.
"I'm a great believer in public radio," Helen Clark said in a brief visit to Wellington.
For me this woman is the epitome of a RNZ luvvie and enough reason alone to can National Radio! But I digress.
Here are some facts.
Radio New Zealand's budget last year was $38.2 million, $34.2 million of which was public money, which it uses to run national Radio and Concert FM.
Radio NZ board chairwoman Christine Grice has downplayed any perceived friction between the board and the minister. She is confident of meeting Government expectations without compromising standards.
Ms Grice said there had been no interference from Dr Coleman, nor had there been any direct threats to remove the board.
"Radio NZ has to live within its means and there is absolutely no question about that."
Some of the options Radio NZ is considering to save money or increase revenue:
* Moving the service to an AM frequency in parts of the country.
* Slashing the advertising budget.
* Not sending reporters to cover the Commonwealth Games in India this year.
* Limiting coverage of music/arts.
* Dropping plans to open a regional office in Gisborne or closing the Palmerston North branch.
* Switching off National Radio between midnight and 6am.
* Commercial sponsorship for Concert FM and other programmes.
* More repeat content.
* Shifting out of the Auckland premises.
* Dropping its internal audit.
In the perfect world while none of these options would be ideal, but it is not a perfect world at present.
One question I have to ask is why is a non commercial entity like RNZ spending $200,000 a year on promoting itself via advertising? Surely this is just one area that could be cut back in difficult economic times!
Are the National Radio luvvies so caught up in their own self-importance and demands that all taxpayers fund their choice of radio station, that they have missed the fact that the Government is borrowing $1 billion a month just to keep the country going. That essential services such as schools, hospitals and the police have all being told there will be no increases in budgets this year either?
But it is only $38 million a year the luvvies claim and this is small fry in relation to total Government spending. I agree. However,reductions and budget freezes have to to be made across all areas of Government spending - RNZ should not be exempt.
Are these people so arrogant and selfish that they believe RNZ's funding is more important than educating our kids, operating on our old people, or having enough police to protect our citizens from crime?
I am sure if any one of these things were to happen to a RNZ luvvie or one of their family, they would be first people complaining about the terrible state of affairs.
But then I guess the luvvies will be able to take comfort by tuning into their favourite sacred cow - either National Radio or Concert FM - and get lost in their own smug, self important, I am better-than-you planet they all currently inhabit.
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