Media Matters in NZ

NEW NAME - OLD CONCERNS:

After 15 continuous years of activism on behalf of the young people of this country for a better media climate and a reduction in the commercial exploitation for sex and violence, VOTE (Viewers For Television Excellence) has changed its name.

At our AGM in late April, attended by spokespeople from all the major political parties, President John Terris said: "Our organization is the only media advocacy group in NZ - after 15 years we need to widen our brief to take account of new technologies like The Internet, Video Games and Mobile Telephony. So we have resolved to become 'MEDIA MATERS IN NZ (Incorporating Children's Media Watch)'

The media regulatory landscape in NZ is a Wild and Woolly West "We have the least regulated system in the world, and a half a dozen groups like the Press Council and the Broadcasting Standards Authority, each with differing responsibilities, all applying different guidelines and operating under different pieces of legislation".

Other jurisdictions like the UK, Canada and Australia all have in the last five years introduced much stricter controls especially on the Internet, but in NZ, by contrast, Supreme Court Judges and School Principals access porn on their work computers with impunity.

"Media Matters" is not about suppressing the free flow of information, but about protecting our more vulnerable kids from coming to believe that porn fantasies are what fulfilling sex is about and that violence is a solution to their problems.

Text bullying, and paedophiles and rapists using the Internet to groom their victims, are all aspects of children's lives which they have a right to expect society will protect them from". The new group kicked off with a Forum which included the Minister of Broadcasting local MP Trevor Mallard, Sue Kedgley, Green MP, Chris Finlayson, National MP and Gordon Copeland Independent MP.

By and large the politicians appear to have the view that if they ignore the problem it will go away. They can afford indifference because the very people who would be affected by any change, the media themselves, refuse to admit of any debate on the matter since they want to keep the status quo where they can get away with pretty much anything they please

THANKS. Special thanks are due to our Secretary Adrian Cooper, and Executive members Ralph Ross (Christchurch) and Penny Jones (Auckland) for again agreeing to serve. Special thanks also to our Honorary Solicitor Peter Morahan, Mel Woods (membership Secretary) and Kassa Mohamet (Treasurer).

For further information about Media Matters in NZ go to  www.viewers.org.nz