Arts & Entertainment

New Zealand broadcaster NewsHub to close in June: Warner Bros

Sydney, Australia, Feb 28 (EFE).- Media multinational Warner Bros announced Wednesday its plan to close New Zealand broadcaster Newshub in June, including its newsroom and production of television and digital news, due to the fall in advertising.

The decision by Warner Bros. Discovery to end 35 years of news broadcasting on open television would leave at least 200 journalists, producers, editors, and technical and administrative staff unemployed on Jun. 30.

Following the announcement by the multinational, a consultation stage has been opened with employees before making a final decision, which is expected in April, on the future of this medium, one of the most important in the oceanic country.

James Gibbons, Warner Bros’ head of Asia Pacific operations, said the multinational cannot finance local news production in New Zealand – a country of about 5 million inhabitants – without advertising revenue.

“We’ve certainly come to the conclusion this is the best way forward, but we really do welcome hearing from both the team – and indeed all news stakeholders in New Zealand,” the executive said in an emergency meeting with Newshub staff in the city of Auckland.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Wednesday he was sad about the news, but justified the new trends in multimedia consumption and business models in the media.

He told journalists that the media must “continue to innovate to find innovative business models to make businesses like that stand-up,” adding it is “highly unlikely” that his government would intervene to save the company.

Opposition leader Chris Hipkins called the event a “sad day for democracy,” as quoted by Newshub.

“”Democracy relies on an informed citizenry, being informed relies on debate, and that relies on a diversity of sources of information,” said the former New Zealand prime minister, adding that the closure of Newshub would leave New Zealand with only one national news outlet on open television: public broadcaster TVNZ.

The closure of Newshub, which began operating in 1989, is part of Warner Bros’ decision to end local productions to prioritize streaming platform ThreeNow. EFE

wat/lds

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