Board at New Zealand’s TVNZ reshuffled after RNZ merger falls through

New Zealand public broadcaster TVNZ has undergone a board reshuffle following the collapse of plans to merge its assets with the country’s government-owned radio station, RNZ.

Alastair Carruthers

New Zealand broadcasting and media minister Willie Jackson announced the appointment of new chair Alastair Carruthers, who holds the same role at the New Zealand Film Commission, with Ripeka Evans joining as deputy chair. Evans was formerly a senior executive at TVNZ and chief executive at the Māori Broadcasting Funding Agency.

The new board members include lawyer and former broadcaster Linda Clark, who is also on the board of broadcasting industry body NZ On Air, and John Quirk, a seasoned media, technology and broadcasting executive. Existing TVNZ board members Meg Matthews and Aliesha Staples have been reappointed as directors.

“We are excited to have selected a range of talented individuals to take up these vital leadership roles. The line-up includes some familiar faces and a wide range of expertise across public media, governance, marketing, finance, law and cultural development. I am especially pleased to see the mix of commercial and public media experience, alongside a good balance of fresh faces and institutional knowledge,” Jackson said.

The TVNZ boards will now have six members with another member being sought later this year for a 2024 start.

Meanwhile, TVNZ’s CEO position is set to be left vacant after incumbent Simon Power leaves the company at the end of June. An interim CEO, Brent McAnulty, will step in from July 1 until a permanent replacement is found.