The ”‘conscious coupling’ of TVNZ and RNZ is about to get the green light with Cabinet rubber-stamping it this week.

Whether we call it a merger, a disestablishment, a re-alignment, or a waste of millions of dollars over several years - I have one clear message for the Government.

It is not worth it!

It is bizarre how the Government is trying to mash them together like two irregular jigsaw pieces.

The two outlets are chalk and cheese - and that’s a good thing. The years spent pursuing different mandates and seeking different audiences has developed them into completely independent operations with their own mannerisms, cultures and identities.

TVNZ is a commercial enterprise always looking to compete for entertainment, while RNZ has a core public service role; its job is to tell the stories that a corporate entity would never even consider.

We are so much richer for having both telling the stories of New Zealand to New Zealanders even when we sometimes disagree with their opinions.

After countless reviews, endless delays and the obvious inter-Cabinet and departmental arguments which must have been paralysing for both RNZ and TVNZ, they will all be relieved to finally have a decision and move forward.

The whole process leading to the pending announcement has been a mockery of the taxpayer, of the media sector and of accountability. It has seen advice requested and thrown away so many times I’ve lost count. It has involved several Ministers, several years and God knows how much wasted public service FTEs, bureaucracy and general malaise from any and all involved in the process.

I can only conclude that whatever decision is announced by Minister Faafoi, it will not be the best advice, but rather made out of resigned exhaustion that the Prime Minister has demanded something must come of all the wasted energy and tax dollars before the 2023 election.

It was clear from the recent Sapere Report, one of the many that the Government has paid for but seemingly ignored, that there is no crisis of plurality for media.

We have enough stable and respectable commercial news across New Zealand which Kiwis engage in, that they trust and they see as their sources of information.

Therefore, why should the balance be tilted against the wider news media at large with a Government funded media behemoth in the merged RNZ and TVNZ?

I believe instead, we need to put our focus into ensuring all media content in New Zealand is of a high quality and that there is a clear plan to create a media landscape that provides for healthy and transparent competition, where diversity of views are promoted and celebrated.

There are bound to be some gaps like the reporting of local council and regional news, which I was more than willing to support the Government on the roll-out of Local Democracy Reporting.

We should be thinking about how New Zealand media can work for New Zealand audiences rather than being a PR machine or a gatekeeper for the Government of the day and focused on the real issues for the future of our nation.

The power and the responsibility of the Fourth Estate to record our nation’s history through independent news coverage and advocacy they provide to Kiwis should be at the top of their and Government’s agenda.

Over the past decade New Zealand has been a vibrant international hub for stage, screen, digital and visual talent that is now being exported to the world and back to our domestic market.

We need to embrace all those fantastic and global Kiwi media entrepreneurs and support the way that has been building the future of all elements of our broadcasting and media sectors.

We want to see our own stories of equal value as we market our creativity in production and ability to deliver independent news to the world regardless of how or where we see it.

I am passionate about ensuring New Zealanders are served by a top-quality media landscape. We need more voices, not fewer. Voices that provide quality content, that grow a variety of digital and traditional platforms.

Our New Zealand stories are now global and they are no longer beholden to the needs of a monopolistic public media entity. We should be proud of that, not trying to fight it.

I am a former journalist, presenter, director and producer, having worked in both print and television. I am absolutely passionate about the sector and its vibrant future.

However, I am not passionate about Labour’s design for the future for Radio New Zealand and TVNZ.

I hope the pending announcement proves all of us wrong, but I doubt it.

Melissa Lee was a presenter and content producer at TVNZ for 15 years before entering Parliament in 2008.

Note: This column originally ran on Stuff.co.nz on February 28 2022