A content sharing agreement between RNZ and MediaWorks comes into effect this week, with RNZ news stories available to run on MediaWorks radio stations and MediaWorks sports content soon to be available for use on RNZ’s channels.
The organisations’ signed a mutually beneficial agreement late last year that allows for the sharing of specific content (subbed news and sports reports and audio clips but not voiced reports) between RNZ and MediaWorks. Any use of content will be attributed, meaning listeners might hear “RNZ News reports” or “MediaWorks Sports reports”, while listening to their favourite station.
RNZ Chief Performance Officer Glen Scanlon said the agreement, like all content sharing arrangements RNZ enters into, was non-exclusive. RNZ’s strategy was to maintain its content sharing programme and look for further opportunities to collaborate.
“We always keep an open mind about entering into new content sharing agreements and we now have more than 60, ranging from small community operations to most of New Zealand’s large media organisations. We are deliberately not precious about sharing because as public media we see the benefit in all New Zealanders having access to the great content we produce where they like to spend their time.”
“Content sharing also helps keep the sector strong and a diversity of media outlets is important to a healthy functioning democracy.”
RNZ remains the most trusted media organisation in Aotearoa and Scanlon said the content sharing agreements required a high standard from partner organisations.
“All of our agreements have to be consistent with RNZ’s Charter and role as a public media organisation. RNZ’s people work tirelessly to deliver high- quality, trusted content and we want to make sure those same high standards apply when our work is shared.”
MediaWorks Director of Content Leon Wratt said this was about offering more to audiences, complementing their existing news and sport offering.
“Our hard-working journalists are highly valued by our stations and their audiences, but they can’t make every council meeting or court case across the country. This agreement with RNZ will mean we can bring even more news to our listeners.
“MediaWorks is blessed with decades of sporting experience in its news team, and this will now be shared with RNZ’s audience through this content-sharing agreement.”
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