Yet, the ‘‘Sutherland’’ report, commissioned by RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson, laid bare some hard truths.
Civis noted two. First, staff interviews revealed a belief that ‘‘live radio’’ was a sunset activity, leading to low ambition and uneven programming.
It’s the same phenomenon that saw Stuff stuff its newspapers. Digital was the present and the future, pursued with evangelical zeal. Anyone daring to defend newsprint and traditional mastheads was a fuddy-duddy, an obstacle to progress.
That view has softened in recent years, though most of the damage remains irreversible.
RNZ must genuinely believe in the future of live radio if it wants staff attitudes to reflect that optimism. How ironic that what was (and still legally is) ‘‘Radio’’ New Zealand has agreed with the recommendation to appoint a ‘‘head of audio’’.
Second, the report found ‘‘no shared understanding’’ of RNZ’s core audience. In trying to appeal to everyone, it ultimately resonated with no-one.
Though obvious, it’s a common mistake that applies across industries. Neglect the core, and any periphery is weaker than ever.
RNZ, under charter obligations, has felt pressure to cater to minorities and varied age groups, a sure formula for declining listenership.
Had RNZ earlier declared its intent to focus on the 50-69 age group - those said to be still engaged with live radio - it might have faced accusations of elitism, ageism, even racism.
And what of Richard Sutherland’s 69 cut-off? Do listeners over 70 tune out? ‘‘Fifty-plus’’ is the core and should be the target.
For starters, Sunday Morning’s exceptional Jim Mora passed age 70 a while ago, judging by his university years and early broadcasting career.
Filming shows like Checkpoint hasn’t worked. ‘‘Radio with pictures,’’ mostly studio-bound, lacks visual appeal.
However, RNZ was charged with spreading its wings and has largely succeeded. Website traffic has grown steadily, while its widespread copy sharing exposes its content to vast new numbers in print and online.
These gains deserve greater recognition, as should its podcasting and time shifting. Audiences now routinely stream later or download interviews from a wide range of programmes.
At the risk of generalising, RNZ’s often educated and liberal audiences are sometimes content to curate their listening, choosing when and what to hear from what was once live radio.
The ‘‘flagship’’ Morning Report (sometimes dubbed Yawning Retort) is a problem child, shedding listeners and trailing well behind Mike Hosking’s Newstalk ZB. There are no easy answers.
Perhaps listeners grow weary of the steady stream of complaint and criticism. Yet soft news often lacks bite and relevance.
★★★
The Sutherland report bluntly called for an urgent audit of presenters, with some suggested to be removed from the air. Civis cannot believe the stars with strong Dunedin connections might be in the firing line.
The genial, gracious and gifted Jim Mora left Otago Boys’ and tasted journalism as editor of the student paper Critic. He dabbled in student radio and began as a junior journalist at Radio Otago 4XO in the early 1970s.
By 1981, he was hosting The South Tonight, going on to prominence in national broadcasting.
The smart, savvy and slick Emile Donovan (Nights) studied English at the University of Otago. He forayed into journalism as an Otago Daily Times student opinion page columnist.
Nine to Noon’s no-nonsense Kathryn Ryan hails from Dunedin. The city can be proud of her power, professionalism and perspicacity.
