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Broadcasting
The Ministry had sole responsibility for providing policy advice to the Government on broadcasting until recently. This changed in 1999 when responsibility for non-commercial broadcasting, including NZ On Air, was transferred to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. In 2000, responsibility for Māori broadcasting, including Te Māngai Pāho, was transferred from the Ministry to Te Puni Kōkiri. In 2001, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage also assumed responsibility for the Broadcasting Standards Authority.
The Ministry continues to provide policy advice on regulatory issues in relation to broadcasting. It also provides policy advice on radio spectrum issues in relation to non-commercial broadcasting and Māori broadcasting.
Advice on the Government's ownership interests in relation to broadcasting, that is issues affecting the Government's interests as the owner of Television New Zealand and Radio New Zealand, is provided by the Crown Company Monitoring Advisory Unit (CCMAU), a branch of the Treasury.
Links
List of Broadcasting publications
Te Puni Kōkiri - Te Puni Kōkiri has responsibility for Māori broadcasting, including Te Māngai Pāho.
Ministry for Culture and Heritage - The Ministry for Culture and Heritage provides advice to the Government on broadcasting policy more generally, in particular non-commercial broadcasting. It is responsible for monitoring NZ On Air and the Broadcasting Standards Authority.
Crown Company Monitoring Advisory Unit (CCMAU) - Advice on the Government's ownership interests in Television New Zealand and Radio New Zealand is provided by CCMAU.
Within the Ministry
The Radio Spectrum Policy and Planning Group, a part of the Resources and Networks Branch, is responsible for providing policy advice on the management of the radio spectrum, in particular the allocation of spectrum and the regime under which radio spectrum is managed.
Operational functions are undertaken by the Radio Spectrum Management Group of the Business Services Branch. This includes a wide range of functions from spectrum engineering and planning through to spectrum licensing.
Recent completed work
Digital television
The government announced the way forward for digital television, involving further work by both government and the broadcasting industry.
Work in progress
Applications for VHF-FM Broadcasting licences: Views sought on process for allocation
The Ministry of Economic Development announced the availability of several VHF-FM broadcasting licences via Newsflash on 26 September 2008.
Digital television
Analogue switch-off (ASO) will provide an opportunity to rationalise the terrestrial UHF-TV spectrum band and release some of the frequencies currently used for analogue television to additional broadcasting or other uses (the ‘digital dividend’). The Ministry of Economic Development sought opinions from broadcasters, content providers and other interested parties as to how this might best be accomplished. Sixteen responses to a discussion paper released in May 2008 were received.
Radio spectrum auction no. 10 - local FM licences
On Monday 21 April 2008 Minister of Broadcasting Trevor Mallard and Minister for Communications and Information Technology David Cunliffe announced an auction for additional television, AM and FM broadcasting licences. The auction is scheduled to occur in the week starting 19 May 2008 and will be conducted as an open outcry auction.
VHF-FM broadcasting: Frequency availability and allocation
The creation of further licences for general commercial broadcasting purposes in the FM band above 100 MHz was considered by the Government in 2003 and a three year prohibition established. On 3 October 2006 the Minister of Broadcasting and the Minister of Communications, announced the Government's decisions pertaining to the future of VHF-FM Broadcasting.
Review of spectrum allocations for studio to transmitter links
The Ministry is undertaking a review of the spectrum allocations for Studio to Transmitter Links (STLs) and released a second Engineering Discussion Paper on this topic.
Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) - Potential effects on other users
The commencement of digital terrestrial television may require some frequency adjustments to other systems using the radio frequency spectrum.
The reallocation of commercial spectrum rights at expiry
In 2010, management rights and the spectrum licences issued beneath them will begin to start expiring. The Government has agreed on a policy whereby five years before a right is due to expire, the existing rightholder will be offered a replacement spectrum right at a price that reflects it current market value. A report is currently being commissioned on appropriate price-setting formulae.
