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Hon Marian Hobbs
New Zealand music on radio - a way forward
Background
Since the broadcasting reforms and open entry to the broadcasting market of the late 1980s there has been a substantial increase in the number of commercial radio stations in New Zealand, particularly in the main centres.
There are now over 200 radio stations in the country - Sydney, with a population of over 4 million, has just 10 commercial radio stations .
This has resulted in a highly competitive market in which many broadcasters are concerned to minimise commercial risk, tending to favour music that has already proved successful overseas, over less well known New Zealand music.
There has been some improvement in the overall amount of New Zealand music played on commercial stations in recent years, but it still fails to meet desirable levels.
Quarterly figures provided to the Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA) indicate that music items performed by New Zealanders make up some 10.75 % of total music items across all commercial radio formats as of June 2001.
New Zealand Music Content On Commercial Radio
This reflects a steady improvement from just 5% - 6% overall in 1997, but is still well short of the Government's goal of 25%. It also reflects how important the results for Adult/Contemporary and Pop formats are in determining the overall averages.
A strong commitment to local content by commercial broadcasters is needed to help ensure that the full range of New Zealand radio listeners have sufficient opportunity to hear our own music.
Popular music has a key role in helping us define New Zealand. It also has enormous potential for growth which, along with our other creative industries, can contribute to the economic well being of New Zealand, providing rewarding employment opportunities for creative entrepreneurs and good economic returns.
The government is supporting a range of initiatives to increase the production of New Zealand music. Increased exposure and promotion of New Zealand music on air will ensure cultural as well as economic dividends from this investment.
A system for increased levels of New Zealand music on radio will complement the government's other initiatives to encourage a strong New Zealand music industry, notably the establishment of a Music Industry Commission which has been funded $2 million over five years to foster New Zealand popular music, composition, performance, recording and marketing. The Commission is working on promotional initiatives with the music industry, NZ On Air and Creative New Zealand, including this year's New Zealand Music Month.
In addition to this, NZ On Air received extra funding in May 2000 for music production and promotion, almost doubling its music budget from $2 million in 1999/2000 to $3.78 million in 2000/01. NZ On Air has proposed to work with broadcasters and the Music Industry Commission towards achieving New Zealand music levels of 15 - 20 % on radio.
In 2000/2001 Te Mängai Päho allocated $400,000 to the production of Mäori music albums for distribution to the Mäori radio stations and for sale to the general public, and also purchases Mäori music singles from its Youth/Music allocation. Te Mängai Päho has made a commitment to continue this initiative in the 2001/2002 year, and is also considering an increase in the purchase of Mäori music singles.
Since July 1999, Creative New Zealand has made contemporary music culture grants totalling over $400,000, including some $130,000 towards the production of new recordings. In addition, Industry New Zealand is developing a strategy for fostering the New Zealand music industry.
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