Maori TV bonuses

James Ihaka at NZ Herald reports:

Many Maori Television staff will start the Christmas break with an extra $500 in their pockets at a cost of $78,000 to the taxpayer-funded station.

The station’s chief executive, Jim Mather, said the decision to award 156 staff the extra payment was “a statement of appreciation” and made smart business sense despite figures released to the Herald showing viewership ratings are poor.

I’m sorry but I think this is a non story. A $500 Xmas bonus is hardly over the top, and Maori TV is not designed to be a commercial channel. The viewership ratings are abysmal, but they actually produce some great shows such as Native Affairs.

The station reported a surplus of $775,000 for the last financial year to June 30.

So they are living within their means.

Maori Television receives $16.6 million in direct state funding and $16.1 million from Te Mangai Paho.

It also receives about $20 million via the Te Mangai Paho contestable fund, which is paid directly to independent producers.

So the $78,000 of bonuses is around 0.15% of their revenue.