What Does the BPM Trust Do?

Better Public Media Trust's overarching goal is for an informed Aotearoa New Zealand with a strong cohesive society that respects, understands and is curious about the many wonderful communities within it. Strengthening New Zealand's public media is a powerful way to achieve this.

Almost all other developed countries in the world have public media platforms - television channels, radio stations, websites and online apps - delivering public media content with all the benefits these bring – public information and education, balanced and in-depth news, and entertainment. Most importantly it serves all the people and not just commercial audiences.

In New Zealand we don't have anything like that. We are poorly served by our broadcasting and media services and this has been the case for so long that we're almost getting used to it. Many of us don't realise that our lack of public media affects our democracy, our education (for kids and adults), our culture, the cohesion of our multi-cultural society, and the sheer happiness of New Zealanders.

Goals

The BPM Trust tries to raise awareness for:

• a public service television channel
• better funding for RNZ
• non-commercial media on the internet and other online forms.

Representing Audiences

The Better Public Media Trust aims to represent television viewers, radio listeners and media audiences of all kinds.

When it comes to government lobbying, businesses are pretty powerful because they can afford to pay people to do it -  SkyTV have a full-time lobbyist. TVNZ, Mediaworks, the Telcos and the media companies have powerful links to government.

But what about the audience? Where is our voice?

The Better Public Media Trust aims to do precisely that.

Many websites discuss media and review the content, many wonderful academics release reports, and many impassioned individuals complain to broadcasters and the BSA. We want to connect these threads together into a public force for good.

The BPM Trust is a grassroots organisation connecting people, academics, broadcasters and policy-makers.

How We Do It

Here's our strategy for effectiveness.

Immediate actions:

• establish the BPM Student Challenge - an annual scholarship scheme for High School media studies students
• establish annual seminars and speaking tours - encouraging public discourse and greater awareness of the issues
• continue building the BPM Trust into a larger organisation with strong membership
• continue campaigning for better RNZ funding and to establish public media platform
• reactive lobbying of government, broadcasters and decision-makers on behalf of audiences

Medium term actions:

• employ staff
• engage in research of public regarding media
• build networks with similar international and NZ organisations
• sell merchandise to raise funds and promote the cause

Long term actions:

• become influential in broadcasting and media governance
• send representatives to international conferences
• have input and representation on national bodies
• sponsor academic research on public service media and broadcasting
• sponsor/provide scholarships for new media projects
• continue to advocate, support and promote public service broadcasting and media in New Zealand