Question 1

How did the pandemic affect the financial health of New Zealand's major broadcasters?

Accepted Answer

Traditional players entered the pandemic from a position of structural decline, with Sky TV and TVNZ reporting revenue CAGRs of -3% and -2% respectively between 2015 and 2019. The current crisis exacerbates these weaknesses by disrupting advertising flows and high-cost sports rights utility.

Question 2

What is the expected timeline for new television content to return to normal levels?

Accepted Answer

The total disruption of the standard three-month shooting cycle will result in a projected six-to-twelve month delay in the supply of new content. This creates a significant inventory gap for broadcasters, particularly in the reality TV sector which typically attracts 41% of the viewing audience.

Question 3

Is the recent growth in streaming services sustainable through a recession?

Accepted Answer

While Netflix added 8.3 million international subscribers in Q1 2020 and now reaches over 2 million New Zealanders, long-term growth is threatened by recessionary pressures. Platforms face heightened risks of subscriber churn and aggressive price wars as household budgets tighten globally.

Question 4

How are free-to-air broadcasters adapting to the lack of traditional programming?

Accepted Answer

Broadcasters are pivoting toward public-sector partnerships to maintain audience engagement and utility, exemplified by TVNZ’s launch of educational channels. This shift leverages the high demand for reliable information, noting that the news genre previously commanded a 61% viewership share.

COVID-19 and media in New Zealand

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