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Abstract
Concern about falling standards and ratings-driven political coverage was behind Labour’s introduction of a public service charter for state broadcaster TVNZ in 2003. But has the Re been any real change in the nature of political reporting on television? This article explores contemporary political coverage on New Zealand television news from a variety of perspectives. First, using results from a content analysis of One News and 3 News in 2000 and 2003, along with comparable figures going back to 1985, it charts the decline in political coverage on television news and its replacement by tabloid subjects and sports news. It then examines the nature of political coverage on the two channels, looking specifically at the kinds of stories making the headlines and the top part of the news bulletin, and the role of political correspondents. A brief discussion of election year coverage highlights the conclusion that any Charter-driven changes to political coverage have been limited. The political furore surrounding the resignation of TVNZ’s CEO Ian Fraser in late 2005, and the return to a strongly commercial news format, has underlined TVNZ’s continued reliance on ratings. At this stage New Zealand seems, if anything, to be retreating from the public service ideals of in-depth, comprehensive political coverage promised by the Charter.