NZX newsroom editor says Chinese walls are intact
The editor at one of NZX’s media subsidiaries says it has been business as normal since the stock exchange operator took over.
Newsroom.co.nz editor Peter Fowler says the division has editorial independence and no-one from other NZX divisions has ever asked for articles to be changed.
Earlier this week publisher Max Bowden wrote to the Commerce Commission questioning the ethics of NZX buying Country-Wide Publications and whether it was a conflict of interest. "The NZX is supposed to be a market regulator, not a promoter of its own propaganda," he wrote.
The purchase adds to NZX’s existing rural media division, giving it the ear of the farming community.
But Mr Fowler says he can’t see any conflict in NZX owning media outlets. “They’re separate businesses,” he says, comparing it to Fairfax’s ownership of TradeMe.
“If the news is slanted the readers are going to pick up on it.”
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Comments and questions6
Yes but Fairfax isn't a market regulator last time I checked so to compare that to what is happening with NZX is farcical.
Quite right. I made the mistake of thinking aloud to a reporter. Perhaps a better analogy is comparing it to the Government's ownership of National Radio.
Wrong again Peter, you are just not getting this either. National Radio (Radio NZ National) is a non-commercial radio station.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/about/charter
It's not competing in the radio market for profit. It is also not the market regulator for radio frequencies, the MED Radio Spectrum management Group is
http://www.rsm.govt.nz/cms/licensing
The government controls national radio's budget and public radio competes in a commercial marketplace, so this is highly debatable whoever you are? Regardless I do not intend debating this any further.
Once again Radio NZ doesn't have a profit motive comparable with its supposed "competitors", it also is not, I repeat, not in charge of the regulatory function of radio stations.
If NZX's regulatory function was split off from it's commercial arm as Radio NZ is from the MED Group then there wouldn't be this issue.
If you think this is patronising then so be it. I am simply stating precisely why you are wrong and you don't seem to like it.
People people people the world has changed! You can no longer stand the high ground without proven process. Talking the talk just doesn’t cut the mustard anymore. We need to see transparent processes in place. The world just doesn’t trust you anymore. Boy oh boy the “constant disclosure” enforcement really worked! NOT!