New Zealand to Disestablish Broadcasting Standards Authority and Explore Media Self-Regulation

The Government has agreed to progress with disestablishing the Broadcasting Standards Authority and investigate self-regulation options, Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

New Zealand’s media landscape has changed dramatically, but our regulatory settings have not kept up.

The BSA regime was designed for a broadcasting environment that is rapidly disappearing. Today, audiences move seamlessly between traditional broadcasting, on‑demand services, podcasts and online platforms - yet only a small portion of that content is subject to the BSA’s regulatory oversight. It doesn’t make sense.

The current framework can create inconsistencies and unfair outcomes for media providers, with similar content treated differently depending on whether it is broadcast live or accessed on demand.

Print media already self regulates through the New Zealand Media Council, and some broadcasters have opted to be part of it. Our expectation is the media council will become the primary regulator for journalism.

I’m confident that greater industry self-regulation is the most practical way to level the playing field across platforms, and can provide an appropriate level of oversight to maintain ethical journalistic standards and audience trust.

Several other pieces of legislation, including the Criminal Procedure Act, make reference to the BSA and other relevant provisions contained in the Broadcasting Act 1989. Legislation to repeal the provisions relating to the BSA will be drafted in the coming months. The BSA will continue in its role until legislation is passed into law.