ROSEMARY ABBOTT | National
BREATHING EASY
TVNZ has managed to salvage its budgetary shipwreck by securing an unconventional but lucrative sponsorship deal with tobacco companies.
The news broke after TVNZ’s announcement of plans to slash up to 68 jobs as part of a proposed restructuring due to falling advertising revenue, driven by a staggering $16.7 million loss posted just last week.
The timing fits nicely for the apparently profit driven company TVNZ, with New Zealand’s new government last week announcing they will scrap the country’s law to ban smoking for future generations to help pay for tax cuts.
TVNZ’s Head of Public Relations assured the public that the network takes their responsibility seriously.
“We’re not promoting smoking; we’ve just done a deal with a lucrative industry who are still willing to pay for advertising on a dying media platform,” said the PR guru, waving away concerns like smoke rings.
Also grinning ear to ear, TVNZ’s jubilant salesman, Chris, said “it was actually a bit of relief when the Government scrapped the law to ban smoking for the future generations.
“I’ve been breaking into cold sweats the past year just trying to get some ad revenue for this sinking company. I’ll be able to breathe a bit easier now,” said the under pressure advertising salesman, who had been smoking a lot of durries himself lately.
While there are currently still laws in place to prevent the advertising of tobacco products, it is expected that these will be overturned shortly in parliament, under urgency.
More to come.
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