New Zealand government moves to abolish Broadcasting Standards Authority

The New Zealand government has introduced legislation to disestablish the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA), intending to shift media oversight toward the New Zealand Media Council. Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith stated that the current BSA regime was designed for a broadcasting environment that is rapidly disappearing, noting that existing regulations have failed to keep pace with audiences moving between traditional broadcasting, podcasts, and online content.

The move aims to address inconsistencies where similar content on different platforms faces different regulatory outcomes. The New Zealand Media Council, which already oversees print publications and several broadcasters, is expected to become the primary regulator for journalism under a model of greater industry self-regulation.

However, the Ministry of Culture and Heritage (MCH) has raised concerns regarding the speed of this transition. In a regulatory impact statement, MCH officials noted that the directive to proceed with disestablishment at pace has limited opportunities for evidence collection and broader analysis. They warned that certainty regarding the nature and scale of the impacts is low, citing potential risks to audiences and the public.