RNZ business plan predicts "strong chance of negative response" to changes to Concert FM

Documents released Tuesday under the Official Information Law by RNZ revealed more about his plans for controversial changes to its music services, which caused a great public and political backlash.

The original proposal was to reduce RNZ Concert to a 24/7 automated network that can no longer be broadcast on the radio and to lay off music staff to free up its FM radio frequencies and resources for a new music service for young people.

This would have been funded from existing RNZ budgets.

But the cuts to the RNZ Concert were abandoned after the backlash that prompted the government to support the new service for young people and provide it with FM frequencies.

The five documents include:

* a proposal presented to the board of directors of RNZ in October of last year, including a timetable for the launch of an Apollo project in May 2020.

* a business plan drawn up in December 2019 after the initial approval of the board of directors.

* a strategy document and a consultation document for the music staff of RNZ who launched the controversy last month.

Overall, they confirm what has already been reported and debated in public.

The best RNZ brassers rated RNZ concerts as underperforming, as they delivered just under 70,000 listeners who weren't already engaged with RNZ National – and attracted predominantly older Pkeh people than He already considered well served by RNZ.

This is a missed opportunity to use one of our two radio assets to reach a new and different audience (and) a very low return on investment from the audience in RNZ Concert " , said the October 2019 presentation titled The musical opportunity.

In 2019, RNZ has set a new goal of reaching 1 in 2 New Zealanders by 2023 by creating a lifelong relationship with all of the residents of Aotearoa.

The proposal to the RNZ board of directors indicates that the goal could only be achieved by attracting completely new and different sectors of the New Zealand population with a music-based offering.

RNZ believed that if the proposed new youth service supported the FM frequencies of RNZ Concerts, it could offer the same audience size but a different composition.

RNZ MUSIC v2.0 could add 130,000 to the RNZ range of radio potential for another 130,000 on other digital and social platforms with a potential audience of 1.6 million, said the plan. business presented last December.

The plan estimates that two-thirds of them would be under the age of 30, only 3% over the age of 60 – and 28% would be Mori or Pacific.

The vision is that RNZ is as strong in music and with young New Zealanders, especially Mori and the Pacific Islands, as we are in News and with older audiences in Pkeh. This will be done by redirecting the funds and resources currently allocated to RNZ Concert, which shares 60% of its audience with RNZ National, towards a brand new music service, intended for completely new and different audiences.

• RNZ business case, December 2019

However, the estimates projected for the FM audience (classified as pessimistic, optimistic and conservative) have been removed from the documents under section 9 of the Official Information Act.

The initial proposal seemed to spark the idea of ​​removing RNZ Concert from the airwaves.

The use of the AM network on non-parliamentary sitting days is also a possibility but not yet confirmed, he added.

Estimates of the cost of layoffs of up to 18 people, restructuring and reassignment studios are also redacted in the public version of the plan.

Did RNZ anticipate the backlash?

The business plan drawn up in December includes a section on the risks linked to the plan.

He anticipates a possible campaign against the proposal from the commercial media, but no specific reference to a possible political backlash.

He notes a high risk of a negative response to external change among the public and stakeholders, but only foresees a medium impact (which means a delay or possible interruption of the plan but not a failure).

The plan listed the following priorities: clarity of communication regarding alternative listening methods for Concert, early engagement with current stakeholders' and a communication plan to promote positive results.

He notes the risk of disruption, the morale as high with the likely impact on the project ranked medium. Managing staff change would require a well-planned and fair change process with staff and clear and regular communication from the CEO and the project team, he said.

Timing, coordination and consistency around communications and messaging will be essential. RNZ spokespersons will need to be identified and assigned to specific stakeholder groups, said the RNZ business plan.

He noted the need to ensure that the Minister is informed in the event of an anticipated flight. "

In February, Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi earlier met with RNZ general manager Paul Thompson and members of the board of directors, asking them to suspend all decisions until Other work has been done on the alternatives.

After the Prime Minister later expressed his "frustration" at withdrawing Concert FM, Paul Thompson said that there had been "a communications problem".

After the cancellation of RNZ's concert plan, Minister of Finance Grant Robertson – a shareholder minister of RNZ – declared during a demonstration in Parliament that the decision was wrong.

RNZ's business plan also refers to the proactive use of personalities from the music industry who support the proposal and the possibility of an editorial from a prominent personality of the music industry.

So far, no prominent figure in the music industry has publicly supported the project on behalf of RNZ.

The sound – and appearance – of RNZ Music 2.0

Beats 1 & # 39; s Julie Adenuga, Ebro Darden and Zane Lowe
Photo: Apple Music

The music strategy and proposal documents also reveal details about the new approach to youth services.

He said that the composition and performance of New Zealand will represent 33% of production.

The level of local NZ music played on RNZ Concert is very low. . . for a publicly funded broadcaster, not to mention one that has the RNZ's obligation to reflect the cultural identity of the NZ, notes the same document for comparison.

The proposal stated that RNZ Music v2.0 will rely heavily on the content organized by the talented influencer that RNZ Music will source from the diverse target audience.

On-Air Talent is no longer just a radio announcer. They are musicians, comedians and creators of content on social networks, according to the press release.

"These new roles would be based in Auckland because it is the largest market and takes advantage of the fact that Auckland is the center of music and entertainment in New Zealand. Auckland is also the place where they focus the largest number of new brands' primary targets, "said the proposal.

He cited the personality of American music radio Ebro Darden as an example of best practice. He hosts a popular radio show in New York, but also organizes and distributes his own content on social media.

RNZ Music playlists on Spotify Apple Music and other streaming services extend the reach of the brand and offer new opportunities for partnering with artists, "added the proposal.

More than music?

In the midst of the aftermath of the RNZ concert, the best RNZ brass instruments had their annual review before the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee in Parliament last month.

Our vision remains to create a multimedia platform primarily for young New Zealanders, RNZ President Dr. Jim Mather told the committee.

He said it would also include youth-commissioned programming content that will explore topics relevant to them, such as civic, financial, lifestyle and wellness issues, and reliable news made by and for a younger audience.

But there is no detail of this content in the documents released today, except for one line in a preliminary planning document which states that the news chief of RNZ will develop a news proposition for the new service.