RNZ CORPORATE MEMBER OF THE ABU

Funny how bullshit can catch up with you .

We have expressed disgust at the fact that RNZ workers have been sponsored to attend a Radio talkfest in Iran hosted by the Iranian propaganda machine the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) and event they are promoting and and jointly funding with the Asian Pacific Broadcasting Union ( ABU )



Now when we ran the story RNZ's mouthpiece John Barr was quick to distance the broadcaster from the event.

Two Radio New Zealand staff members have been invited to take part in an international radio festival and conference in Iran, but the invitation came not from the IRIB organisers but the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, the umbrella agency for public broadcasting in our region. Our staff are not representing Radio New Zealand, but are attending on behalf of ABU, and if that organisation had not issued the invitation, they would not be attending.

John Barr
Communications Manager
Radio New Zealand

Now a simple search of the ABU site shows that RNZ is an Associate member.



But its getting even more interesting... the IRIB is a not only a member - its on the ruling council of the ABU.

So this raises a couple of interesting issues. Firstly it is disingenuous of Barr to try and distance RNZ from the event. Secondly if RNZ has not officially sanctioned the trip then have the RNZ staffers asked official permission as they are required to do under the terms of the Editorial Policy 2005 that states that all staff must get permission of the CE for any junkets or non RNZ engagements?

After all we all watched with interest when the state broadcaster came down on Sean Plunket for writing a column in Metro , which apparently is outside the the terms of the 2005 policy.

So

• we have RNZ employees being sponsored to speak at an international conference that is being sponsored and hosted by the corrupt Iranian State Broadcaster.

• We have RNZ's mouthpeice saying its staff are not representing RNZ at the talk fest.

• We have RNZ being a member of the organisation co-hosting and funding the event

• We dont know if the staffers have official permission of the CE to take part in a non - RNZ event which will be in a highly charged political environment.

And just in case you are wondering why we think its an affront to every New Zealander that the RNZ staffers appear at a conference that is essentially hosted ( and we bet largely funded ) by the Iranian propaganda machine the IRIB ...

Then here is the reason why.



And this man who heads the organisation IRIB that is effectively sponsoring the RNZ junket lied about it as he called the video a fabrication.

Everyone who cares about democracy, in the name of Neda Agha Soltan, should write to RNZ at rnz@radionz.co.nz and express their deep concern that this has been allowed to happen.