By Paul Thompson, CEO of RNZ & President of PMA

Thank you for your support for the Public Media Alliance.

It is making a difference.

Strong and independent public media are more important than ever, as the past year has shown.

The PMA is at the forefront of the debate about the critical role public media play in times of crisis and disruption. It brings public media together, makes us stronger,  and helps us advocate more effectively for the importance of the work we do.

The alliance effectively champions the attributes of impartiality, independence, trust and public service that are the beating heart of our organisations.

2020 was traumatic and disruptive.

A novel coronavirus caused havoc, testing every nation’s health and political systems.

Strong and independent public media are more important than ever, as the past year has shown.

Global tensions increased, particularly between the US and China. Sharemarkets and other asset prices  boomed, fuelled by emergency injections of  cash from central banks.

Democracy has also been tested and found wanting in some countries. Climate change is gathering pace. Commercial-funded media faced intensifying challenges and in many countries public media came under attack. The tech platforms grew more powerful despite heightened concerns about their almost-unchecked influence.

We are living through a pivot-point in history. Things will not return to how they were.

The Fourth Estate’s ability to challenge power, compel accountability and combat propaganda and spin is an essential ingredient of open, democratic societies.

More than ever people need access to a range of reliable media sources to help them make sense of this period of uncertainty and disruption. Strong public media are the cornerstone of sustainable media sectors.

We will help bring communities together by providing people with trusted journalism –  a common currency of facts on which they can rely.

Public media will undoubtedly play a vital role in 2021. We will provide reliable information at a time of crisis. We will help bring communities together by providing people with trusted journalism –  a common currency of facts on which they can rely.

None of this is new. Public broadcasters  have helped  shape democratic societies for nearly a century. We have been pioneers of both radio and television, created new media markets and spawned talent. We have connected and informed our democracies, celebrated unique national languages and cultures, and provided a lifeline of information in times of strife, war and disaster.

The overriding goal is for public broadcasting to be as relevant to current and future audiences as we have been in the past. This will require as much boldness and ingenuity as we can muster. Ultimately, our continued value to diverse audiences who trust us implicitly is the strongest platform upon which to build the future.

The Public Media Alliance brings together public broadcasters in this common cause. We are grateful for your support.

Header Image: Paul Thompson, CEO of Radio New Zealand (RNZ) and the President of PMA.