RNZ acknowledges receipt of your OIA request. Under the Official Information Act 1982 we have 20 working days to respond, and will contact you via email /post. If for any reason our response is delayed due to illness, or pandemic we will advise immediately.

Kind regards
Maggie Hedge| OIA Administrator RNZ
[email address]

Kia ora Tim

 

I must apologise for the delay in responding to you, we have now sorted
out the issue with incoming emails from the fyi.org.nz website. Please
find below the information you were seeking in your OIA request:

 

Amounts Paid

 

Composition                $10,819.00

Rights in Perpetuity**  $32,858.71

 

** RNZ pays licence fees to composers for music which is broadcast on our
networks.  In this instance, RNZ has purchased perpetual rights to use
this theme music for an unlimited time.

 

Attached below is a statement from RNZ relating to questions raised such
as “[h]ow RNZ came to a decision to choose an Australian company to
produce the songs and the following comments have been made to others
inquiring after the decision that was made.  RNZ has responded to the
Screen Music & Sound Guild Of New Zealand saying we were very pleased to
get positive feedback from SM&SGNZ about the quality of the composition.
The project with Song Zu is focused on our news programmes, and it’s quite
possible that we’ll be updating the audio imaging for other shows in the
future, so an SM&SGNZ offer to provide suggestions for future projects is
helpful, and has been forwarded to the relevant people at RNZ.

 

It’s important to note that this was more than just refreshment of a theme
and it is misleading to imply that RNZ does not support music from
Aotearoa New Zealand.   RNZ programming across the networks is focussed on
recording and broadcasting local music and news about musicians and the
industry.   The Taite Awards announced in May 2022 speak for themselves.
RNZ’s Karyn Hay was recognised for her career as a champion of New Zealand
music, including on her current RNZ National show, Lately, and RNZ’s Tony
Stamp received the inaugural Music Journalism award.

 

show quoted sections