NEW ZEALAND IVs EMERGE AS MEDIA LEADERS

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000341

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/PD-AGRIMES, EAP/ANP-DRICCI, EAP/P-KBAILES,
ECA/PE/V/R/F-TBlatt, JHathaway

E.O. 12985: N/A
TAGS: OTRA KIRC OIIP MNUC KPAO KMDR OPRC NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND IVs EMERGE AS MEDIA LEADERS


1. BEGIN SUMMARY: While some New Zealand participants in the IV
program remain in their same influential roles, others have had
diverse experiences, including being offered employment by Al
Jazeera, becoming the host of a radio show, and being promoted to
management. Until recently we were able to send two journalists per
year on IV programs, but recent cutbacks are making this increasing
difficult. We hope that any negative impact will be offset by the
establishment of programs like the Edward R. Murrow program. From
our experience there are few programs that make as much impact on
present and future decision-makers as the first-hand understanding
gained through participation in the International Visitor Program.
END SUMMARY.


2. PARTICIPANT UPDATES (Participation date in parentheses):

CLIFF JOINER (October 2002): Cliff Joiner was recently offered a job
working for Al Jazeera International but turned it down because of
concerns about his daughter's schooling. Since Cliff's participation
as an IV he left TVNZ to work for rival network, TV3. Cliff now
works in Christchurch, where he often acts as bureau chief with
responsibility for the network's entire South Island coverage. (Note
that we are about to launch a Virtual Presence Post for the South
Island to increase our impact there.) Both television news networks
regard Cliff as a possible future political editor.

KATHRYN RYAN (July-Aug 2004): Next week Kathryn will cease to be
Radio New Zealand's political editor because her talents have been
recognized and rewarded with her own daily three-hour program,
Nine-to-Noon. Nine-to-Noon has a nationwide audience and rates
second only to the network's flagship breakfast program, Morning
Report.

GUYON ESPINER (August-Sept 2001): When Guyon went on an IV program,
he was the political editor of the weekly newspaper, The Sunday Star
Times. Soon after returning to New Zealand Guyon switched media.
Guyon left The Sunday Star Times and joined TVNZ as their deputy
political editor. He has since been promoted to become the political
editor of the nation's most-watched television network.

AUDREY YOUNG (May 2004): Audrey continues to be the Political Editor
of New Zealand's largest daily newspaper, The New Zealand Herald.

NICK VENTER (October 2002): When he participated in his IV program,
Nick was the Dominion Post's political editor; he has since been
promoted to management by becoming the newspaper's Assistant Editor.
He is also responsible for writing most of the leader content
(editorials) for the newspaper. Nick's latest editorial was on the
bilateral relationship and was entitled, "Let's Make Up and Be
Friends."

GARTH BRAY (October 2004): Since his return to New Zealand, Garth
has worked on TVNZ's flagship current affairs program, Sunday, and
has been the fill-in/back-up presenter and interviewer for Agenda,
TVNZ's weekly half-hour program on diplomatic and political
happenings. In June Garth will become TVNZ's Australian Bureau
Chief, a role reserved for the network's rising stars. In his new
job Garth will continue to investigate New Zealand's role in
regional security and the relationships between the three former
ANZUS allies.

ALI IKRAM (June 2005): Ali is now regarded as so integral to TVNZ's
coverage that the network has made him a prominent face in
advertising for the network. TVNZ also asked him to move from
Wellington to their head office in New Zealand's most multi-cultural
city, Auckland. He is widely regarded as the New Zealand journalist
with the best contacts in the Islamic community; and while he
continues to cover a wide variety of issues, he has increasing
responsibility for the channel's intercultural and religious
coverage.

JUSTINE SHORT (June-July 2002): Justine continues to be Chief of
Staff at TV3 the country's second-largest television network. The
network's ratings are sky-rocketing, and viewer numbers in the
influential Auckland market have overtaken their more established
competitor, TVNZ.


3. Open-mindedness, field of influence, and the multiplier effect of
potential candidates are prime considerations during our selection
process, and investment in Embassy contacts outside the media have
also yielded positive, sustained results. For example, NZ Labour
Member of Parliament and former IV, WINNIE LABAN (November-December
2002) recently requested an Embassy meeting for her entire staff.
Ms. Laban wanted to challenge her staff's perceptions of America and
American foreign policy.


5. We repeat that we regard IV programs as exceptionally influential
and maintain that the impact of such programs should not be
underestimated. We underscore our appreciation and gratitude to the
team in the EAP International Visitor Bureau.

Thanks and regards, McCormick