Bringing you our latest edition of One Plus One Equals Three!
In this instalment, we explore the evolving state of our media landscape, a compelling clash between two influential conglomerates, the delicate balance between technological advancements being helpful or harmful, and spotlight a recent project championing the growth of female-led SMEs in Fiji.
Has streaming killed the TV star?
It’s unlikely to come as a surprise to most that viewership numbers in traditional TV media consumption are dropping. Digital streaming platforms have predominantly become New Zealand’s medium of choice when it comes to prime-time media consumption, and those in the TV broadcasting sector are flagging for the government to consider implications that come with the increasingly high costs that traditional broadcasters are faced with in comparison to their digital model counterparts.
As NZ Herald’s Shayne Currie discusses in his regular Media Insider segment, the future of the country’s TV broadcasting seems uncertain. Lucrative investments being enjoyed by digital streaming services, both locally and abroad, are heavily outweighing the returns seen in the TV industry. Although the traditional broadcasting sector acknowledges it’s not able to ask for more government funding, it is calling for support to find ways on how changes in legislation may aid in a modernised system to encourage future investment.
Support for Regional News Network
We’ve seen a surge of further support for the initiative to bring a fresh array of additional regional-based media across the motu. There’s talk of the government favouring the Regional News Network (RNN), having allegedly agreed to provide financial support to get the outlet up and running.
It was back in April last year that speculation first began after job listings started surfacing seeking reporters across various regions. Now, further details have been discussed online suggesting that RNN may be reporting on local matters throughout the country sooner rather than later.
Here at One Plus One, we think it would be great to see a further surge of regional stories being reported by local journalists. Local stories must be told, and efforts to increase that appear to be a step in the right direction.
Universal Music vs. TikTok standoff
Universal Music recently removed all music under its label from Tiktok’s platform in a bid to defend its artists, and therefore its own, compensation. The move comes after negotiations with TikTok fell through, with Universal Music arguing that “the majority of content on TikTok contains music, more than any other major social platform.”
It seems TikTok has hedged its own bet that users will continue to use the platform regardless of whether or not some current popular artists’ official music is available to use or not. For now, it seems users are poking fun at so many sounds disappearing and continuing to post but with either user-edited sounds or other tracks that have remained on the app.
Time will tell which big fish falls first, or perhaps gone are the days of lip-syncing to some of your favourite artists’ tracks on the app.
Facial recognition at supermarkets – are we crossing the line?
Foodstuffs has announced that it will be trailing a new facial recognition software at North Island stores in a bid to deter retail crime. The privacy commissioner has urged caution over the technology, warning that facial recognition is an invasion of public privacy.
The tech is said to delete all images of an individual shopper’s face unless they are identified on a watchlist as a match for having committed a crime in-store previously. However, the commissioner is warning New Zealanders to be cautious of the technology as it is highly invasive and unproven as a deterrent for crime.
There are also concerns about misidentification and racial profiling as machines can make mistakes too. Regardless, Foodstuffs has said the trail will still be going ahead, so buyers beware: someone, somewhere is likely watching your every move.
Financial inclusion in the Pacific
Not to toot our own horn, but we are very proud of our recent work with Mastercard for the launch of the digital mobile payment platform DUAPAY; an app designed to support the financial needs of women-led micro and small businesses in the Pacific.
Our time was spent behind the scenes at home and abroad, working with a local Fijian production crew, interviewing case studies and liaising with media across Fiji and New Zealand to spread awareness about DUAPAY.
The app’s launch received significant interest from media and users throughout Fiji who have often encountered hurdles in their businesses with digital payments and card acceptance.
Over time, the app will soon become available across the Pacific to more female entrepreneurs and small business owners eager to see their enterprises flourish.
