UPDATE: TVNZ director Joan Withers tells NBR that "I'm absolutely, clearly aware the government made a contribution" in the form of forgiving $32.5 million in dividends. She says her comments at the launch were misinterpreted in the Herald report quoted below.
Verbatim quotes from two NZ Herald articles about TVNZ's refurbished offices, opened by John Key on Friday:
"Joan Withers, TVNZ chair, told the Herald the land and building at 100 Victoria St were now valued at $118.6 million and all the changes were funded internally by TVNZ without any government contribution."
"The government has forgone dividend payments of about $22 million in total in the past two years to allow TVNZ to overhaul its main building."
One of those is wrong, and it's not the second one: TVNZ's annual report to Parliament also details the taxpayer's contribution. Over two and a half years, dividends totalling $32.5 million were "forgiven."
The state broadcaster resumed its dividends to the government this year with a $13.4 million payment.
I hope Mike Hosking enjoys the neon tubing.
It's worth noting that Sky TV's offices in light-industrial Mt Wellington are utilitarian. MediaWorks' Flower Street office is threadbare.
BELOW: TVNZ's new building at 100 Victoria St in the Auckland CBD.
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Taxpayer made no contribution to TVNZ's $60m new digs? Yeah, right
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