DOIA25 122 Elspeth Baker Vevers sense of inclusion in Strong Public Media business case response letter.pdf

9 February 2026

DOIA25-122

Elspeth Baker-Vevers
[FYI request #33315 email]

Tēnā koe Elspeth

I refer to your request received on 18 December 2025, which has been considered
under  the  Official  Information  Act  1982  (OIA).  You  requested  the  following
information:

information  relating  to  the  “sense  of  inclusion”  benefit  and  associated  KPI
referenced  in  the  Strengthening  Public  Media  business  case  (for  example,
Table 2: Analysis of potential benefits).
Specifically, I request copies of any documents held by Manatū Taonga that:
1)  Define or describe the “sense of inclusion” KPI, including how “inclusion” is
conceptualised for public media policy purposes;
2)  Set  out  any  measurement  framework,  methodology,  or guidance used to
assess  the  “sense  of  inclusion”  KPI  (including  any  survey
questions/instruments, indicators, or proxy measures);
3)  Describe  which population groups, demographics, or audience segments
are included in the measurement and/or analysis of “sense of inclusion” (for
example ethnicity, disability, age, region, or other categories); and
4)  Explain  how  “sense  of  inclusion”  results  are  intended  to  be  interpreted,
monitored, or reported for public media policy purposes.

Strong Public Media programme

The  Strong  Public  Media  programme  ran  from  2020  to  2023.  It  involved  the
development  of  a  business  case  to  test  options  for  public  media  reform  in  New
Zealand, and the development of legislation and an operating model for a new single
public  media  entity.  The  previous  Government  decided  not  to  progress  the
programme in early 2023. You can find out more information about the Strong Public
Media programme here: https://www.mch.govt.nz/our-work/broadcasting-and-media-
sector/strong-public-media.

As  part  of  the  development  of  the  business case,  several benefits of changes to
public media arrangements were identified, including “an increased sense of national
identity and culture.” A KPI for  this benefit included “sense of inclusion,” with the
corresponding  measures  of  “number  of  New  Zealanders  who  access  NZ-made
content  because  they  are about people like themselves” and “percentage of New
Zealanders who access NZ content because it reflects and informs their view of our
national identity”.

These measures did not have performance or measurement frameworks established
and were not reported on because the programme was not progressed. Page 150 of
the business case includes a baseline number for the “sense of inclusion” KPI. This
was established from the measure “it was about people like me” in table 22 of NZ On

Air’s report New Zealand’s Identity, Culture, and the Media – What’s changed in 30
years,
which
you
can
find
here:
https://www.nzonair.govt.nz/documents/474/New_Zealands_Identity_Culture_and_th
e_Media_-_Whats_changed_in_30_years.pdf.

Similar data which might be of interest to you is available from other sources:
•  NZ On Air’s annual report, which includes a measure of people aged 15+ who
report feeling represented as a person (e.g. values, identity and experiences)
in New Zealand made television/online programmes and film. In 2024/25 this
was
29
percent.
The
annual
reports
are
available
here:
https://www.nzonair.govt.nz/about/corporate-documents/.
•  Manatū  Taonga  the  Ministry  for  Culture  and  Heritage  (Manatū  Taonga)
published the baseline report on the state of New Zealand’s media system in
2023,  which  includes  data  on  the  proportion  of  population  seeing  their
community and people like themselves in NZ media content (54 percent), and
the  proportion  of  population  feeling  represented  in  NZ  media  content  (46
percent).
You
can
view
the
report
here:
https://www.mch.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2024-05/the-current-state-of-nz-
media-systerm-baseline-report-nov-2023.pdf.
This  report  sets  out  an  outcomes  monitoring  framework  for  our  Strategic
Framework for a Sustainable Media System, of which one of its key objectives
is  “a  diverse  media  system  that  contains  many  different  voices,  creating a
range  of  content,  that  supports  social  cohesion  and  accounts  for  the
uniqueness  of  New  Zealand  communities.”  This  report  is  available  here:
https://www.mch.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2023-10/strategic-framework-
sustainable-media-270922.pdf.

Information relating to development of the “sense of inclusion” KPI
Please find enclosed the following documents, which relate to part 1 of your request:

Item
Date
Document description
1
03/03/2020
Email: Draft map for review - ILM.pdf
Attachments:
Strengthening public media v0.2.pdf
IMG_3597.pdf; IMG_3597.pdf
2
04/03/2020
Email: Updated ILM for review.pdf
Attachment: Strengthening public media v0.3.pdf
3
11/03/2020
Email:  Strong  Public  Media  -  Final  Investment  Logic
Mapping.pdf
Attachment: SPM ILM final.PDF
4
20/03/2020
Document: ILM session - Leigh's notes.pdf
5
20/03/2020
Document:  Strong  public  media  ILM  FINAL  v0.7
pdf.PDF
6
03/02/2021
Document: SPM ILM final.PDF
7
18/02/2021
Document: Strong Public Media workshop output.pdf
8
11/03/2021
Document:
Strong
Public
Media
Investment
Objectives.FINAL.pdf

I have decided to release the documents listed above, subject to information being
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA to protect the privacy of natural persons.

2

Parts 2-4 of your request are refused under section 18(g)(i) of the OIA information is
not held by Manatū Taonga, and we have no grounds for believing that it is held by
another agency.

If  you  wish  to  discuss  this  decision  with  us,  please  feel  free  to  contact
[email address].

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this
decision.  Information  about  how  to  make  a  complaint  is  available  via
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

Nāku noa, nā

Brendan Gage
Pou Mataaho o Te Aka - Deputy Secretary, Policy, Performance & Insights

3