RIP Back Benches

Labour’s Broadcasting spokesperson Clare Curran says she will tonight join a packed audience to watch the final ever live filming of the Back Benches television show.

“Back Benches has helped to make politics accessible once again. It has brought humour and the perspective of the everyday Kiwi into the realm of Parliament,” says Clare Curran.

“The show has been a staple of TVNZ7 for four years and has drawn a following both at the live filming and on couches in living rooms.

“The demise of Back Benches along with the other programmes that make up TVNZ7’s unique content will be missed by many,” says Clare Curran.

“As a nation we need to seriously challenge ourselves about the need to engage in politics. The dismal turn out at the 2011 election was a frightening reminder of how much work we need to do to make politics relevant to those who didn’t vote.

“The end of Back Benches can only be a step backwards in this regard. It is disappointing to have to farewell this show amongst others on TVNZ7. Public broadcasting serves an incredibly important service and Back Benches typifies that by bringing politics to an atypical audience,” Clare Curran says.

“I encourage as many people as possible to get out tonight to farewell the show, and tomorrow in Wellington for the petition presentation if they can.”

More information about the campaign to Save TVNZ7 is available at www.savetvnz7.co.nz