TVNZ spent nearly $30,000 on a trip to LA for CEO Jodi O'Donnell and two other executives, documents show.
The state broadcaster spent $11,920 on premium economy flights, $13,140 on accommodation at the Beverly Hills Sofitel, nearly $3000 on Ubers and $1500 on other expenses, according to Official Information Act requests released to media and posted online.
According to the documents, the trip late last month was for the LA Screenings - a yearly event for global television buyers. O'Donnell stayed for six nights and the others - chief content officer Nevak Rogers and commercial general manager Josh Wolfe - for seven.
An anonymous ex-TVNZ worker told Stuff the trip was "deeply ironic" because "while they were spending almost $300,000 taking us to court... they were also spending $30,000 to go to Hollywood to buy foreign shows to replace the local ones they've canned".
Newshub has contacted the state broadcaster for a response.
A spokesperson for TVNZ told the NZ Herald: "The business rationale for that trip is clear, and the trip was executed modestly from a cost perspective." The spokesperson added the LA Screenings were attended yearly by TVNZ and noted the broadcaster had "reduced our travel spend significantly this year and opted not to attend other major content events".
TVNZ has come under fire in recent months after announcing it was axing its iconic Sunday and Fair Go programmes and cutting 68 jobs in total. It has resulted in a legal battle between the broadcaster and the E Tū union after the latter took the case to the Employment Relations Authority.
Earlier this month, TVNZ announced it expected an underlying loss of between $28 million and $33 million for the 2024 financial year.
At the time, O'Donnell said TVNZ had "made significant strides in our path to being a digital-first broadcaster" but "as a fully commercially funded organisation, we are exposed to the ad market".
Newshub.
