Source: Radio New Zealand
Voyager CEO and founder Seeby Woodhouse supplied
The New Zealand Media Awards has dumped its sponsor, Voyager, over social media posts, just a fortnight out from the showcase awards.
In a statement, the News Publishers’ Association said it had told Voyager CEO and founder Seeby Woodhouse on Wednesday it was terminating its naming rights sponsorship.
The awards website now says Voyager was the sponsor from 2018 to 2025 even though the awards had been called the Voyagers this year again.
The NPA said it became aware of social media content Woodhouse had re-posted. It said the NPA considered it was “inconsistent with the values and standards” it upholds for New Zealand news publishing.
It did not say what the post was.
“While Mr Woodhouse’s profile states that re-posting does not necessarily signify his agreement with the content, and the re-post has since been taken down, NPA considers the re-post irreconcilable with its values and standards.”
The awards ceremony on 22 May will be held without a sponsor.
The website of Voyager, a broadband company, still lists itself as the premier sponsor of the media awards and says it is proud to support the initiative.
“Do the right thing, always do your best, and help others; these are our core values, which we see as aligning closely with the ethos of the New Zealand media, which works hard to deliver credible, informative, and well-balanced news to the public,” it reads.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand