Caledonia TV faces closure due to budget cuts

Caledonia TV, a local broadcaster in New Caledonia, is facing potential closure due to budget cuts. The station, which employs about 30 staff members, could shut down as early as the end of April 2025. Caledonia TV was founded in 2013 and has become a competitor to the public broadcaster, Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première. It provides daily news and local programming. However, the Northern Province assembly, its main financial backer, has drastically cut its funding following a decline in tax revenues linked to civil unrest last May. During the assembly's budget vote on March 12, the Northern Province offered only a quarter of the 400 million French Pacific Francs (around $3.5 million) requested by Caledonia TV. Without additional funding, the future of the station looks grim. Staff members expressed shock at the decision, noting they learned the news without prior warning or discussion. The Northern Province, controlled by a pro-independence majority, has not commented further on the budget cuts. In response to these financial challenges, Caledonia TV has already altered its news broadcasts, removing anchorpersons from its daily bulletins. The local Press Club has voiced support for the station's staff, emphasizing the importance of their role in informing the public. The situation is concerning, as the closure of Caledonia TV would mark the second major media outlet to shut down in New Caledonia in two years. In 2023, the only remaining daily newspaper, Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes, ceased its print edition but continues to operate online with reduced staff.