Promoting Public Media As A Charitable Purpose

The New Zealand Court of Appeal's decision in Better Public Media Trust v. Attorney-General¹ marked a significant milestone in the advancement of charity law in New Zealand and other common law countries, particularly concerning the role of advocacy in charitable pursuits. The case centered on whether a trust dedicated to advocating for public media could be considered a charitable organization.

Background

The Better Public Media Trust (the "Trust") was established to promote the role of public media in New Zealand. The Trust's primary activities involved advocating for increased funding, improved operating conditions, and wider distribution platforms for public media providers. It also aimed to educate the public about the importance of public media and represent the interests of media audiences.