My bad. But my point sticks, because NZ TV licenCe did exist for most of the time TV has been in New Zealand, i.e. for well over forty years. These days, the state, aka "the Crown", controls major outlets, and still pays for some programming from public taxes as well as taking advertising revenue. So the public pays for it whether they want to or not. (Much like Australia which abolished its licence a while ago, and the Republic of Ireland which retains a TV licence but also carries advertising on RTÉ.)

Where is most of that public money going to?