Useful Links

How to complain step by step

This diagram sets out the entire complaints process and will take you through it step by step.

Broadcasting Codes & standards

The broadcasting standards that apply to television and radio programmes are contained in the four Codes of Broadcasting Practice.

Select the Broadcasting Code you would like to find out more about:

Free-to-Air Television
Pay Television
Radio
Election Programmes

What We Cover

What we cover	What we DON'T cover
free-to-air television programmes radio programmes pay television programmes live streaming of television and radio programmes online broadcast items you've seen using on-demand but ONLY if you can supply all the details of the original broadcast – ie, the broadcaster, channel or station, date and time promos/trailers for programmes election advertisements on television or radio (during election periods) Return to Making a Complaint	advertisements (other than election ads and promos for programmes) Advertising Standards Authority programmes broadcast outside of New Zealand International Directory of Media Regulators programmes which have not yet been broadcast Broadcaster Links scheduling or general quality of programmes Broadcaster Links pre-classification of programmes by broadcaster Broadcaster Links on-demand internet content Broadcaster Links reception problems Kordia (for TV) Radio Spectrum (for radio) telecommunications regulation Commerce Commission censorship of films and other forms of publication Office of Film and Literature Classification print publications Press Council copyright issues Copyright Council Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment teletext

What we cover

What we DON'T cover

free-to-air television programmes
radio programmes
pay television programmes
live streaming of television and radio programmes online
broadcast items you've seen
using on-demand but ONLY if you
can supply all the details of the original broadcast – ie, the broadcaster, channel
or station, date and time
promos/trailers for programmes
election advertisements on television or radio (during election periods)

Return to Making a Complaint

advertisements (other than election ads and promos for programmes)
Advertising Standards Authority
programmes broadcast outside of New Zealand
International Directory of Media Regulators
programmes which have not yet been broadcast
Broadcaster Links
scheduling or general quality of programmes
Broadcaster Links
pre-classification of programmes by broadcaster
Broadcaster Links
on-demand internet content
Broadcaster Links
reception problems
Kordia (for TV)
Radio Spectrum (for radio)
telecommunications regulation
Commerce Commission
censorship of films and other forms of publication
Office of Film and Literature Classification
print publications
Press Council
copyright issues
Copyright Council
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
teletext

Complaint Line

Complaint Line is a gateway website listing all the agencies that provide the public with processes for resolving complaints.

Complaint Line resources for non-English speakers

Complaint Line has just launched some free online resources on how to write a complaint for people who are not confident in speaking and writing English. The topics include 'It's OK to complain' and 'Writing to complain' and are available on the Complaint Line Resources page.

Complaints about consumer issues

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has put out a video on how to complain about a consumer issue. They have also included a list of free services set up to deal with specific complaints:

How to complain for consumers