BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

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Summary

Scenes from the carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro were shown in an item on One

Network News at 6.00pm on 20 February 1996.

Mr Harang complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the

screening of what he described as "scantily clad women and other riotous behaviour"

breached broadcasting standards.

In declining to uphold the complaint, TVNZ responded that it considered there was a

legitimate news story about the efforts to curb the spread of AIDS in Brazil at carnival

time. That story, it maintained, needed to be told in the context in which the AIDS risk

arose and therefore it was legitimate to include the scenes of the carnival procession. It

denied that there was any breach of standards. Dissatisfied with that decision, Mr

Harang referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s.8(1)(a)

of the Broadcasting Act 1989.

For the reasons given below, the Authority declines to uphold the complaint.

Decision

The members of the Authority have viewed the item complained about and have read the

correspondence (which is summarised in the Appendix). As is its practice, the

Authority determines the complaint without a formal hearing.

A news item broadcast on One Network News on TV One on 20 February 1996

contained scenes from the carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro. The accompanying

commentary reported on efforts of health officials in Brazil to educate its people about

the dangers of AIDS. Visitors arriving at Brazilian airports were shown receiving packs

containing information outlining the risk of AIDS and supplies of condoms.

Mr Harang objected to the carnival scenes which showed "scantily clad women

dancing" and what he described as "other riotous behaviour", and suggested that it gave

a very bad example to teenagers and other children.

TVNZ advised that it assessed his complaint under standard G2 of the Television Code

of Broadcasting Practice. That standard requires broadcasters:

G2  To take into consideration currently accepted norms of decency

and taste in language and behaviour, bearing in mind the context

in which any language or behaviour occurs.

TVNZ noted that there was a legitimate news story to be told about the efforts being

made to curb the spread of AIDS in Brazil during a time when Brazilians traditionally

celebrated their annual carnival. It argued that it would have been difficult to tell the

story without illustrating it with scenes from the carnival, since it was the uninhibited

behaviour of carnival goers which caused the concern about the spread of the disease.

Noting Mr Harang's concern about the impact of the item on young people, TVNZ

suggested that a further reminder about the dangers of AIDS was of benefit to young

people, whose activities make them vulnerable to the disease. TVNZ concluded that the

item properly reflected the extravagance of the carnival in Rio without resorting to

explicit material and declined to uphold the complaint.

The Authority considers the item, which linked the dangers of AIDS with the high-

spirited, uninhibited behaviour exhibited at Brazil's carnival, was a pertinent, relevant

reminder to viewers of the risks entailed. It agrees with TVNZ that it is of benefit to

young people to remind them about the behaviours which can place them at risk of

contracting the disease and that it was appropriate to illustrate the story with the scenes

from the carnival. The Authority does not consider that those scenes breached the

standard of good taste and decency and declines to uphold the complaint.

For the reasons set forth above, the Authority declines to uphold the

complaint.

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Judith Potter
Chairperson
18 April 1996

Appendix

Kristian Harang's Complaint to Television New Zealand Ltd - 20

February 1996

Mr Harang of Auckland complained to Television New Zealand Ltd that an item on One

Network News broadcast on 20 February 1996 between 6.00 - 7.00pm breached

broadcasting standards. He wrote:

It showed scantily clad women dancing and other riotous behaviour giving a

very bad example to teenagers and young people of proper values. It certainly

was not a news item but bordering on sexually explicit material. I intend to take

this complaint if necessary to the Broadcasting Standards Authority, as

they have ruled in previous decisions over the past few years where

programmes are sensationalist and not educational.

TVNZ's Response to the Formal Complaint - 6 March 1996

TVNZ first noted that there was a legitimate news story to be told of the efforts being

made in Brazil to curb the spread of AIDS, particularly during the revelry that is

associated with carnival time. It considered the fact that visitors arriving in Brazil were

presented with AIDS packs was a startling development in the campaign to combat the

disease.

It argued that it would be difficult to tell the story without showing the context in which

the AIDS risk arose and therefore, scenes from the carnival were included. TVNZ also

added that it would probably have shown scenes from the carnival even without the

strong AIDS angle.

Noting Mr Harang's concern about the impact of the item on young people, TVNZ

suggested that reminding them about the dangers of AIDS was of benefit.

Referring to Mr Harang's complaint about the scantily clad women, TVNZ noted that

there was no nakedness or unsavoury behaviour shown and that the women were

simply shown enjoying themselves. It added that there was nothing in the item

showing women clad in anything less than would be seen on any New Zealand beach

on a summer's day and therefore, it argued, did not breach standard G2. It concluded:

The standard also requires us "bear in mind the context in which the language

or behaviour occurs" and in this regard we note that the nature of the

"carnival" in Rio is internationally recognised and that the item properly

reflected its extravagant nature without resorting to explicit material.

Mr Harang's Referral to the Broadcasting Standards Authority - 7 March

1996

Dissatisfied with TVNZ's response, Mr Harang referred the complaint to the

Broadcasting Standards Authority under s.8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989.

He maintained that the scenes of near naked women dancing in the streets were not

suitable for broadcast during family viewing time. He suggested that in previous

decisions the Authority had ruled that where the item was sensational and not

educational it breached standards.

He considered the item objectionable and maintained that it showed a very bad example

to teenagers and children. He described as a trivial excuse TVNZ's argument that the

item dealt with combating AIDS and repeated that it was beyond the limits of decency to

screen the item in family viewing time.

TVNZ's Response to the Authority -15 March 1996

TVNZ repeated that the item related the concern in Brazil about the risk of AIDS being

spread during the annual carnival festival.

It advised that it had nothing further to add to its previous letter except to deny Mr

Harang's accusation that the item was "sensationalist". It maintained that it was a

straightforward, informative piece on a legitimate news subject.