BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

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Summary

A collection of spiders which the presenter said was on display at the Auckland

Museum, was the subject of an item on Tonight broadcast on TV One at 9.35pm on

18 July 1997.

Mr Corrin complained to Television New Zealand Limited that the item was

inaccurate, and showed disrespect for the war dead, by not using the correct title of

the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Explaining that the shortened title was used in practice, and was the Museum's listing

in the Telephone Directory, TVNZ declined to uphold the complaint.

Dissatisfied with TVNZ's decision, Mr Corrin referred the complaint to the

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

For the reasons 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 (summarised in the Appendix). On this occasion, the Authority

determines the complaint without a formal hearing.

An exhibition of spiders was dealt with in an item on Tonight and, the broadcast

reported, the exhibition was at the Auckland Museum. Pointing out that the

institution's correct title was legislatively recognised as the Auckland War Memorial

Museum, and that the aberration used showed disrespect for the memories of the war

dead, Mr Corrin complained that the broadcast breached the standards.

TVNZ assessed the complaint under standard G1 of the Television Code of

Broadcasting Practice, which requires broadcasters:

G1   To be truthful and accurate on points of fact.

Explaining that the Museum's war memorial status was not relevant to the item, and

that the use of the commonly used title did not indicate a disrespect for the war dead,

TVNZ declined to uphold the complaint. When he referred the complaint to the

Authority, Mr Corrin maintained that TVNZ's practice amounted to "sloppy

journalism", and past generations deserved better.

In its determination of the complaint, the Authority takes into consideration that an

exhibition of living spiders, focussing on the tarantula, was the subject of the item. It

accepts that the brief reference, by the commonly-used name, to the place where the

exhibition was housed does not contravene the standards.

For the reasons above, the Authority declines to uphold the complaint.

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Sam Maling
Chairperson
18 September 1997

Appendix

H R Corrin's Complaint to Television New Zealand Ltd - 20 July 1997

Mr Corrin DFM of Whangarei complained to Television New Zealand Ltd about an

item on Tonight broadcast at 9.35pm on 18 July 1997. The item had described the

Auckland War Memorial Museum as the Auckland Museum.

Pointing out that the correct title of the Museum was recognised in legislation, Mr

Corrin stated that TV One, as the flag bearer of TVNZ, should use correct titles. The

description of the Museum used in the item, he added, showed disrespect for the

memories of the war dead commemorated in the Hall of Memories and the Cenotaph

on the forecourt.

TVNZ's Response to the Formal Complaint - 28 July 1997

Assessing the complaint under the requirement for factual accuracy in standard G1 of

the Television Code of Broadcasting Practice, TVNZ began by acknowledging its

respect for Mr Corrin's view. However, it maintained that the building was in reality

known as the Auckland Museum, and that the use of that title showed no disrespect

for the war dead.

TVNZ said that it tended to use the Museum's full title when its war memorial status

was relevant to the story being told. However, as the item on this occasion described

the location of an exhibition of spiders, TVNZ said that the use of the shortened title

was not inappropriate. The museum trustees, TVNZ added, used the name Auckland

Museum, and that was its description in the Auckland Telephone Directory.

TVNZ declined to uphold the complaint.

Mr Corrin's Response to the Broadcasting Standards Authority - 4 August 1997

Dissatisfied with TVNZ's decision, Mr Corrin referred the complaint to the

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

Mr Corrin maintained that TVNZ's use of the abbreviated title was incorrect and

showed disrespect to the memory of the war dead. TVNZ's arguments, he wrote,

accepted sloppy journalism, and past generations deserved better.

TVNZ's Response to the Authority - 12 August 1997

TVNZ advised that it did not wish to comment further.