BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

Summary

Station identification promos broadcast on TV One included the slogan "Together We’re One", and the logo "Celebrating New Zealand".

Mr Seymour complained to the broadcaster, Television New Zealand Limited, that the promos encouraged the denigration of Maori and, in particular, discrimination against the legitimate expression of Maori cultural and political beliefs. They promoted, he wrote, an ideology that was inherently assimilationist.

TVNZ responded that the reference to "One" was to TV One. The promos implicitly reflected a "one-ness" between TV One and its viewers, and placed that theme in a determinedly bi-cultural context which recognised cultural diversity, it replied. It declined to uphold the complaint.

Dissatisfied with TVNZ’s response, Mr Seymour referred his complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s.8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989.

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

Decision

The members of the Authority have watched a tape of the promos complained about, and have read the correspondence (which is summarised in the Appendix). On this occasion, the Authority determines the complaint without a formal hearing.

TV One broadcast station identification promos before and after some programmes, including One Network News and The New Zealand Wars. The promos opened with a Maori chant, which resurfaced towards the end of each promo. The promos included a signature tune, using the words "Together We’re One", and included the logo "Celebrating New Zealand".

Mr Seymour of Hamilton complained to TVNZ that the promos encouraged the denigration and discrimination of Maori and the legitimate expression of Maori cultural and political beliefs. They also failed, he said, to show balance, impartiality and fairness in dealing with political matters and questions of a controversial nature.

Pointing out that in 1840 Captain Hobson stated "He iwi kotahi tatou" ("We are now one people", to each Maori leader who signed the Treaty of Waitangi), Mr Seymour wrote that the statement expressed a colonial wish to introduce a hegemonic policy, the object of which was to assimilate Maori into European society. The words, "Together We’re One", promoted the attitude expressed by Hobson, he wrote, and were not subscribed to by the general Maori population.

TVNZ considered the complaint in the context of standards G6 and G13 of the Television Code of Broadcasting Practice. These require broadcasters:

G6 To show balance, impartiality and fairness in dealing with political matters, current affairs and all questions of a controversial nature.

G13 To avoid portraying people in a way which represents as inherently inferior, or is likely to encourage discrimination against, any section of the community on account of sex, race, age, disability, occupational status, sexual orientation or the holding of any religious, cultural or political belief. This requirement is not intended to prevent the broadcast of material which is:

i) factual, or

ii) the expression of genuinely-held opinion in a news or current affairs programme, or

iii) in the legitimate context of a humorous, satirical or dramatic work.

In response to Mr Seymour, TVNZ noted that in recent times the policy of assimilation had been replaced by that of bi-culturalism, or multi-culturalism, which recognised and encouraged racial and cultural diversity. Some commentators, it admitted, still detected "the continuation of assimilation", because society’s daily procedures were rooted in European history.

However, the broadcaster wrote, the "One" in "Together We’re One" clearly referred to the television station, TV One. The promo was a station identification and featured performers seen regularly on the channel, it continued. TVNZ said that using the logo "Celebrating New Zealand", in conjunction with the promo, reflected a "one-ness" between the broadcaster and its viewers. It pointed out that the promos set the "Together We’re One" theme in a determinedly bi-cultural context. It declined to accept that what it described as "carefully-crafted promotions of this type" were in breach of standard G6. TVNZ also declined to uphold a breach of standard G13. The words used in the promo were different and were used differently from Hobson’s words, it wrote, and could not be regarded as offensive to Maori.

In turning first to standard G6, the Authority does not accept that the standard is apposite to the complaint. Having reviewed the promos, the Authority determines that they did not deal with political matters, current affairs or any questions of a controversial nature, in such a way which would invoke the application of the standard.

Next, the Authority turns to standard G13. It notes that TVNZ recognised that, in a historical perspective, Hobson’s words could be offensive to Maori but, the broadcaster wrote, the different words and different use of "One" placed the TV One identification promos "in an altogether different category". Mr Seymour argued that it was not absolutely clear that the material’s reference was solely to TV One. He wrote:

While an identification will be made with the station, it is also reasonable that viewers will interpret the phrase as a promotion of nationalism which many Maori perceive in terms of the assimilationist views of colonial New Zealand.

Mr Seymour also denied that the promos were broadcast in a determinedly bi-cultural context. True bicultural contexts, he wrote, necessitated a genuine reflection of Maori and non-Maori aspirations. Maori aspirations, he continued, did not express a desire for being "one, but for being "two" or more, and for promoting diversity.

The Authority accepts TVNZ’s argument that the promos are in an altogether different category from the interpretation which Mr Seymour has placed upon them. The promos, the Authority considers, are advertisements or positioning statements for the broadcaster. It appreciates that the "one-ness" which is referred to in these branding statements refers to viewers of TV One as a common audience, transcending class, cultural and/or racial barriers to become one audience. The "one-ness", the Authority accepts, also means the "one-ness" or unity of presenters and audience. In the circumstances, the Authority does not consider that the "one-ness" in the promos has any tendency to denigrate or discriminate against Maori in breach of standard G13.

In these circumstances, the Authority declines to uphold the complaint that the promos, including the theme "Together We’re One", were in breach of standards G6 or G13 of the Code.

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

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Sam Maling
Chairperson
1 October 1998

Appendix

Gareth Seymour’s Complaint to Television New Zealand Ltd – 18 June 1998

Mr Seymour of Hamilton complained to Television New Zealand Ltd about station identification promos used by TV One before and after certain programmes, including One Network News. They opened with a Maori chant, which was replayed towards the end of each promo. The promos included a signature tune, which used the words "Together We’re One", and they also included the logo "Celebrating New Zealand".

Mr Seymour said that the promos encouraged denigration of and discrimination against Maori "and our legitimate expression of our cultural and political beliefs". He wrote:

Since contact with Pakeha, Maori have continually expressed our identity. In 1840 Hobson stated ‘He iwi kotahi tatao’, thereby expressing a colonial wish to recreate an indigenous people through colonisation.

Policies of extinction, battle and assimilation have all been carried out against the wishes of the indigenous population whose constant struggle has been to survive the effects of colonial exploitation.

Maintaining that the "Together We’re One" segment had "a hegemonic effect on the population", Mr Seymour argued that the words promoted the colonial attitude expressed by Hobson in 1840. He observed:

The item promotes an ideology that is inherently assimilationist and discriminates against the notion that Maori should maintain community and identity. Cries that ‘we are all one people’ and that ‘there is one law’ are reinforced by the item in question.

Mr Seymour added that the ideology inherent in the promo hindered the ability of Maori to express mana Maori motuhake legitimately. The promos’ portrayal of mainly Pakeha persons encouraged discrimination by them against minority groups, he continued, particularly Maori.

As an example, he wrote, the unfortunate placing of the promo before the news influenced the audience reaction to matters of race and land. The placement of the promo before and after The New Zealand Wars series also, he contended, undermined the balance that the series might have promoted, by the promo’s insistence on celebrating the concept of a united New Zealand.

Mr Seymour concluded that issues of "land, race and identity are controversial in these lands. They remain unresolved. … Maori are not saying or living the reality embodied in this TV One theme tune".

TVNZ’s Response to the Formal Complaint – 1 July 1998

TVNZ considered the complaint under standards G6 and G13 of the Television Code of Broadcasting Practice.

It began by advising that it understood that Governor Hobson greeted each Maori leader who signed the Treaty of Waitangi with the words "he iwi tahi tatou", which translated as "we are now one people". It continued:

We further understand that many modern historians regard the uttering of this phrase at this particularly important moment in New Zealand history as symbolising the onset of the policy of assimilation followed by colonial administrations and New Zealand governments well into the 1950s. As you say this was a hegemonic policy the object of which was to make New Zealand "one" by adjusting the Maori to the values, beliefs and processes of European (British) society.

In more recent times assimilation was abandoned in favour of bi-culturalism (even multi-culturalism) under which there is official recognition of, and encouragement for, racial and cultural diversity.

Despite that, it seems that some historians and sociologists detect the continuation of assimilation because while there is recognition of cultural diversity, all races resident in New Zealand live in a society whose daily procedures are rooted in European history.

I hope that this accurately summarises your view - because it is on this basis that we proceeded to examine your objection to the phrase "together we're One".

TVNZ then made two points. First, the reference to "One" in the promo was clearlya reference to TV One:

Second, we concede that – used in conjunction with the phrase "celebrating New Zealand" – the promotions implicitly reflect a "one-ness" between TV One and its viewers throughout New Zealand. While we can recognise the difficulty you have with Hobson’s phrase, we point out that the promotions set the "together we’re one" theme in a determinedly bi-cultural context. For instance, the promotions open with a Maori chant which was developed by TVNZ’s Maori Department and the chant resurfaces towards the end of each promotion.

TVNZ sees nothing wrong in promoting "one-ness", provided that it is in a context which recognises cultural diversity. We believe these promotions do that.

Accordingly, TVNZ stated, the promos were not unbalanced, unfair or partial. Neither, it stated, were Maori represented as "inherently inferior" in terms of standard G13. Further, it wrote, the promos did not encourage discrimination. TVNZ’s Programme Standards Manager remarked:

I stress that we recognise how, in a historical perspective, Hobson’s words can be regarded as offensive to Maori, but we believe the different words and the different use of "One" place the TV One identification promotions in an altogether different category.

By way of conclusion, TVNZ observed:

Just before closing, we wish to take issue with your view (reflected in the press release) that TV One is opposed to the aspirations of the Maori people. As with many activities we can always strive to do better, but humbly believe that the output of our Maori Department, particularly Te Karere and Marae stand head and shoulders above any Maori content found among TVNZ’s competitors. While I am sure you would like to see more – and quite expect that you would urge us to respond to that wish – we do think TVNZ’s Maori Department deserves credit for what it does for Maori aspirations. We also believe that Maori aspirations are reflected in the general news and current affairs output of the station.

Mr Seymour’s Referral to the Broadcasting Standards Authority – 3 July 1998

Dissatisfied with TVNZ’s decision, Mr Seymour referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s.8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989.

Mr Seymour made two specific points. As to the first, he claimed that the promo did not make it clear that it referred solely to TV One. He contended that it was also reasonable for viewers to interpret the slogan as one promoting the assimilationist views of colonial New Zealand.

Secondly, Mr Seymour disputed TVNZ’s claim that the promos were broadcast in a "determinedly bicultural context". He wrote:

The promotions, in most instances, do not "open with a Maori chant". A Maori chant, even used selectively, cannot provide a bicultural context within a colonial society. True bicultural contexts necessitate a genuine reflection of Maori and non-Maori aspirations. Most aspirations clearly do not express a desire of being "one", but of being "two" or more, of promoting diversity.

Mr Seymour continued to argue, given New Zealand’s colonial history, that the promos encouraged discrimination against Maori. While acknowledging TVNZ’s "effective analysis" of his complaint, he maintained his opinion that the promos adopted an assimilationalist approach.

TVNZ’s Response to the Authority – 27 July 1998

In its report to the Authority, TVNZ expressed the view that the promo quite clearly referred to TV One, and to the "one-ness" which it hoped to foster between presenters and viewers.

It noted:

While Mr Seymour may be dissatisfied with TVNZ’s efforts, our Maori Department’s input into the present promotional imagery and themes has ensured that they appropriately reflect the whole, multi-cultural and multi-interest nature of the TV One audience.

Mr Seymour’s Final Comment –

Mr Seymour did not respond, when asked to provide a final comment.