BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

Summary  

[This summary does not form part of the decision.]

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about an item on Q + A with Jack Tame that discussed a recent climate change report and recent high temperatures in the Antarctic region. The item included interviews with experts, one of whom described the high temperatures in Antarctica as an ‘extreme event that we've seen in the background of climate change’ and that we should expect more such events ‘as the world is warming’. The complainant alleged the broadcast misled viewers as extreme weather events are not becoming more frequent, the higher temperatures in Antarctica were inaccurate, humans do not cause climate change and no detrimental changes have been observed. The Authority found the broadcaster made reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy, including relying on authoritative experts, and the broadcast was unlikely to mislead viewers. Further, the existence of climate change caused by humans is not a controversial issue of public importance, so the balance standard did not apply.

Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy

The broadcast

[1]  An item on Q + A with Jack Tame, broadcast on TVNZ 1 on 27 March 2022, reported on a heatwave in Antarctica and other climate change issues. The item discussed the causes of the heatwave and its consequences. It opened with a clip of United Nations Secretary General António Guterres saying, ‘the facts are undeniable. This abdication of leadership is criminal. The world's biggest polluters are guilty of arson on our only home’. Host Jack Tame said, ‘The Arctic and Antarctic are experiencing extraordinarily high temperatures. In one part of Antarctica, temperatures reached 47 degrees higher than usual for this time of year, 47 degrees.’ 1 News meteorologist Dan Corbett showed a heat map of the globe depicting temperature anomalies and explained how temperature anomalies in Antarctica and the Arctic were ‘literally off the scale’, being more than 30 degrees warmer than usual.

[2]  Tame then interviewed  Professor Timothy Naish, professor in Earth Sciences at the Antarctic Research Centre, Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington, who discussed the causes and effects of temperature rise in Antarctica, including the following comments:

• ‘But you see 40 degrees over the polar region, over Antarctica was quite something. Yeah unprecedented, hasn't been seen before, in those temperature records and it could be the canary in the coal mine of things to come. Certainly not unexpected. I mean, we know the polar regions are warming. We expect the Antarctic to respond like the Arctic is right now. And perhaps this is, you know, the first sign that that things are beginning to change.’
• In response to the question of whether this was directly attributable to climate change: ‘You know, one swallow doesn't make a summer, so we like to see a trend. But as we all well know, we're seeing extreme events happening with much more frequency around the world - wildfires, droughts, floods. And this is an extreme event that we've seen in the background of climate change in Antarctica. So, yes, of course, we would expect more to come as the world is warming.’
• ‘You know, this part of Antarctica is high. It's above two kilometres and it's usually about [negative] 60 degrees Celsius at this time of year. So a 40 degree increase is still pretty cold up there. Things are not going to melt straight away. So, as I was saying, is that there are other parts of Antarctica that are a lot warmer. And if you got a 40 degree increase there, there would be some serious consequences.’

The complaint

[3]  Dr Jock Allison complained the broadcast breached the accuracy and balance standards and was concerned about the ‘alarmist’ nature of the item. Key aspects of his submissions include:

• ‘The contention was made that extreme weather events are more frequent under the present global warming. This is a widely made claim by government paid climate scientists, but is untrue as exemplified by several extensive scientific reviews.’
• The discussion of ‘the supposed heat wave in the Antarctic’ was ‘very unbalanced’. ‘The [Antarctic] temperatures were not measured, but a result from computer modelling, If you looked at the results from the model a day later the temperatures were frigid.’
• ‘It is clear that there was a very short duration and unexpected warm weather event in Antarctic in March, but some perspective is required, and hence my complaint about lack of balance. Antarctica has just had its coldest winter season ever.’¹
• ‘Throughout the interview there was the assumption that humans (and human emissions) were responsible for the global warming. They aren't.’ Dr Allison also contested whether there is agreement amongst climate scientists as to whether climate change is caused by humans.
• ‘There have been no detrimental changes observed in the most salient climate variables and today’s projections of future changes are highly uncertain.’

The broadcaster’s response

[4]  TVNZ did not uphold Dr Allison’s complaint:

• The effects of global climate change on the poles is not a controversial issue of public importance to which the balance standard applies.²
• ‘The Balance standard is not designed to prevent expert commentary from a particular perspective, as long as this is clearly signalled’.
• ‘The Q+A interviews contained commentary from experts in the field of climatology and Q+A is entitled to rely on these experts in its reporting.’
• 97-100% of climate scientists agree that humans are causing climate change.
• Much of the complainant’s comments relate to his opinion and issues ‘which are outside the scope of the broadcast’.

The standard

[5]  The balance standard³ states when controversial issues of public importance are discussed in news, current affairs, and factual programmes, broadcasters should make reasonable efforts, or give reasonable opportunities, to present significant points of view, either in the same programme or in other programmes within the period of current interest.⁴

[6]  The accuracy standard⁵ protects the public from being significantly misinformed.⁶ It states broadcasters should make reasonable efforts to ensure that any news, current affairs or factual programme is accurate in relation to all material points of fact, and does not mislead.

Our findings

[7]  We have watched the broadcast and read the correspondence listed in the Appendix.

[8]  We have also considered the important right to freedom of expression, which is our starting point. Our task is to weigh the right to freedom of expression – including the value of, and public interest in, the broadcast – against the potential harm caused by the broadcast. We may only intervene and uphold a complaint where the resulting limitation on the right to freedom of expression is reasonable and justified in light of the harm caused.⁷

Balance

[9]  The first step is to consider whether the balance standard applied to this item. A number of criteria must be satisfied before the requirement to present significant alternative viewpoints is triggered. The standard applies only to ‘news, current affairs and factual programmes’ which discuss a controversial issue of public importance. The subject matter must be an issue ‘of public importance,’ it must be ‘controversial,’ and it must be ‘discussed’.⁸

[10]  We do not consider that these criteria were met, or that the balance standard applied in this instance. The Authority has previously held that despite some people holding a differing view, the existence of climate change caused by humans and the impact of this on the poles does not constitute a controversial issue of public importance.⁹

[11]  Further, the specific issue of a heatwave in the Antarctic was widely reported on at the time¹⁰ and did not constitute a controversial issue of public importance, as this event was a simple fact. The broadcast provided an alternative viewpoint on the impact of this heatwave by the interviewer raising the point that temperatures never got above freezing during the event.

[12]  In any case, the item was clearly signalled as being an interview with scientists about their perspective of these climate events.¹¹

Accuracy

[13]  This item reported on a heatwave in Antarctica. Although some people continue to dispute the existence and causes of climate change and global warming, weather patterns and climate events, these are matters of significant public interest in New Zealand and internationally.

[14]  The harm alleged in the complaint is that the reporting was inaccurate in respect of the general issues of whether climate change is caused by humans, whether extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, and whether there have been detrimental changes to the climate. The complainant also alleged the reporting on the Antarctic heatwave was misleading.

[15]  It is not the Authority’s role to determine the causes and effects of climate events or heatwaves, nor the veracity of the science around climate change and global warming. The accuracy standard requires only that the broadcaster made ‘reasonable efforts’ to ensure accuracy. The assessment of whether a broadcaster has made reasonable efforts includes consideration of the source of the material broadcast (eg whether it relied on an authoritative expert) and the extent to which the issue of accuracy was reasonably capable of being determined by the broadcaster.¹²

[16]  The occurrence of heatwaves (and other climate events) and their causes and consequences, in the context of ongoing discussion about climate change and global warming, are matters of public interest. Here, the broadcaster has interviewed two authoritative experts who try to explain a recent weather phenomena. It is reasonable for the broadcaster to rely on these experts. On the specific issue of the marine heatwave, this was widely reported on at the time¹³ and the complainant has acknowledged its existence in his referral to the Authority (‘It is clear that there was a very short duration and unexpected warm weather event in Antarctic in March’).

[17]  Additionally, the requirement for factual accuracy does not apply to statements that are distinguishable as comment, analysis or opinion. The interviews contained the views of the reputable local experts featured, regarding the causes of the heatwave and its possible implications. Explanation of weather events in a wider framework of climate change is based on analysis. Professor Naish contextualised his analysis of the event, noting ‘You know, one swallow doesn't make a summer, so we like to see a trend. But as we all well know, we're seeing extreme events happening with much more frequency around the world wildfires, droughts, floods. And this is an extreme event that we've seen in the background of climate change in Antarctica.’

[18]  Overall we find the broadcaster made ‘reasonable efforts’ as required by the accuracy standard. We have not found actual or potential harm that justifies regulatory intervention or restricting the right to freedom of expression.

For the above reasons the Authority does not uphold the complaint.
Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Susie Staley
Chair
23 August 2022

Appendix

The correspondence listed below was received and considered by the Authority when it determined this complaint:

1  Dr Jock Allison’s formal complaint – 27 March 2022

2  TVNZ’s decision on the complaint – 27 April 2022

3  Dr Allison’s referral to the Authority – 7 May 2022

4  TVNZ confirming no further comments – 19 July 2022

¹ Daily Caller News Foundation “Antarctica Just Had Its Coldest Season Ever. Here’s Why” Shore News Network (online ed, 4 October 2021)
² Foster and Radio New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2020-125 at [19] and [20].
³ Standard 8 of the Free-to-Air Television Code of Broadcasting Practice
⁴ Commentary: Balance, Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand Codebook, page 18
⁵ Standard 9 of the Free-to-Air Television Code of Broadcasting Practice
⁶ Commentary: Accuracy, Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand Codebook, page 18
⁷ Freedom of Expression: Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand Codebook, page 6
⁸ Guideline 8a
⁹ See Foster and Radio New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2020-125 at [19] and [20].
¹⁰ Eric Roston “Antarctica Heat Wave Brings Alarming Temperature Jump” Bloomberg (Online ed, 30 March 2022); Caitlin Kaiser and Angela Fritz “Extraordinary Antarctica heatwave, 70 degrees above normal, would likely set a world record” CNN (online ed, 28 March 2022); Dana M Bergstrom, Sharon Robinson, Simon Alexander “Antarctica and the Arctic experiencing record-smashing heatwaves, why is this?” Stuff (online ed, 23 March 2022)
¹¹ Guideline 8c
¹² Guideline 9d
¹³ Isla Binnie “Thinning Antarctic ice shelf finally crumbles after heatwave” Reuters (online ed, 25 March 2022); Evan Bush “A heat wave and snowfall: Why researchers are puzzled by Antarctica's recent weather” NBC News (online ed, 27 March 2022); “Antarctica heatwave sends temperatures 40C above normal” RNZ (online ed, 21 March 2022)