BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

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Summary

Competing plans to watch the dawn of the next millennium on January 1st in the year

2000 on the Chatham and Pitt Islands were reported in an item on One Network News

broadcast between 6.00–7.00pm on 5 December 1996.

Mr Hayball complained to Television New Zealand Ltd that as the next millennium

started on January 1st in the year 2001, the item was factually inaccurate.

While accepting the mathematical argument advanced by Mr Hayball, TVNZ said that

the world-wide reality was the acceptance of the date of 1.1.2000 as the beginning of

the new millennium. It declined to uphold the complaint.

Dissatisfied with TVNZ's response, Mr Hayball referred the 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 viewed the item complained about and have read the

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

determined the complaint without a formal hearing.

A One Network News item on 5 December 1996 dealt with some competing plans to

film the sunrise on the Chatham and Pitt Islands on the 1st January of the year 2000 as

the dawn of the new millennium.

Mr Hayball complained to TVNZ that the item was inaccurate in describing January 1st

2000 as the start of the new millennium. It was a mathematical fact, he wrote, that

January 1st 2001 was the first day of the 21st century.

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.

Pointing out that the item dealt with efforts to win the television market to show the

sunrise on 1st January 2000, TVNZ recognised the mathematical argument advanced

but argued:

However, we believe we must deal in realities, and the reality is that irrespective

of mathematical calculation, the world (or that part of it which uses the Christian

calendar) will mark the dawn of the next millennium at the beginning of the year

2000.

The Authority finds that this is a difficult complaint to resolve. It accepts that Mr

Hayball advances a widely recognised mathematical argument when he describes 1st

January 2001 as the start of the new millennium. However, it also accepts TVNZ's

position that 1st January 2000 is commonly accepted as the dawn of the next

millennium. Because 1st January 2000 is the date that much of the world commonly

understands to be the dawn of the next millennium, the Authority is prepared to accept

this reality, and holds that the statement does not contravene the requirement in standard

G1.

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

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Judith Potter
Chairperson
13 February 1997

Appendix

Mr Hayball's Complaint to Television New Zealand Ltd - 6 December 1996

Mr C G Hayball of Nelson complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, through the

Broadcasting Standards Authority, about an item broadcast on One Network News

between 6.00 - 7.00pm on Thursday 5 December 1996. The item referred to competing

plans to watch the sun rise on the Chatham and Pitt Islands on 1 January 2000.

Mr Hayball maintained that the item disseminated deception as it claimed that 1 January

2000 was the date of the new millennium. He wrote:

The first day of the 21st century is January 1st 2001 which is not a date which is

debatable but simply a mathematical fact.

On the basis that tinkering with history was serious, Mr Hayball said that that error on

TVNZ's part was serious.

TVNZ's Response to the Formal Complaint - 19 December 1997

Assessing the complaint under standard G1 of the Television Code of Broadcasting

Practice, TVNZ said the item dealt with the debate about the place where the sun would

be seen first on 1 January in the year 2000. It wrote:

TVNZ recognises that there is a mathematical argument to support the view that

the new millennium does not begin on 1 January 2000 - but 12 months later.

However, we believe we must deal in realities, and the reality is that irrespective

of mathematical calculation, the world ( or that part of it which uses the Christian

calendar) will mark the dawn of the next millennium at the beginning of the year

2000.

As the item demonstrated the drive to win the lucrative international television

rights to show the sun rising on 1 January 2000 is already well advanced, as are

plans to lure large numbers of foreign tourists to such remote locations as Pitt and

Chatham Islands!

Pointing out that the millennium marked two thousand years since the estimated birth

date of Christ, TVNZ commented:

While appreciating your concern about the calculation TVNZ is inclined to the

view that the birth of the new millennium is not so much a reflection of a specific

date, but one of those occasions which pop up now and then through history

when individuals and nations pause and take stock.

As the report accurately reflected the date which was widely agreed to mark the

beginning of the new millennium, TVNZ said that standard G1 had not been infringed.

Mr Hayball's Referral to the Broadcasting Standards Authority - 21

December 1996

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

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

Describing TVNZ's reply as "little more than an attempt to confuse the issue", Mr

Hayball maintained it was factually inaccurate to report 1 January 2000 as the first day

of the new millennium. He concluded:

The whole WORLD can celebrate the year 2000 for whatever reason they choose,

but, any business enterprise which promotes and solicits money on the basis of

January 1st 2000 being the first day of the new millennium may well face

litigation seeking substantial damages for fraud, which I believe is a criminal

offence.

TVNZ's Response to the Authority - 17 January 1997

By way of brief comment, TVNZ acknowledged the mathematical argument to support

Mr Hayball's approval. However, it did not intend to become the sole news

organisation internationally which rejected the dawn of 1 January 2000 at the beginning

of the new millennium.

Moreover, it pointed out that the item reported the plans of the organisations to lure

tourists to the Chathams on 1 January 2000 to celebrate the new millennium.

Mr Hayball's Final Comment - 24th January 1997

Regardless of TVNZ's reasoning, Mr Hayball maintained that the requirement in

standard G1 - to be acuate on points of fact - had been breached. Pointing out that the

Authority's task was to ensure compliance with the standards, Mr Hayball repeated that

the 21st century began on 1 January 2991 - not 1 January 2000.