BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

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Summary

Comments that "we all give the wife a smack once in a while don't we?", and "Well, I

do", were made by former soccer star George Best at a media conference covered

during an item on 3 National News broadcast between 6.00–7.00pm on 6 November

1996.

Mr Ingram complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd that the comment was in bad

taste, denigrated women, was unbalanced, and failed to maintain the principles of law.

Explaining that the comment about wife beating was relevant as it referred to a question

about the selection of a current player for the English team, TV3 said that it had not

endorsed the opinion expressed by Mr Best. It declined to uphold the complaint.

Dissatisfied with TV3's reply, Mr Ingram 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 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.

An item on 3 National News on 6 November 1996 reported the arrival in Auckland of

former Irish soccer star George Best. It also included extracts from a media conference

where, in response to a question about the recent selection of a player for the English

team who admitted beating his wife, Mr Best commented:

Yeah, I think, I mean, this is all allegedly. We don't know what goes on

behind closed doors and I think we all give the wife a smack once in a while

don't we? Well, I do (laughter). I just did and um, but I think it shouldn't

make any difference to – he's a big talent.

One of Mr Best's associates sitting alongside him was seen to laugh, apparently

approvingly, at the remark.

Mr Ingram complained to TV3 that the comment endorsed, if not encouraged, wife

beating and, consequently, breached the broadcasting standards.

TV3 assessed the complaint against standards G2, G5, G6 and G13 of the Television

Code of Broadcasting Practice. They require 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.

G5 To respect the principles of law which sustain our society.

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.

Maintaining that the question and answer were relevant because of the current furore

about one specific player, TV3 said that it reported a genuinely-held opinion and had

not shown any explicit or implicit support for it.

The Authority accepts that there was adequate reason for asking the question and

reporting Mr Best's reply. It was an opinion which the Authority abhors as an

expression of male chauvinism and one, it would like to think, which is rapidly

vanishing. The Authority also believes that it is a comment which reflects principally

on the stature of the person who makes it. The Authority agrees with TV3 that its role

on this occasion was only that of the messenger.

With regard to the nominated standards, the Authority does not consider that standard

G2 was breached as the unpleasant comment was made in acceptable language.

Because it was made in passing by a former famous – if not notorious – soccer player,

rather than by an acknowledged social commentator, the Authority believes that the

remark does not encourage disrespect for the principles of law in contravention of

standard G5. Given the extensive and increasing public awareness of the issues

relating to domestic violence, the Authority concludes that it was not unbalanced and in

transgression of standard G6.

Standard G13 provides an exemption for the expression of a genuinely-held opinion in

a news programme. That exemption applied in respect to the chauvinistic comment

made by Mr Best and reported on 3 National News.

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

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Judith Potter
Chairperson
27 February 1997

Appendix

Mr Ingram's Complaint to TV3 Network Services Ltd - 29 November 1996

Christopher Ingram of Tauranga complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd about an

item broadcast on 3 National News between 6.00 - 7.00pm on 6 November 1996. The

item covered a media conference given by former Irish soccer star George Best on his

visit to New Zealand.

Mr Ingram stated that Mr Best had said something to the effect that people often

indulged in wife beating and had commented "I beat my wife this morning". As Mr

Best had been presented as a great sportsman, Mr Ingram considered that Mr Best's

endorsement - if not encouragement - of wife beating breached the standards relating to

good taste, the maintenance of law and order, balance and the denigration of women.

In conclusion, Mr Ingram wrote:

He was in New Zealand to talk about his successes in soccer and these comments

were quite irrelevant to his appearance.

TV3's Response to the Formal Complaint - 20 December 1996

Assessing the complaint under standards G2, G5, G6 and G13 of the Television Code

of Broadcasting Practice, TV3 said the item involved a high profile former soccer player

with a widely publicised and often controversial past.

TV3 said Mr Best was asked whether a current player who admitted beating his wife

should be selected for the British team. He had replied:

Yeah, I think, I mean, this is all allegedly. We don't know what goes on behind

closed doors and I think we all give the wife a smack once in a while don't we?

Well, I do (laughter). I just did and um, but I think it shouldn't make any

difference to - he's a big talent.

TV3 maintained that the inclusion of the question and answer were appropriate, and that

it was a genuinely-held opinion for which TV3 gave no explicit or implicit support.

Further, the language used did not breach the currently accepted norms, it did not

encourage law breaking, and it gave one perspective on an issue where the other points

of view were well-known.

TV3 declined to uphold the complaint.

Mr Ingram's Referral to the Broadcasting Standards Authority - 24

December 1996

Dissatisfied with TV3's response, Mr Ingram referred his complaint to the Broadcasting

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

Mr Ingram made the following points. First, Mr Best's visit was based on his ability as

a soccer player and comments on wife beating were not relevant to that. Secondly, Mr

Best's comment was made as a "laughing statement" for which there was no balancing

point of view.

Mr Ingram considered that Mr Best's endorsement - if not encouragement - of wife

beating was a breach of the standards.

TV3's Response to the Authority - 17 January 1997

TV3 advised the Authority it did not wish to comment on the referral.