BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

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Summary

An animated children's programme entitled Where on earth is Carmen San Diego

broadcast on TV2 on 23 July 1995 at 8.25am contained general knowledge questions

which were interspersed with fast-paced action scenes.

Mr Bartfai complained to Television New Zealand Ltd that the programme contained

excessive action and violence which had a harmful effect on child viewers and was

therefore in breach of broadcasting standards.

In its response to the complainant, TVNZ noted its surprise that the programme was

the subject of a complaint. It pointed out that it was regarded as one of the most

educationally valuable programmes on television, which provided young children the

opportunity to learn geography and history while following a fast-moving adventure

story. It did not believe that the programme had an adverse impact on child viewers or

that the level of violence was unacceptable in the context of storytelling to children.

Dissatisfied with TVNZ's decision not to uphold the complaint, Mr Bartfai referred

the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s.8(1)(a) of the

Broadcasting Act 1989.

For the reasons given below, the Authority declined 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 usual practice, the

Authority has determined the complaint without a formal hearing.

A children's programme, Where on Earth is Carmen San Diego, broadcast on TV2 on

23 July 1995 featured the adventures of animated characters in various parts of the

world. Fast-paced action scenes were interspersed with facts and information about

the countries visited.

Mr Bartfai complained to TVNZ that the excessive action and high levels of violence

in the programme were harmful to children and not justifiable in the context of the

programme. He argued that the way information for children was packaged had an

impact on their learning and behaviour, and suggested that to combine violence with

general knowledge information was bound to have a deep and long term negative effect

on children. He also expressed a hope that television broadcasters would select

programmes which promoted moral values as well as provided information.

TVNZ responded that the programme provided an absorbing and exciting vehicle for

disseminating information of educational value and that it did not believe children

would be harmed by the series. It reported that it had assessed the programme under

standards G12 and V1, which were cited by Mr Bartfai. The first requires

broadcasters:

G12 To be mindful of the effect any programme may have on children

during their normally accepted viewing times.

The second standard reads:

V1  Broadcasters have a responsibility to ensure that any violence shown is

justifiable ie is essential in the context of the programme.

With reference to standard G12, TVNZ did not believe the programme had an adverse

impact on child viewers. It considered that the information conveyed was very

valuable for young minds and, although it was wrapped up in an exciting adventure,

TVNZ did not believe the level of violence was unsuitable in the context of children's

storytelling. Responding to the standard V1 complaint, TVNZ asserted that the level

of violence was low, sufficient to provide an exciting story line but not so dominant as

to submerge the valuable educational information it contained.

The Authority was of the view that the programme was unlikely to have had a

deleterious effect on children for whom it was produced. It considered that the

animated cartoon action genre was familiar to children and while some incidents

contained some violent aspects, they were highly exaggerated and far removed from

reality. In interpreting the standards, it referred to the Introduction to the Violence

Code in the Television Code of Broadcasting Practice which states:

Cartoons, which have always been especially popular with children, often

contain a level of violence which would not be acceptable in "real life"

programmes. Although cartoons are usually recognised by children, especially

older children, as being depictions of the unreal, care must be taken to avoid

story lines with a semi-serious tone which depend on repeated violent action

for interest and excitement.

Given that the Code recognises that cartoons are generally accepted as depictions of

the unreal, the Authority examined whether the story line depended on repeated

violent action for its impetus. It concluded that the sparring episodes, the chase

scenes and the confrontations between the protagonists, while integral to the story

line, were not the dominant feature but were typical of the fast action cartoon genre of

which this is an example. It did not believe that either of the standards was breached.

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

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Judith Potter
Chairperson
26 October 1995

Appendix

Mr Bartfai's Complaint to Television New Zealand Ltd - 28 July 1995

Mr Guszti Bartfai of Wellington complained to Television New Zealand Ltd that its

broadcast of the programme Where on earth is Carmen San Diego on 23 July 1995 at

8.25am breached broadcasting standards because it contained over-exciting action and

violence and gave a seriously wrong message to young children.

Mr Bartfai expressed his serious doubts about the educational value of the general

knowledge questions in the programme when they were shown in this generally

violent context. He described one incident where, when two teenagers were being

chased, one pulled out a remote control and blew up the two planes of the people

pursuing them.

He sought from TVNZ an assurance that it would take the necessary action to ensure

that such violent programmes were not screened on television.

TVNZ's Response to the Formal Complaint - 14 August 1995

Assessing the complaint under standards G12 and V1 of the Television Code of

Broadcasting Practice, TVNZ explained to Mr Bartfai that his complaint took it by

surprise. Where on earth is Carmen San Diego, it argued, was one of the most

educationally valuable programmes on television and provided young children with an

opportunity to learn snippets of geography and history while following a fast-moving

adventure story.

TVNZ observed that throughout the ages an element of violence has been part of

nearly all storytelling to children. Its view was that the action in Carmen San Diego

provided a good vehicle for providing educational information to children of about 8 -

10 years of age. It listed some of the factual information provided in the first few

minutes of the programme.

Turning to the standards allegedly breached, TVNZ did not believe that the

programme had an adverse effect on child viewers. It expressed its belief that the flow

of information was very valuable for young minds and that the level of violence shown

not unacceptable in the context. As far as the violence was concerned, it wrote:

...it is TVNZ's view that the violence in the programme is of a low level,

sufficient to provide child viewers with a gripping storyline, but not so

dominant as to submerge the valuable educational information provided

throughout the series.

It declined to uphold the complaint.

Mr Bartfai's Complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority - 4 September

1995

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

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

First, Mr Bartfai noted that TVNZ had not referred to the specific part of the

programme which he complained about and, instead, placed emphasis on its context,

suggesting that violence was acceptable in a programme which had an educational

purpose.

With respect to standard G12, Mr Bartfai strongly objected to TVNZ's belief that the

programme did not adversely affect children because it provided some educational

information. His view, as an educator and a parent of two children, was that the

context in which information was perceived remained associated in the mind for a long

period, especially if the child was unlikely to come across the information in other

contexts. He suggested that it was unlikely that the violent act of the hero would not

have an adverse effect on the child because images often have a deeper and longer term

effect on viewers, particularly children. He added:

From an educational point of view, there are much more effective ways of

raising interest in the audience and motivating children to learn (eg a TV quiz

game where children can participate by answering trivia questions over the

phone, and getting some reward, however small, if they are correct.)

With regard to standard V1, Mr Bartfai asserted that the level of violence was not low

and certainly was not justifiable. In conclusion, he commented that he believed that

television broadcasters should give more careful consideration to selecting programmes

which promoted moral values besides providing information.

TVNZ's Response to the Authority - 13 September 1995

Responding to the referral, TVNZ noted that the violence to which the complainant

referred was at the lower end of animated action material found in children's cartoons.

It stated its view that it did not believe the standards intended to eliminate all violence

from children's programming because elements of danger, action and mystery were an

integral part of storytelling.

In this case it provides an exciting and absorbing vehicle for the provision of

information which we believe to be of considerable educational value.

In TVNZ's view, the complainant misunderstood its reasons for believing that

children would not be harmed by the series. It repeated that it believed children would

not be harmed because the action adventure was in line with children's storytelling in

the past. It added that the programme appealed primarily to children in the 8-12 age

group.

TVNZ noted that links between screen imagery and real violence were still unproven,

and, while it stated it was conscious of public concern in this area, it did not believe

there was widespread concern about the type of action material contained in the series.

TVNZ emphasised the educational value of the series and that it was a genuine

attempt to educate children in a manner which was attractive to them. It added:

It is our view that, despite his observation to the contrary, the programme

does

promote moral values (friendship, non-racist and non sexist attitudes,

generosity etc) - but its main focus is on factual material.

Mr Bartfai's Final Comment - 25 September 1995

When asked to make a brief final comment, Mr Bartfai responded to a statement made

by TVNZ that the links between screen imagery and real violence were still unproven.

He referred to a brochure entitled "Violence on Television: What do Children Learn?

What can Parents Do?" issued by the American Psychological Association. He

attached some extracts from the brochure which reported findings from researchers

that there was a link between aggressive behaviour and screen violence.