BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

---

Summary

The economic crisis facing traditional sheep and cattle farmers was explored in

Assignment broadcast at 7.30pm on 8 August 1996. Some of the land use alternatives

to traditional farming adopted by some farmers were mentioned.

Mr Trussell of Friends of the Earth (New Zealand) complained to Television New

Zealand Ltd that the programme omitted any reference to the alternative of organic

farming. Screening the documentary Rubber Gloves or Green Fingers, he argued,

would correct this breach. Moreover, he said that the Assignment programme was

unbalanced in that it included interviews with two government ministers but nothing

from any opposition representatives.

Explaining, first, that only a selection of alternatives to traditional farming were

advanced, secondly, that the documentary Rubber Gloves or Green Fingers was

irrelevant to the issues covered, and thirdly, that the Labour agricultural spokesperson

had foregone an opportunity to participate, TVNZ declined to uphold the complaint.

Dissatisfied with TVNZ's decision, Mr Trussell on the complainant's behalf 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

determines the complaint without a formal hearing.

The economic downturn facing traditional sheep and cattle farmers was examined in

Assignment broadcast on 8 August 1996. The item included interviews with some

sheep and cattle farmers and advanced a number of statistics which dramatically

highlighted the impact of the economic crisis.

On behalf of the Friends of the Earth, Denys Trussell complained to TVNZ that the

programme was unbalanced and failed to present all significant points of view. It was,

he alleged, in breach of standards G6 and G20 of the Television Code of Broadcasting

Practice. Pointing out that the item had referred to a number of alternatives to

traditional farming, Mr Trussell noted that it had omitted any reference to organic

farming. Organic farming, he added, was a serious alternative in the New Zealand

context and he suggested that this lapse could be remedied by the broadcast of the

documentary Rubber Gloves or Green Fingers. He noted the recent publicity which

had reported TVNZ's refusal to screen this NZ On Air funded programme.

Turning to another aspect of the item's alleged imbalance, Mr Trussell observed that it

had included comments from the Prime Minister and the National Party Minister of

Agriculture, but nothing from any opposition party.

TVNZ assessed the complaint under the nominated standards. Standard G6 requires

broadcasters:

G6  To show balance, impartiality and fairness in dealing with political

matters, current affairs and all questions of a controversial nature.

Standard G20 provides:

G20 No set formula can be advanced for the allocation of time to interested

parties on controversial public issues. Broadcasters should aim to present

all significant sides in as fair a way as possible, and this can be done only

by judging every case on its merits.

TVNZ emphasised that the programme focussed on the plight of traditional sheep and

cattle farmers in different parts of the country. It acknowledged that there had been a

brief reference to some long-term alternatives – for example, deer farming, dairying and

grapes – but it was not suggested that they were the only alternatives. As for the

Ministers interviewed, TVNZ explained that the Labour spokesperson had been

interviewed but the action he sought had been taken before the item was broadcast.

He had subsequently declined, TVNZ advised, to comment further.

When he referred the Friends of the Earth's complaint to the Authority, Mr Trussell

said that the programme was "almost devoid of analysis" and that TVNZ's response

had been "cavalier". He repeated the points made in the complaint to TVNZ and

observed, in addition, that a reference to organic farming would have been appropriate

to counter the concern expressed about the decline of both the family farm and rural

communities. He again argued for the screening of Rubber Gloves or Green Fingers.

In its report to the Authority, TVNZ maintained that the complainant adopted a

narrow focus which was the usual approach in material it received from lobby groups.

The documentary the complaint referred to had not been broadcast, it noted, on legal

advice.

In the complainant's final comment, Mr Trussell explained that the Friends of the

Earth had broad ecological and social concerns and, in those areas, had a significant

influence on government policy. He maintained that the item breached the standards

by omitting any reference to the significant issue of organic farming, and by including

only government spokespeople.

In its approach to this complaint, the Authority considers that it is essential to decide

what was the actual issue canvassed in the item. Having watched the programme, it is

firmly of the view that parameters of the issue explored were set out, and complied

with. The item examined the downturn of traditional sheep and cattle farming, and the

economic crisis which many sheep and cattle farmers were facing. The programme

focussed on the reasons for this decline, and the impact on the farmers. The farmers

interviewed illustrated the effect of the downturn on individual families. The

programme mentioned that the National Party was traditionally the farmers' party and

two senior National Party Ministers were shown again explaining the impact.

As part of the item's conclusion, some alternatives to traditional farming were briefly

advanced. The alternatives were neither advanced as a comprehensive list nor as a

remedy to the specific problems examined.

In view of the approach adopted in the item and the way in which the focus was

adhered to, the Authority does not accept that the omission of any reference to

organic farming – or to any other alternative land use – amounted to a breach of the

standards cited. For the same reason, it does not consider that the presentation of

National Party spokespeople only was unbalanced.

The complainant forwarded to the Authority a copy of the documentary Rubber

Gloves or Green Fingers. In view of this decision, the Authority does not consider

that it is relevant to the matter dealt with on Assignment on 8 August.

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

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Judith Potter
Chairperson
12 December 1996

Appendix

Friends of the Earth (New Zealand)'s Complaint to Television New Zealand Ltd

- 2 September 1996

Denys Trussell, Land Use Spokesman and Founding Director of Friends of the Earth

(New Zealand), complained to Television New Zealand Ltd about an Assignment

programme broadcast at 7.30pm on TV One on 8 August 1996. The programme, he

said, dealt with the predicament of sheep and dairy farmers who, after years of poor

returns, were developing alternative land uses.

Referring to the requirements for balance and the presentation of all significant views

in standards G6 and G20 of the Television Code of Broadcasting Practice, Mr Trussell

said the standards were breached as the programme omitted to report the crucial

development of organic farming. It was unbalanced as it included interviews with two

National government ministers but excluded any other politicians. The Alliance

spokeswoman on agriculture, he pointed out, might have talked about the organic

approach. He continued:

That organic farming is a serious alternative within the New Zealand context,

even in the competitive world of export marketing, is shown by the partial

conversion to it of food-producing conglomerates such as Watties. Yet it went

unmentioned on a programme that was of major public interest.

As the standards accepted that balance could be achieved by the broadcast of

programmes within the period of current interest, Mr Trussell suggested that the

documentary which looked at organic farming, Rubber Gloves or Green Fingers, be

screened in a comparable timeslot. Referring to the publicity which TVNZ's decision

not to broadcast the film had gained, he wrote:

Why do TVNZ not balance their Assignment programme by showing this film?

Is it pusillanimity, is it fear they will lose advertising revenue? And will their

attitude in the case of this film set a precedent that makes it impossible to place

controversial material of any depth or interest on television for fear of legal

action, or offence to advertisers?

Suggesting that the documentary would be the appropriate complement to the

Assignment programme, Mr Trussell said he intended to pursue his complaint if the

documentary was not screened.

TVNZ's Response to the Formal Complaint - 16 September 1996

Assessing the complaint under the nominated standards, TVNZ said that the

programme only outlined a number of alternatives to traditional sheep and cattle

farming. It described as debateable the complainant's proposition that organic farming

was a significant side of the farming crisis and continued:

The programme looked at the plight of farmers in different parts of the country

and how they were being forced to seek immediate solutions to their personal

problems. We referred briefly to some long-term alternatives - for example deer

farming, dairying and grapes. We did not state, or even imply, they were the

only solutions. The programme did not attempt any detailed analysis of any

alternative. It did, however, outline the harsh economics and today's realities for

many pastoral farmers.

TVNZ denied that the programme was unbalanced because of the contributions from

two government ministers. The Labour spokesperson had been interviewed and the

line of action he suggested had been taken before the item was broadcast. He then

declined the opportunity to comment further. The two government ministers

interviewed, it added, were both involved with farming and, in declining to uphold the

complaint, TVNZ concluded:

In our view, the programme did not infringe standards G6 or G20. You refer to a

programme which has not yet been screened. Why we have not done so is,

however, irrelevant to the Assignment programme and we consider, your

complaint.

Friends of the Earth's Referral to the Broadcasting Standards Authority 1996

Dissatisfied with TVNZ's decision, on the complainant's behalf Mr Trussell referred

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

Broadcasting Act 1989.

Describing TVNZ's response as "cavalier", Mr Trussell argued that the programme

complained about was "shabby", full of "portentous statements", but "almost devoid"

of analysis. It was based on "pathetic market fatalism" and, he wrote:

This kind of television journalism, raising questions breathlessly and

melodramatically, but not deigning properly to see all dimensions of the subject,

is at best unimaginative. At worst it is arrogant, being based on the corrupt

premise that the viewing public are incapable of giving intelligent attention to a

programme that discusses the complexities of a subject. We submit that this

'dumbing down' of the viewer is one of the most insidious and anti-social

aspects of television as a medium.

The item had not acknowledged the shift to, and dependence on, chemical pesticides

and fertilisers since World War II, Mr Trussell said it omitted both the subsequent

world wide reaction in favour of organic farming, and the influence of GATT. As a

result, he wrote:

To fail to mention such basic realities as these is already to load the programme

in the direction of complicit silence; a silence that favours New Right economic

orthodoxies and the views of just one part of New Zealand's political spectrum.

It favours also the continuation of the status quo: high capital, chemical-

intensive farming. These alone constitute a serious imbalance.

Mr Trussell argued that the lack of any reference to the market for organic products

amounted to imbalance. Further, the comments from the Minister of Agriculture who,

Mr Trussell said, was a champion of the chemical tradition, were not balanced by

those who support organic agriculture.

Noting that the programme mentioned forestry as an option, although at the expense

of rural communities, Mr Trussell said the programme should have pointed out that

organic agriculture, based on the family farming unit, could offset the causes of the

disappearance of the family farm.

Maintaining that organic farming was a significant side of a controversial issue, Mr

Trussell said that the broadcast of the documentary Rubber Gloves or Green Fingers

could redress to some degree the imbalance of the programme. He enclosed a

videotape of that programme and he referred to some points made in the item which

illustrated the extensive impact of organic farming.

Mr Trussell suggested that TVNZ had not screened the documentary to avoid

offending the agricultural chemicals industry and, he concluded:

It seems to us that it is failing clearly to meet even the minimum standards of

providing an arena for intelligent debate on issues central to our well-being.

Certainly balance in the matter of agricultural practice cannot be claimed to have

existed on TVNZ in the general period during which the Assignment programme

was screened.

TVNZ's Response to the Authority - 23 October 1996

Disputing and disagreeing with the epithets used by Mr Trussell, TVNZ advised the

Authority that it was constantly bombarded with material from lobby groups which

tended to see programmes in a narrow focus. That approach, it continued, was

apparent in the complainant's arguments in support of organic farming and its

reference, without evidence, to a "reaction worldwide in favour of organic farming".

While accepting that organic farming was part of the modern farming debate, TVNZ

argued that it was not an essential component of any story which referred to the

agricultural sector. It concluded:

This was a programme about pastoral farming. It was about the realities of

living on the land in 1996, and the harsh economic alternatives.

I understand from Mr Trussell's referral that he has provided the Authority

with a copy of Rubber Gloves Or Green Fingers, a programme which has no

relevance to this complaint. For the record TVNZ exercised its discretion in

deciding not to screen the programme because of advice from our legal advisers.

Friends of the Earth's Final Comment - 6 November 1996

On the complainant's behalf, Mr Trussell explained that the group had broad

ecological and social concerns and was not restricted to "one-eyed particularism" as

TVNZ suggested. He mentioned some areas where the group had had what he

considered to be, a significant influence on government policy.

Mr Trussell described TVNZ's response as dismissive rather than analytical, and said

that it seemed unwilling to deal with the serious allegations about its integrity. Calling

for more intellectual rigour, Mr Trussell wrote:

The Assignment programme clearly indicates that it is about (to use its own

words) "the sheep and cattle farming crisis". For TVNZ to exclude any views

supportive of a significant side of the debate about how to tackle that national

crisis, namely the side which argues in favour of the benefits of organic

production, in a programme where other sides are presented either at length or in

passing reference, surely amounts to a lack of balance, impartiality and fairness

in dealing with a question of a controversial nature.

Alleging a breach of standards G6 and G20, he maintained that the programme

suppressed some views. That deficiency, he added, could be remedied by screening

Rubber Gloves or Green Fingers. Dismissing as spurious TVNZ's reasons for not

screening it, Mr Trussell then responded to the questions about the worldwide shift in

public opinion in favour of organic farming and enclosed a copy of an article in the NZ

Herald in which a farmer referred favourably to organic farming.

Mr Trussell maintained that the complaint was not answered and, referring to the

trend towards organic farming, concluded:

That is some evidence which came easily to hand. If necessary we can provide

more evidence, but that is not our responsibility in this case. TVNZ has its own

evidence in the film Rubber Gloves or Green Fingers, which it has chosen to

suppress.