BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

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Summary

The days following the death of a relative, including the funeral and the scattering of

the ashes, were the subject of an episode of the comedy Terry and June which was

broadcast on TV One on 28 December 1996 at 8.00am.

D Thompson of Rotorua complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster,

that the jokes in the episode were in poor taste and inappropriate for inclusion in a

children's programme.

In its response, TVNZ pointed out that the programme was typical of the vaudeville

genre and, in its view, the humour was simply good fun and the product of clever

scriptwriting. It did not share the complainant's belief that death should not be a

subject for comedy and declined to uphold any aspect of the complaint.

Dissatisfied with that decision, D Thompson 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 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.

An episode of Terry and June, on TV One on 28 December 1996 at 8.00am, told the

story of the events which followed from the death of an elderly relative of Terry's.

The comedy was based on a series of errors, one of which for example resulted in

Terry and June attending the wrong funeral.

D Thompson of Rotorua complained to TVNZ that the jokes on death and other

issues relating to death were in poor taste. D Thompson did not believe that death

was a subject for humour particularly at an hour when children may have been

watching.

TVNZ responded advising that it did not share D Thompson's view that death was an

inappropriate topic for humour. It said that in considering the complaint it looked at

whether the humour was unkind or vicious, or whether any person was denigrated. In

this instance, it advised that it considered the humour to be simply good fun and the

product of clever scriptwriting in the vaudeville tradition. It added that the

programme was typical of its genre and well received by its audience. TVNZ was

unable to see how a child watching the programme could have been adversely affected

by it and declined to uphold the complaint.

D Thompson reiterated in writing to the Authority the view, shared by a number of

people who had been talked to, that the programme was in bad taste.

The Authority considered D Thompson's complaint under standards G2 and G12 of

the Television Code of Broadcasting Practice. These standards 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 exists.

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

during their normally accepted viewing times.

The Authority does not consider the programme in any way breaches currently

accepted norms of decency and taste, noting that death can be a very legitimate vehicle

for humour. It is of the opinion that the programme was very much within traditional

mainstream comedy. Furthermore, the Authority is unable to see how the programme

could have been harmful to those children who may have watched it.

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

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Judith Potter
Chairperson
17 April 1997

Appendix

D Thompson's Complaint to Television New Zealand Ltd - 2 January 1997

D Thompson of Rotorua complained to Television New Zealand Ltd about the

broadcast of an episode of Terry and June on TV One on 28 December 1996 at

8.00am. According to the complainant, there were jokes on death and other issues

relating to death throughout the episode which showed poor taste.

The complainant pointed out that children would have been watching on a Saturday

morning, and added:

...I hate to think what their opinions of adults are, after seeing this obnoxious

programme, especially if they had lost a loved one, and an adult had

endeavoured to explain death to them, and here were adults making fun of a

very serious matter.

I do hope that all programmes are very carefully screened to see that no

programme is screened if the jokes are based on death.

TVNZ's Response to the Formal Complaint - 3 February 1997

TVNZ responded that Terry and June was an old British comedy series which had

screened several times in New Zealand in recent years.

It explained that it was reluctant to circumscribe the limits of humour, as laughter was

such an important part of the human condition. In considering the complaint, it

advised that it took account of factors such as whether the humour was unkind or

vicious or whether any person was denigrated.

In its view, the humour was simply good fun and was the product of clever

scriptwriting in the vaudeville tradition. TVNZ added that the programme was typical

of its genre and was well received by its audiences.

TVNZ advised that it did not share D Thompson's belief that death should not be a

subject for comedy, arguing that death had always been a subject for humour, for

example as evidenced in epitaphs in English churchyards.

TVNZ considered the programme was within the standards of good taste and decency

particularly as it was in the context of a well-known formula. Noting the

complainant's concern for children, TVNZ reported that it was unable to determine

how a child watching the programme would have been adversely affected. It added:

With respect you cannot expect broadcasters to programme material on the

basis that their viewers have recently been bereaved. In such circumstances,

we suggest, what is on television is the least of their concerns.

TVNZ declined to uphold the complaint and concluded:

On reflection we wonder whether your letter really qualified as a formal

complaint at all. We feel you were expressing perhaps a preference for

comedy devoid of jokes about death rather than alleging a breach of the

statutory standards requirements. Section 5(c) of the Broadcasting Act notes

that "complaints based merely on a complainant's preferences are not in

general capable of being resolved by a complaints procedure."

D Thompson's Referral to the Broadcasting Standards Authority - 15 February

1997

Dissatisfied with TVNZ's response to the complaint, D Thompson referred it to the

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

D Thompson maintained that there was nothing in the programme to excuse the bad

taste. The matter had been discussed by the complainant with others who all agreed

that death was not a suitable topic for jokes, especially as, in this case, the jokes went

on and on and were aired at a time when children were watching.

The complainant considered the remarks made by TVNZ regarding the recently

bereaved to be "well off the mark". In D Thompson's view, children would tend to

turn to television, as their parents would be busy and there would be many visitors

and telephone calls to answer. The parents would not have time to sit and watch what

was being presented and children would therefore be bombarded with all of the

unsuitable jokes which were at variance with what their parents might have explained.

D Thompson concluded by lamenting that the jokes which were shown were in bad

taste, and he noted that there were many other comedies which did not have to resort

to such poor taste.

TVNZ's Response to the Authority - 28 February 1997

TVNZ advised that it had no further comments to make.