BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

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Summary

A "bleep" was used on a number of occasions to block out some of the language used

by coach Frank Oliver when talking to the Wellington Hurricanes rugby team. Two

members of the team were profiled in an item broadcast on 60 Minutes between

7:30–8:30pm on 4 May 1997.

Mr Harris complained to the broadcaster, Television New Zealand Ltd, that the

offensive language had been insufficiently deleted from the broadcast.

Maintaining that it was appropriate to include the coach's "coarsely delivered pre-

game homilies" when explaining the Hurricanes' success, TVNZ said that the offensive

words in each case had been covered with a "bleep". It declined to uphold the

complaint.

Dissatisfied with TVNZ's decision, Mr Harris 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). In this instance, the Authority has

determined the complaint without a formal hearing.

A training session for the Wellington Hurricanes rugby team was part of a 60 Minutes

item which profiled two team members and explored a number of reasons for the

team's success in 1997. The coach's comments at the training session included, to use

TVNZ's words, "coarsely delivered homilies". TVNZ also reported that the offensive

words used by the coach were in each case covered by a "bleep".

Mr Harris complained that it was apparent that the coach had used the word

"fucking" on five to eight occasions. While a bleeper had been used, he continued, the

word was heard clearly five or six times. Mr Harris considered that the broadcast was

offensive.

TVNZ assessed the complaint under standard G2, which requires 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.

Having read the papers, the Authority decides that this complaint is concerned with

the adequacy of the "bleeping" technique used. It agrees with TVNZ that the use of a

"bleeper" draws attention to the fact that the speaker is swearing, and, further,

concurs with TVNZ that there was little else which could be done on this occasion.

When the members of the Authority viewed the item, they listened carefully to the

sound tract. As the expletive was adequately "bleeped" on each occasion it was used

by the coach, the Authority declines to uphold the complaint.

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

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Sam Maling
Chairperson
10 July 1997

Appendix

Mr Harris' Complaint to Television New Zealand Ltd - 5 May 1997

Frank Harris of Mt Maunganui complained to Television New Zealand Ltd about an

item broadcast on 60 Minutes earlier that evening, entitled "Visiting the Hurricanes".

Mr Harris said that he had found the item about the Hurricanes rugby team to be

informative and enjoyable until the segment which showed the coach, Frank Oliver,

talking to his players during a practice. Mr Harris stated that the coach used the word

"f...king" between 5 - 8 times and, while a "bleeper" had been used, the word came

over clearly on 5 - 6 occasions.

Describing the language as offensive, Mr Harris argued that it was unacceptable and

contravened the requirement in the standards for good taste and decency.

TVNZ's Response to the Formal Complaint - 23 May 1997

Assessing the complaint under standard G2 of the Television Code of Practice, TVNZ

wrote:

The purpose of the item was to show what was driving the Wellington

Hurricanes to such success in the Super 12 series and, quite frankly, had the item

shown Mr Oliver speaking to his team in genteel and measured phrases the

viewers would have been seriously misled.

Mr Oliver's morale-boosting but coarsely delivered pre-game homilies are, it

seems, vital factors in the Hurricanes' success. To show them as anything but

coarse in content would be inaccurate. 60 Minutes would not have been telling

you the truth.

In response to the complaint that the "bleeping" was inadequate, TVNZ maintained

that an examination of the tape showed that the offensive words were covered in each

case. It acknowledged that "bleeping" drew attention to the speaker's swearing but, in

the item, there was little else that could be done. To have omitted any indication of

Mr Oliver's "colourful vocabulary", TVNZ wrote, would have meant that the study

of the Hurricanes was incomplete.

TVNZ declined to uphold the complaint.

Mr Harris' Referral to the Broadcasting Standards Authority - 8 June 1997

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

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

Pointing out that it was the broadcaster's responsibility to maintain standards, Mr

Harris contended that TVNZ had acknowledged that the "coarsely delivered homilies"

breached the standards. Further, there was no need for all the horrors of reality - such

as executions - to be screened on television.

Mr Harris also maintained that the "bleepings" were ineffective in removing all the

offensive language used by the coach.

TVNZ's Response to the Authority - 17 June 1997

TVNZ advised that it did not wish to comment further.