BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

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Summary

While interviewing the English comedienne Victoria Wood on 3 National News on 14

July 1997, John Campbell commented "Yeah, we're a bit republican down here".

Noel Cox, as legal adviser to The Monarchist League of New Zealand Inc (The

League), complained to the broadcaster, TV3 Network Services Ltd, that the

comment, which he had understood to refer to New Zealanders as "very republican",

was inaccurate, and its use on the programme was not justified.

In the absence of a response from the broadcaster, Mr Cox on behalf of The League

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

Broadcasting Act 1989.

TV3 in responding to the Authority advised that it had not received the complaint

from The League. Now that it was aware of the complaint, it declined to uphold it on

the basis that it believed the comment that New Zealanders were "a bit republican"

accurately reflected the level of support in New Zealand for that viewpoint.

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). In this instance, the Authority

determines the complaint without a formal hearing.

Visiting English comedian Victoria Wood was interviewed during an item on 3

National News. She explained in passing that her show included an impersonation of

the Queen, at which point the interviewer commented:

Yeah, we're a bit republican down here.

In the belief that the interviewer had said that New Zealanders were "very

republican", Noel Cox complained to TV3 that the brief remark was not accurate,

balanced, fair or impartial.

When TV3 failed to respond, Mr Cox referred the complaint to the Authority. He

wrote as the legal adviser to the Monarchist League of New Zealand Inc.

Explaining that it had not received Mr Cox's letter, TV3 assessed the complaint under

the nominated standards Ð G1, G6 and G14 of the Television Code of Broadcasting

Practice. The first two require broadcasters:

G1  To be truthful and accurate on points of fact.

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

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

The third one reads:

G14  News must be presented accurately, objectively and impartially.

Pointing out that the interviewer described New Zealanders as "a bit republican" – not

"very republican" as the complainant alleged – TV3 cited research conducted in

December 1995 which asked whether the respondents would support moves to

republicanism in the next five years. The results showed that 31% would support it

and 56% would not. TV3 also said that republicanism had been a political issue in

New Zealand – albeit not a major one – for at least four years.

Given this material, TV3 believed that the phrase used during the interview was

accurate.

On behalf of The League, Mr Cox maintained that the expression "a bit republican"

was not a fair reflection of the attitude of New Zealanders. Because a minority of

New Zealanders committed crimes, he said, it would be inaccurate to describe New

Zealanders as "a bit criminal".

The Authority has watched the interview in which the interviewer remarked that New

Zealanders were "a bit republican". He made the remark in response to Ms Wood's

comment that her show included an impersonation of the Queen. It was a flippant

observation by the interviewer which the Authority appreciates The League might

find objectionable. Nevertheless, the Authority does not accept, given the details

provided by TV3, that it can be considered inaccurate, or in any way unfair,

unbalanced or partial. Accordingly, the Authority does not consider the standards

have been breached.

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

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Sam Maling
Chairperson
20 November 1997

Appendix

The Monarchist League of New Zealand Inc's Complaint to TV3 Network

Services Ltd - 16 July 1997

Mr Noel Cox as legal adviser to The Monarchist League of New Zealand Inc (The

League) complained to TV3 Network Services that a remark by the interviewer that

New Zealanders are "very republican", on 3 National News on 14 July during an

interview with the comedian Victoria Wood was inaccurate, and could not be justified.

He specifically considered that the remark had breached standards G1, G6 and G14 of

the Television Code of Broadcasting Practice. He stated:

I believe that the remark ..., although brief, did not amount to a truthful and

accurate portrayal of fact, nor did it show balance, impartiality and fairness in

dealing with political matters, current affairs and all questions of a controversial

nature. Nor, as part of a news bulletin, did it meet the requirement that news be

presented accurately, objectively and impartially.

The League's Referral of the Complaint to the Broadcasting Standards

Authority - 13 September 1997

Not having received a response to its complaint, The League referred the matter to the

Broadcasting Standards Authority under section 8(1)(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989.

TV3's Response to the Authority - 30 September 1997

In its first letter to the Authority on the matter (18 September 1997), TV3 advised

that it had not received the complaint from The League. In its substantive response to

the Authority, it advised that it had considered the complaint under the standards

nominated by The League, namely standards G1, G6 and G14.

Citing the relevant part of the interview with English comedian Victoria Wood, TV3

pointed out that in response to Ms Wood's remark that she did an impersonation of

the Queen, the interviewer (John Campbell) commented:

Yeah, we're a bit republican down here.

TV3 referred to research conducted in 1995 which indicated that 31% of New

Zealanders would support moves towards republicanism in the next five years, while

56% would not. It also referred to moves in New Zealand and Australia to put

republicanism on the political agenda, and stated:

All the above reinforce the reality about republicanism - while not high on the

popular agenda - it is an issue.

In the committee's view, the phrase "a bit republican" accurately reflects the

level of support in New Zealand for that viewpoint.

TV3 declined to uphold the complaint.

The League's Final Comment to the Authority - 12 October 1997

Mr Cox, on behalf of The League, commented that he could not agree that the

expression "a bit republican" was a fair and accurate expression of the attitude of New

Zealanders towards their country becoming a republic. He advised that surveys

indicated that only a small minority of New Zealanders supported moves towards a

republic.

He stated:

The opinion of a minority of the population cannot be ascribed to the

population as a whole. Merely because a minority support republicanism does

not mean that New Zealanders are "a bit republican", any more than it would be

true to say that we are "a bit criminal" because a minority of people commit

crimes.