BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

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Summary

Mr Paul Shand complained to Television New Zealand Limited, through the

Broadcasting Standards Authority, that in a broadcast of Good Morning, screened

between 10.00am and noon on 17 April 1998, the presenter, when referring to the pop

group "Hanson", had made derogatory remarks about people with blonde hair. He said

that the presenter had referred negatively to "blondes" on other occasions and that he

felt "racially" insulted by comments which suggested that blonde-haired people were

stupid. He asked whether TVNZ was officially anti-blonde.

In its response, Television New Zealand Limited advised Mr Shand that it had been

unable to locate any comments about blonde-haired people in the programme

identified by him. Accordingly, it declined to uphold the complaint and assured Mr

Shand that neither it, nor the presenter of Good Morning, had a bias against

"blondes".

Dissatisfied with TVNZ's decision, Mr Shand 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 determine the complaint in all the

circumstances.

Decision

The members of the Authority have viewed the programme complained about and

have read the correspondence (summarised in the Appendix). On this occasion, the

Authority determines the complaint without a formal hearing.

Mr Paul Shand complained, through the Broadcasting Standards Authority, to

Television New Zealand Limited about the programme Good Morning which had

screened between 10.00am and noon on 17 April 1998. The presenter of Good

Morning, when referring to the pop group "Hanson", he wrote, had made derogatory

remarks about people with blonde hair. The complainant stated that the presenter had

referred negatively to "blondes" on other occasions and that he felt "racially" insulted

by comments which suggested that blonde-haired people were stupid. He questioned

whether TVNZ was officially anti-blonde.

TVNZ advised Mr Shand that it had been unable to locate any comments about

blonde-haired people in the programme he identified. It declined to uphold the

complaint.

When Mr Shand referred his complaint to the Authority, he noted that TVNZ re-

screened each programme in the early hours of the following morning, and asked

whether both Good Morning programmes for 17 April were checked. He maintained

that the programme was one in which Peter Andre was interviewed, and it was during

this interview that the presenter had made a denigratory remark about the pop group

Hanson.

TVNZ advised the Authority that it had spent a considerable amount of time

searching for the offending remarks and was not prepared to make a further search

unless the complainant could provide the specific date and time of the programme. It

stated that, in its view, the complaint bordered on being frivolous.

In his final comment, Mr Shand reiterated that the programme was one in which Peter

Andre had appeared, and claimed that the presenter had said, "they look like girls

when in reality they are just young boys with customary long hair" and that she had

then added, in a derisive tone, "blondes".

TVNZ reported that an interview with Peter Andre had featured on the 17 April

programme and advised that it had viewed this programme a second time. It could

find no reference to "blondes" or to the pop group Hanson.

The Authority confirms that there was no reference to "blondes" in the programme

Good Morning on the 17 April 1998, and, under s.11(b) of the Broadcasting Act

1989, declines to determine the complaint in all the circumstances.

Given the reasons above, the Authority declines to determine the complaint.

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Sam Maling
Chairperson
6 August 199

Appendix

Mr Shand's Complaint to Television New Zealand Ltd – 17 April 1998

Paul Shand of Auckland complained to Television New Zealand Limited, through the

Broadcasting Standards Authority, that the presenter of Good Morning, in a broadcast

on 17 April 1998, had "racially" insulted him when she commented in a negative

fashion about people who have blonde hair. He wrote that the presenter had made a

number of similar negative remarks about blonde-haired people on previous occasions.

Mr Shand stated that he objected to the presenter's use of the common stereotype of

"blondes" which suggested that they were necessarily stupid, empty-headed, and/or

intolerant of people with different racial or genetic characteristics. The presenter, he

added, would be seen as a role model and should "promote higher standards and

attitudes" in her show and exercise discretion in her comments.

He concluded by asking whether TVNZ was officially "anti-blonde" and stated that it

was politically incorrect to promote discriminatory attitudes against any group of

people within a modern democratic society.

TVNZ's Response to the Formal Complaint – 14 May 1998

In response to the complainant, TVNZ advised that it had been unable to locate the

remarks objected to in the nominated programme. Accordingly, TVNZ wrote, there

had not been a breach of any standard and it declined to uphold the complaint.

TVNZ denied that it or the presenter had an anti-blonde policy.

Mr Shand's Referral of the Complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority

– 15 May 1998

Dissatisfied with the broadcaster's decision, Mr Shand referred his complaint to the

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

reported that the previous day's broadcast of Good Morning had re-screened at

3.40am on the 17 April and questioned whether both programmes for that day had

been checked.

Mr Shand recalled that the comment was about the rock group Hanson, and that the

show was one on which Peter Andre had appeared. It was also the presenter's

birthday, he wrote.

TVNZ's Response to the Authority – 29 May 1998

TVNZ advised the Authority that it was unable to provide the Authority with a copy

of a video tape of the material complained about as there was nothing on the 17 April

programme which corresponded to the remarks Mr Shand referred to.

TVNZ noted that the complainant had suggested that the remarks may have been

broadcast in the early morning repeat of the previous day's programme and said that if

that was the case, the complainant should have advised accordingly.

Contending that Mr Shand's accusations were extraordinary, TVNZ explained that all

chat shows contained light-hearted banter on many subjects and claimed that the

complainant's suggestion that the presenter held a bias against blondes, and that her

remarks had been discriminatory and racially insulting, was preposterous.

TVNZ wrote that it was not prepared to make a further search for the material

complained about unless Mr Shand provided it with the specific date and time that the

remarks were made. Alternatively, it said, the complainant could lodge another

complaint when he next detected the bias described. It submitted that the complaint

bordered on the frivolous.

Mr Shand's Final Comment – 19 June 1998

Mr Shand wrote to the Authority giving further details about the programme and the

context in which he alleged the offending remarks had been made. He recalled, he said,

that the presenter had interviewed pop star Peter Andre and that at some stage during

the interview she had referred to the teen pop music market and to the pop group

"Hanson". Mr Shand alleged that the presenter had said "they look like girls when in

reality they are just young boys with customary long hair" and had added in a derisive

tone "blondes".

The complainant reiterated his claim that he was insulted by sarcastic and prejudiced

remarks about his natural hair colour, and argued that he felt the same way an African

viewer would feel if a presenter had remarked negatively about "blacks".

Mr Shand expressed his extreme dissatisfaction with the broadcaster's inability to

locate the offending remarks.

Further Correspondence

In a letter dated 25 June, TVNZ confirmed that an interview with Peter Andre had

featured on the 17 April broadcast of Good Morning. It had, it reported, viewed the

interview again but could find no comment which corresponded to the words Mr

Shand claimed to have heard. The word "blonde", it added, was not used and there

was no reference in the interview to the group Hanson.