BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

Summary

A character, "Xerox – Warrior Prince", in the "Serial Stuff" series in What Now, was portrayed eating some oversized food items. He also made some enthusiastic comments about food in skits in which he appeared. The actor who played the character had a larger build than the other actors. The programme was broadcast on TV2 on 14 March 1999, commencing at 8.00 am.

Mrs Edwards complained to Television New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that the character perpetuated the stereotype that people who are above "normal weight" were like that because they ate too much. "Fat phobia" could be reinforced in children’s minds, she wrote, and could lead to bulimia or anorexia.

TVNZ responded that the effect of the "Billy Bunter type character" was to lampoon such stereotyping. The acting was exaggerated, it wrote, to show how silly pre-conceived ideas about types of people can be. The programme’s message, that stereotyping was a "dumb thing" to do, was positive, and it quite properly ridiculed unjust stereotypes, the broadcaster suggested. It declined to uphold the complaint.

Dissatisfied with TVNZ’s response, Mrs Edwards referred her 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 a tape of the item complained about, and have read the correspondence which is listed in the Appendix. On this occasion, the Authority determines the complaint without a formal hearing.

The children’s programme What Now included a comic series entitled "Serial Stuff" in which actor Jason Fa’afoi played a character called "Xerox – Warrior Prince". The actor/character was larger in build than any of the other actors/characters. The Xerox character was portrayed as enthusiastic about food, was shown to be eating oversized food items on two occasions, and eagerly endorsed food in some of his comments. The particular programme about which the complaint was made was broadcast at 8.00 am on TV2 on 14 March.

Mrs Edwards complained to TVNZ that the programme helped to perpetuate the stereotype that people who were above "normal weight" were like that because they ate too much. She wrote that society was steeped in "fat phobia", and ideas in programmes could reinforce that in children’s minds.

The character portrayed by Jason was fatter than the others, she noted, and he was the one who was shown as constantly eating. At one stage, she observed, he was shown chewing on a monstrous meat bone. That kind of unhelpful portrayal confirmed in children’s minds that "overweight" was due to overeating whereas, she emphasised, research was showing that people were the weight they were simply because of their different makeup, and dieting could increase long-term obesity.

This kind of programming, Mrs Edwards continued, could lead to children becoming anorexic or bulimic, as well as encouraging bullying of fat children. There were many ways to reinforce healthy eating, without reinforcing misconceptions in children which had tragic consequences.

TVNZ initially responded that the series was fantasy, and was completely fictitious and deliberately very silly. The bone the character was chewing on was a plastic prop, and was deliberately made much larger than anything a real person would pick up and chew on, it wrote. The actor who played the character did not suffer any personal or social discomfort about his weight or size, it added. It concluded that the programme’s target audience of 5-12 year olds were well able to distinguish between fantasy and reality.

In a further letter, Mrs Edwards reiterated her objection, stating that if the instance on What Now had been an isolated one, she would not be so concerned, but she said she had seen the scenario repeated on the programme over the past couple of years.

TVNZ considered the complaint in the context of standards G12 and G13 of the Television Code of Broadcasting Practice, nominated by Mrs Edwards. These require broadcasters:

G12  To be mindful of the effect any programme may have on children during their normally accepted viewing times.

G13  To avoid portraying people in a way which represents as inherently inferior, or is likely to encourage discrimination against, any section of the community on account of sex, race, age, disability, occupational status, sexual orientation or the holding of any religious, cultural or political belief. This requirement is not intended to prevent the broadcast of material which is:

i) factual, or

ii) the expression of genuinely-held opinion in a news or current affairs programme, or

iii) in the legitimate context of a humorous, satirical or dramatic work.

TVNZ commenced by noting that "Serial Stuff" lampooned all sorts of modern day conventions and in the process made the very stereotyping to which Mrs Edwards had referred seem ridiculous. The effect, it contended, was the very reverse of what had been suggested.

Of the "stereotypical Billy Bunter type character", TVNZ wrote:

The acting is exaggerated and over-the-top, deliberately made appalling and amateurish to show how silly all pre-conceived ideas about types of people and individuals can be.

Turning to standard G12, it wrote that child viewers would recognise the satirical nature of the series, and would appreciate that the stereotypes being lampooned were parodies of characters and situations with which children would be familiar. "The message, that stereotyping is a dumb thing to do, is a positive one", TVNZ continued.

The broadcaster, in declining to find a breach of standard G13, wrote that overweight people were not held up to ridicule or shown to be inherently inferior. "On the contrary, unjust stereotypes are ridiculed and quite properly", it added.

In referring her complaint to the Authority, Mrs Edwards said that she disagreed that children would realise that stereotypes were being lampooned by the series, and would take from the programme the messages suggested by TVNZ. She agreed that children would have seen the programme as entertainment and funny but, she submitted, the larger-than-life depiction of Jason’s character constantly overeating would have remained in their minds.

When invited to respond, TVNZ said that it had nothing further to add.

The Authority’s Findings

The Authority commences its consideration with standard G12, which injuncts the Authority to be mindful of the effect which a programme may have on children.

In this instance, it notes that the character, Xerox – Warrior Prince, on whom Mrs Edwards’ complaint was focussed, features in a regular segment of the programme, What Now. The Authority is aware that the programme is popular with children, who are familiar with its themes and characters. Child viewers would perceive the programme as colourful and noisy, action-orientated, with exuberant hosts, and exaggerated characters, it believes.

The Authority notes the broadcaster’s point that children would appreciate the character Xerox as part of a "completely fictitious and very silly series", and that the stereotypes being lampooned were "parodies of characters and situations with which children will be familiar". The Authority is unable to find in the portrayal of the character anything which would be harmful to children. The complaint appears to the Authority to be more concerned with the quality of the programme’s content, which is a matter for the broadcaster, then with broadcasting standards. Accordingly it declines to uphold the complaint.

Standard G13 requires the Authority to consider the portrayal of people in a way which represents as inherently inferior, or encourages discrimination against, any section of the community. Mrs Edwards’ concern was that the portrayal of the Xerox character perpetuated the stereotyping of overweight people as overweight because they overate. In the Authority’s view, each of the characters in the series had individual characteristics which were intended as parodies, and would be recognised by children as humorous. Research which the Authority has seen confirms that children within the age range of the "target audience" of this programme do distinguish between fantasy and reality. It considers that child viewers would have recognised the portrayal of Xerox as fantasy. The Authority is unable to discern anything in the material which would threaten the standard, and it declines to uphold the complaint under standard G13.

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

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Sam Maling
Chairperson
24 June 1999

Appendix

The following correspondence was received and considered by the Authority when it determined this complaint:

1. Wendy Edwards’ Complaint to Television New Zealand Limited, made through the Broadcasting
   Standards Authority – 14 March 1999

2. TVNZ’s Response to Mrs Edwards – 17 March 1999

3. Mrs Edwards’ Further Complaint to TVNZ, made through the Authority – 24 March 1999

4. TVNZ’s Response to the Formal Complaint – 9 April 1999

5. Mrs Edwards’ Referral to the Broadcasting Standards Authority – 4 May 1999

6. TV3’s Response to the Authority – 10 May 1999