BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

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Summary

The Auckland City Council's decision not to provide funding for the 1998 Hero

Parade was reported on One Network News on 14 November 1997 between

6.00–7.00pm. It was accompanied by footage which showed scenes from the 1997 parade.

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

Parade footage, which included a shot of a man with bare buttocks, was disgusting

and should not have been included in a news item during family viewing time. In his

view, it breached the good taste and decency standard.

In its response, TVNZ noted that the report referred to the Mayor's description of the

Parade as including behaviour that was inappropriate, and that the scenes from the

Parade were necessary to illustrate what the Mayor might consider to be inappropriate

behaviour. It considered the material shown was not offensive in the context.

Dissatisfied with that decision, Mr Harang 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). On this occasion, the Authority

determines the complaint without a formal hearing.

Public reaction to the Auckland City Council's decision not to fund the Hero Parade

in 1998 was the subject of an item broadcast on One Network News on TV One on 14

November 1997 between 6.00–7.00pm. The Mayor defended the Council's decision,

saying it would not financially assist a parade which included behaviour that was

inappropriate. Footage from the 1997 parade included a brief shot of a man wearing a

G-string standing with his back to the camera being "whipped" by another man.

There was also footage of colourfully dressed participants marching and dancing

along the parade route.

Mr Harang complained about what he described as "a naked man with his buttocks

showing". It was disgusting, he wrote, to include such a scene in an early evening

news item when families and younger people would be watching television.

TVNZ dealt with the complaint under standard G2 of the Television Code of

Broadcasting Practice, 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.

Relating the scene to its context, TVNZ noted that the item reported the decision of

the council not to offer financial assistance to the Hero Parade, the disappointment of

the supporters of the parade, and the reaction of the mayors of other major cities in

New Zealand to the decision. The item, it continued, showed Auckland's Mayor

describing the parade as containing behaviour that was inappropriate. At that point,

the scenes from the parade were inserted to illustrate the Mayor's concerns.

TVNZ pointed out that the man whom Mr Harang described as "naked" was in fact

wearing a "thong" which, it contended, could be seen on any beach in New Zealand

during the summer months. It observed that no whipping actually took place. In

TVNZ's view, the footage contributed to the understanding of the item, and did not

exceed the bounds of decency and good taste, given the context of the discussion of

the Hero Parade.

As required under standard G2, the Authority considers the sequence in its context. It

notes first that the scene objected to was very brief, and was not the main focus of the

item. Nevertheless, in the Authority's view, the short vignette effectively captured the

burlesque element of the Hero Parade and helped to illustrate its flamboyant style. It

included examples of the behaviour to which the Mayor objected. Secondly, the

Authority turns to the question of whether it was a breach of the good taste standard to

include the picture of the man in the G-string. Having viewed the item in its context,

it does not find the picture of the scantily-clad man so distasteful that it breaches the

standard. Accordingly, it declines to uphold the complaint.

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

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Sam Maling
Chairperson
29 January 1998

Appendix

Kristian Harang's Complaint to Television New Zealand Limited – 14 November

1997

Mr Harang of Auckland complained to Television New Zealand Ltd that an item

broadcast on One Network News on 14 November 1997 at 6.00pm breached the

requirement for broadcasters to observe standards of good taste and decency.

The item dealt with the Auckland City Council's decision not to fund the Hero

Parade, and included excerpts from the Parade which was held earlier this year. In Mr

Harang's view, one excerpt, which showed a naked man with his buttocks showing,

was disgusting, and unnecessary for inclusion in an early evening news broadcast. He

believed that many elderly people, family people, teenagers and young children would

have been offended by the clip.

Television New Zealand Ltd's Response to the Formal Complaint – 25 November

1997

TVNZ advised that it considered the complaint under standard G2 of the Television

Code of Broadcasting Practice which deals with good taste.

It noted that the item dealt with the Council's decision not to fund the Parade, the

disappointment among supporters of the Parade and the surprise expressed by civic

leaders in other parts of the country, who said they would gladly host the Parade in

their cities.

The item reported that Auckland's Mayor said he had no regrets about the decision,

and then described the Parade as including "behaviour that is inappropriate". TVNZ

wrote:

It was at this point that the scenes to which you objected were inserted. It is

our view that without the pictures, the viewer would be entitled to ask what the

mayor was talking about. The pictures provided evidence of what Mr Mills

regarded as "inappropriate" behaviour.

In themselves the pictures implied the nature of some of the floats on parade

without, we believe, resorting to material which might be regarded by a viewer

of ordinary sensibilities as being offensive.

It noted that no whipping actually took place, and that the man whom Mr Harang

described as being naked with his buttocks showing was actually clad in a thong,

which could be seen on any beach around the country during the summer months.

In TVNZ's view, the pictures contributed to the understanding of the item and did not

stray beyond currently accepted norms of decency and taste, given the context in

which they were shown (a discussion of the Hero Parade).

TVNZ declined to uphold the complaint.

Mr Harang's Referral to the Authority – 27 November 1997

Dissatisfied with TVNZ's decision not to uphold his complaint, Mr Harang referred it

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

He repeated that the segment which showed the naked man with his buttocks exposed

was offensive in family viewing time.

He did not accept TVNZ's contention that the pictures were necessary to illustrate the

Mayor's view, arguing that most viewers would have been aware of what type of

behaviour was typical of the Hero Parade. He described as total rubbish TVNZ's

assertion that the thong was something which could be seen on any beach during the

summer, suggesting that it would invite arrest for indecency.

TVNZ's Response to the Authority – 8 December 1997

TVNZ advised that it had nothing further to add.