BSA Decisions Ngā whakatau a Te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

During two items on One News the presenters used the term "anti-gay" to refer to people who opposed same-sex marriage. The complainant argued that the term was misleading and offensive and denigrated people who opposed same-sex marriage. The Authority considered the use of the term "anti-gay" was sloppy, and incorrect when taken in isolation, but it was corrected by the context of the items, which were obviously discussing gay marriage. The term did not encourage discrimination or denigration against people opposed to same-sex marriage, and viewers would not have been deceived by the use of the term.

Not Upheld: Accuracy, Discrimination and Denigration, Responsible Programming

Close Up reported on comments made by the Principal of Pompallier Catholic College in a school newsletter, objecting to gay marriage. The item claimed that the Principal suspended a teacher, who was interviewed by Close Up, and that students who opposed the comments were "threatened". A news ticker on Breakfast the following morning echoed the claims. The school argued the programmes were misleading and unfair, because the teacher was suspended for reasons other than his objection to the Principal's views, and no students were threatened. The Authority found that Close Up did not fairly present the reasons for the suspension, which created an unfairly negative impression of the Principal and the College, who were not given a fair chance to comment. It said the item should have couched the "threats" as allegations or the students' views, rather than unequivocal statements of fact. The Breakfast ticker was not material in the context of the programme.

Upheld: Accuracy, Fairness

No Order

An episode of Home and Away, which was classified G, included a storyline about the date rape of a teenage girl. The Authority agreed with the complainant that the theme of rape was unsuitable for unsupervised child viewers and that the programme was incorrectly classified. The Authority made no order, noting that the programme was now screened on another television network.

Upheld: Responsible Programming

No Order

An episode of The Carrie Diaries, an American teen drama series, was screened on TV2 at 3pm on a Sunday and contained sexual references and innuendo. The complainant argued it was inappropriate for broadcast during children's viewing times. The Authority considered the programme was correctly classified PGR and broadcast in an appropriate timeslot, and noted it was preceded by a specific warning for sexual content. It found the depiction of sexual content was inexplicit and discreet and would not have offended or distressed most viewers, including supervised children.

Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Children's Interests

Items on Q + A and Marae Investigates focused on the issue of domestic violence. The complainant argued that the programmes were unbalanced and discriminatory because they did not acknowledge that men could be victims of domestic violence, as well as women. The Authority said the items were clearly framed as focusing on men's violence against women, so it was not necessary to expressly acknowledge that men could also be victims. The programmes did not denigrate or discriminate against all men as a section of the community.

Not Upheld: Controversial Issues, Accuracy, Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration, Responsible Programming, Children’s interests

Horace in Slow Motion, a short children's cartoon, showed Horace the pig 'picking his nose and eating it'. The complainant argued this was completely unacceptable by society's standards. The Authority thought the programme used typical children's humour – which the broadcaster referred to as "gross out" humour – and the dialogue in the show acknowledged it was "gross", indicating to children this type of behaviour was not socially acceptable.

Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency

A promo for Go Girls, screened during MasterChef: The Professionals which was rated G, included a brief shot of two men kissing. The complainant argued it was inappropriate for broadcast when children could be watching. The Authority found the kiss was brief and innocuous and would not have disturbed or alarmed child viewers.

Not Upheld: Controversial Issues, Children's Interests

One News reported that 65 police officers had failed their Physical Competency Test (PCT) and that police management were reluctant to discuss the matter. The complainant argued that the item was misleading as it did not indicate what proportion of officers had failed the test, and that the item and footage of someone eating pizza were unfair to, and denigrated, police by portraying them as "fat and unfit". The Authority did not think the item was misleading, and noted that the lack of information was because the police were reluctant to comment. It said the shot of a person eating pizza was legitimate to suggest that diet might be a reason why officers were unfit. The police were given a reasonable opportunity to comment on the story and their response was included.

Not Upheld: Accuracy, Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration, Responsible Programming

Panellists on TV3's The Nation discussed the Labour Party's proposal for introducing gender equality rules to increase the number of female caucus members. The complainant argued that the programme was unbalanced because only one woman took part in a panel of nine guests. The Authority noted that two panellists expressed views in support of the proposal, the gender of the panellists was not relevant, and the spectrum of views meant sufficient balance was provided.

Not Upheld: Controversial Issues, Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration

During the Jay-Jay, Mike & Dom Show, the hosts discussed a controversial tweet Dom had posted about The X Factor NZ. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that this breached standards relating to responsible programming and discrimination and denigration: the broadcast sparked debate about the acceptability of the tweet and whether it was sexist, and contained views both for and against the tweet and the criticism it attracted; and the hosts' comment did not encourage discrimination or denigration against any sections of the community.

Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Controversial Issues, Accuracy, Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration, Responsible Programming