Holmes. Programme profiled successful rugby team comprising mature-aged men and its unorthodox approach. Complaint that focus on the consumption of alcohol suggested that drug-taking led to success. Not upheld (liquor).
Air New Zealand Holiday. Item presented by Australian comedienne depicted some of the tourist features on Matakana Island off the coast from Tauranga and included a visit to its marae. Complaint that presenter's attitude on the marae was discourteous and disrespectful of Maori traditions. The item was also inaccurate on some points, and the presenter's driving at times showed disrespect for the law. Not upheld (good taste and decency, law and order,accuracy, fairness, discrimination and denigration, children's interests).
20/20. Item examined response by the Wellington Free Ambulance service to the fatal collapse of a woman in Wainuiomata and played extracts from an audio tape of the incident recorded at the time in the Wellington Free Ambulance control room. Upheld (privacy). Order ($500 compensation to complainant).
20/20. Item examined response by the Wellington Free Ambulance service to the fatal collapse of a woman in Wainuiomata and played extracts from an audio tape of the incident recorded at the time in the Wellington Free Ambulance control room. Upheld (privacy). Order ($500 compensation to complainant).
National Radio. Excerpt from actor's lines used in trailer for a forthcoming broadcast of a radio play; broadcast on a number of occasions. Broadcaster upheld complaint under good taste and decency because of lack of context. Not upheld (good taste and decency): action taken sufficient.
Holmes. Broadcast of studio debate between a presenter and Pam Corkery MP and Muriel Newman MP, in which Dr Newman was asked to defend the contents of her new cookbook. Complainants both maintained that the debate amounted to a malicious attack on Dr Newman and that the presenter had acted unprofessionally. Upheld (fairness). Subsumed (balance). No order.
One Network News. Item reported on a Labour Party campaign to show the impact of the reintroduction of market rents for Housing New Zealand tenants. Not upheld (balance, fairness).
One Network News. Various report covered news of the conflict in Ireland. Complaint that its coverage of Irish news was selective and biased against the Republicans. Not upheld (accuracy, fairness).
Holmes. Item discussed a recent attack on a rugby league referee by a spectator at Petone. Complaint that the item was about a matter that was sub judice because, at the stage the item was broadcast, a man had been arrested and charged with assault with intent to injure. Upheld (fairness). No order.
3 National News. Item broadcast comments by a solicitor to TV3 reporter, even though part way through the discussion, the solicitor had said, and the reporter had agreed, the conversation was confidential. Complaint that this breached the solicitor's privacy and was also unfair to him. Upheld (fairness). Not upheld (privacy). Order ($500 costs to Crown).