One Network News. Item covered a news conference for visiting former soccer star. Complaint about the prominent signage for Guinness stout behind him. Upheld (liquor): action taken insufficient. Order ($500 costs to Crown).
All Decisions
Holmes Special – Leaders' Debate. The performances of the four leaders ranked at the conclusion of the programme using the answers given by the invited audience of uncommitted voters. The leaders were given an order of first through to fourth. Complaint about the way TVNZ used and interpreted the data from the audience's response to one question. Upheld: one aspect re the 'worm' (fairness: care taken in editing programme to ensure a 'true reflection'). All other standards subsumed under that one. No order.
Tonight Special News Report. Programme discussed the release or not of the rabbit calicivirus in New Zealand and contained footage of rabbits dead or dying from myxomatosis. Not upheld (accuracy): action taken sufficient. Not upheld (good taste and decency).
One Network News, Tonight. Two items examined release of rabbits infected with rabbit calicivirus (RCD) in Australia, with focus on a farm near Broken Hill. TVNZ had upheld the accuracy complaint. Not upheld (balance).
Sex/Life promo. AO classified promo broadcast during the screening of the G rated film Sister Act II which began at 8.30pm. Upheld (responsible programming). No order.
20/20. Item investigating an accident which involved a fire truck, and which resulted in injury to three firefighters, included accusations of cost-cutting as the cause. Upheld (balance, acccuracy, fairness). Order (broadcast of summary of decision).
Sex/Life series, broadcast at 8.30pm. Oral sex and sexual positions were the topics for the last items in two programmes. A promo for a programme in the series was also broadcast at 8.46pm. Upheld: complaints about the two programmes broadcast (good taste and decency). Not upheld: complaint about promo and series. No order
Morning Report. Item reported on opening of a tourist tunnel in East Jerusalem near Islam's third holiest site. Complaint that broadcast was inaccurate because it implied that East Jerusalem was in Israel. Not upheld (accuracy).
Fair Go. Award of costs re decision 1996-094–095. $3,000 costs to complainant.
Newsnight, 60 Minutes. Both programmes dealt with the forthcoming visit of the Dalai Lama to New Zealand and each reported that China had invaded Tibet in 1950 and that the Dalai Lama went into self-exile in 1959. Not upheld (balance, accuracy).