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The Authority has not upheld a complaint alleging an RNZ National news bulletin addressing airstrikes in Lebanon breached the balance, accuracy and fairness standards, including by failing to provide context for the airstrikes. The Authority found the broadcast was a simple report on events rather than a ‘discussion’ of issues to which the balance standard might apply. It found listeners were unlikely to get a misleading impression of events from the report and the fairness standard did not apply. Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy, Fairness...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that a statement on RNZ National that the new Government ‘plans to repeal Smokefree legislation to fund tax cuts’ breached the accuracy and balance standards. The Authority found the accuracy standard was not breached noting other content within the broadcast and interviews with National Party members before the programme meant audience members were unlikely to be misled. The balance standard did not apply. Not Upheld: Accuracy, Balance...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Radio New Zealand National News – item reported that 66 New Zealanders had opted to change their status as Distinguished Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit and take on the titles “Sir” or “Dame” – included interview with Witi Ihimaera – presenter referred to Mr Ihimaera as being a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit – allegedly inaccurate FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – the full title of Mr Ihimaera’s honour was not a material point of fact – listeners understood that he could have received the title of “Sir” but had declined to adopt it – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Summary Gary McCormick, a guest on National Radio’s Nine to Noon on 22 July 1999, joked with the host about a news report that day that an IRD employee had offered to forego an audit of some prostitutes in exchange for free sex. Referring to a Civil Aviation Authority report on an air accident reported that day, he joked that he would ask the CAA to provide a warrant for his car. Mr Boyce complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the exchanges were inappropriate. When he did not receive a response from RNZ within the statutory time limit, he referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989. The Authority sought RNZ’s comments on the complaint. It reported that it had responded to the complaint 19 working days after its receipt....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]Saturday Morning featured a 25-minute interview with the Vice President for Energy and Environment Policy at a think-tank in the United States. The interviewee discussed a range of matters to do with environmental policy, including her current concerns, initiatives put in place under the Obama administration that may be threatened by the Trump administration, and how to make climate change a relevant issue to voters. The Authority did not uphold a complaint alleging that the item was unbalanced, as it only presented the ‘progressive, liberal’ perspective on climate change. The Authority considered that, in the context of an interview focused on the professional opinions and experiences of a particular individual, listeners would not have expected the full spectrum of views on climate change to be presented....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that comments made by the hosts of Midweek Mediawatch concerning sexual violence during the October 7 attacks in Israel were inaccurate, unbalanced and unfair for downplaying or denying that sexual violence occurred. During an extended discussion concerning an interview on Q + A, and how the Israel-Hamas conflict is reported on generally, the hosts noted reporting of sexual violence on 7 October 2023 had been challenged by other outlets, and mentioned that the Q + A interview did not challenge these claims. The Authority found that the statements were more consistent with analysis, comment or opinion to which the accuracy standard did not apply. However, it found relevant statements were, in any event, not misleading. The balance and fairness standards did not apply. Not Upheld: Accuracy, Balance, Fairness...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that an item on RNZ’s 9am news bulletin about an electricity shortage in New Zealand breached multiple standards. The complaint focused on the broadcast’s allegedly inappropriate use of terms such as energy, fossil fuels, power and electricity and the omission of contextual information. In the context of the news bulletin, the Authority found RNZ’s audience was unlikely to be misled. Accordingly, the accuracy standard was not breached. The remaining standards either did not apply or were not breached. Not Upheld: Offensive and Disturbing Content, Children's Interests, Promotion of Illegal or Antisocial Behaviour, Discrimination and Denigration, Balance, Accuracy, Privacy, Fairness...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that a segment on Morning Report breached the discrimination and denigration, and accuracy standards. The report was about trans men and non-binary people missing out on notifications for cervical screenings, due to how gender and sex are recorded by health services. The Authority found that the discrimination and denigration standard was not breached as the terminology used was specifically chosen to be inclusionary rather than exclusionary, and the inaccuracies alleged by the complainant were immaterial to the broadcast as a whole. Not Upheld: Discrimination and Denigration and Accuracy...

The Authority has declined to determine a complaint about a news item on RNZ National. The item included a brief comment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from his first televised address following the deaths of key Hamas leaders which the complainant alleges was in breach of multiple standards. The Authority declined to determine the complaint finding it relates to a matter of editorial discretion/personal preference and identified no harm sufficient to outweigh the right to freedom of expression. Declined to Determine under s 11(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989: Offensive and Disturbing Content, Children's Interests, Promotion of Illegal or Antisocial Behaviour, Discrimination and Denigration, Balance and Fairness...

ComplaintNational Radio – Saturday Morning programme – host referred to rock band as "miserable buggers" – offensive language FindingsSection 4(1)(a) – consideration of context required as specified in Principle 1 Principle 1 – language did not refer to anal intercourse or bestiality – acceptable in context – no upholdThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] During the Saturday Morning programme broadcast on National Radio on 28 July 2001, the host described a rock band as the most "miserable buggers" he had ever seen. [2] Paul Schwabe complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the word "bugger" was contrary to good taste and decency. [3] Declining to uphold the complaint, RNZ noted that the Authority's research showed that almost three-quarters of those interviewed considered the word "bugger" to be acceptable....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sunday Mornings with Chris Laidlaw – programme discussing whether the services available to people who had been sexually abused were adequate, or whether a greater level of care could be provided – allegedly unbalanced Findings Principle 4 (balance) – programme did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The Ideas programme with Chris Laidlaw, broadcast on National Radio between 11am and midday on Sunday 10 September 2006, discussed whether the services available to people who had been sexually abused were adequate, or whether a greater level of care could be provided....

The Authority has not upheld two complaints about an interview on Morning Report with Sue Grey, lawyer for the parents of a baby whose urgent heart surgery had been delayed due to the parents’ concerns regarding blood from donors vaccinated against COVID-19. The essence of the complaints was that the host did not listen to Grey, constantly interrupted her, did not allow her to answer the questions, and pushed his personal views. The Authority found the interview did not go beyond the level of robust scrutiny that could reasonably be expected in an interview with Grey on this subject, noting in particular that Grey was making claims contrary to public health advice, and was able to put forward key points in the course of the eight-minute interview. Therefore the broadcast overall did not result in any unfairness to Grey....

The Authority did not uphold a complaint regarding an episode of The Detail which investigated the New Zealand Film Commission’s management of a conflict of interest relating to its CEO at the time. The complainant considered the broadcast breached the balance and accuracy standards by not discussing the ‘significance of NZ On Air’s’ role in this matter. The Authority considered the complaint largely constituted a matter of personal preference, which is not capable of being resolved by a complaints procedure. Further, the proposed detail was additional to, rather than inconsistent with, any perspective presented in the broadcast so its absence was unlikely to misinform listeners. Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An item on Morning Report reported that, over the past ten years, reported firearm theft has increased by 35%, and through the comments of three interviewees considered whether the increase of firearm theft is related to issues around their safe storage and registration. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the item breached standards of balance and fairness. The Authority found the item provided sufficient balance through multiple alternative points of view that enabled listeners to form their own opinion on the topic. The fairness standard cannot be applied to licenced firearm owners as they are not an ‘organisation’ for the purposes of the standard. Not Upheld: Balance, Fairness The broadcast[1] An item on RNZ’s Morning Report reported that:’Almost 3,300 firearms have been stolen over the past five years – a 35% percent increase on the five years before....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]Afternoons featured an interview with the author of a recently published book about life in Scandinavia. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that a statement in the introduction to the interview that two people were killed at a free speech forum in Copenhagen was inaccurate because one of the victims was killed at a synagogue. The segment was not news, current affairs or a factual programme to which the accuracy standard applied. In any event, the statement did not constitute a material inaccuracy in the context of the item as a whole. Not Upheld: Accuracy Introduction[1] Afternoons featured an interview with the author of a recently published book, The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia....

ComplaintGood Morning – news item at 7. 00am and subsequently – report that President Bush wanted bin Laden dead or alive – misleading – incorrect FindingsPrinciple 6 – acceptable précis of President’s statement – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] President Bush of the United States wanted "Osama bin Laden dead or alive for last Wednesday’s attacks" reported a news item broadcast on National Radio at 7. 00am on 18 September 2001. The item was repeated on subsequent news broadcasts. [2] Michael Gibson complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the item was incorrect. He said that he had advised RNZ, shortly after 7. 00am, that President Bush had said that wanted to bring bin Laden to justice. However, he added, the incorrect item had been repeated....

Complaint under section 8(1A) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Spectrum – reported on The Nelson Ark APART programme – presenter interviewed graduates, including a young woman, about their involvement in the programme – woman was asked about her background and how she came to be on the programme – allegedly in breach of her privacy FindingsStandard 3 (privacy) – woman was not identifiable for the purposes of the privacy standard – woman did not say she was raped, as alleged – no private facts were disclosed in a manner that would be considered highly offensive – high value speech – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] An item on Spectrum reported on The Nelson Ark APART programme, an eight-week dog training course designed to teach young people discipline, compassion and tolerance through empathy....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 46/95 Dated the 31st day of May 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson L M Loates W J Fraser...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 114/95 Dated the 26th day of October 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by DAVID CURRIE of Petone Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod...