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Download a PDF of Decision No. 1990-017:Turner (on behalf of the Group Opposed to Advertising of Liquor) and Radio New Zealand Ltd - 1990-017 PDF274. 53 KB...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint Radio New Zealand’s news headlines regarding the government’s anticipated plans for replacement of the Interislander ferries breached the accuracy standard. The complainant said the headlines, stating the government’s plan was ‘reportedly to buy two smaller ships for $900 million, much more than the $551 million Labour’s paid’, were ‘mischievous’ noting the government’s intention to reduce costs, the ship cost component was implied to be ‘total project costs’ suggesting a substantial increase, and the comparisons of partial costs were ‘meaningless and speculation. ’ The Authority found the headlines were comment or opinion to which the accuracy standard does not apply....

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 a brief Radio New Zealand (RNZ) News bulletin, reporting regarding violence in Amsterdam surrounding a football match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv, was inaccurate and unbalanced. The Authority found the brief, straightforward item did not amount to a ‘discussion’ of a controversial issue for the purposes of the balance standard; and listeners were unlikely to be misled by this single item given RNZ’s and other outlets’ earlier coverage of the events. By the time this item was broadcast, RNZ had already reported the information the complainant wished to be included in several other bulletins the previous evening and earlier the same day. Therefore, the Authority overall did not find any harm at a level justifying regulatory intervention. Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Afternoons with Jim Mora – discussion about restrictions on the behaviour of people acting as Father Christmas – presenter said she “scared the bejesus out of a number of kids” acting as “Mrs Claus” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindings Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – context – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] On Thursday 8 December 2005, a panel discussion was held between 4 and 5pm on National Radio, during Afternoons with Jim Mora, about the strict rules surrounding acceptable conduct for people acting as Father Christmas. A member of the panel said she had once acted as “Mrs Claus” and had unintentionally “scared the bejesus out of a number of kids”....

An appeal against this decision was allowed in the High Court and the complaint was referred back to the Authority for reconsideration: CIV 2010-485-225 PDF136. 55 KB Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sunday with Chris Laidlaw – host interviewed sociologist about anti-Semitic fringe groups in New Zealand that were seeking to deny or downplay the extent of the Holocaust – interviewee made statements about an individual who he said was a Holocaust denier – allegedly inaccurateFindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – item was a factual programme – interviewee made statements of fact that were material to topic under discussion – accusations extremely serious – broadcaster did not make reasonable efforts to assess the veracity of the accusations – upheld by majorityNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision....

Summary The manager of the Chatham Islands Millennium Project was interviewed by Kim Hill on the programme Nine to Noon broadcast on National Radio on 28 January 1999 at 9. 45am. At the conclusion of the interview, he was asked to explain whether his previous conviction for fraud had been an impediment in this role. Mr P F Smith, Mayor of the Chatham Islands Council, complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, through the Broadcasting Standards Authority that the interviewer had acted unprofessionally in raising that issue. The Council sought a ruling from the Authority to censure the broadcaster, he wrote. In its response, RNZ argued that as a significant amount of public money had been granted to the Chatham Islands Millennium Project, it was considered reasonable to raise the matter of the Project Manager’s background....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 80/94 Dated the 19th day of September 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by D. LOW of Kaeo Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson J R Morris R A Barraclough L M Loates...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 115/95 Dated the 9th day of November 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by BARRY MAGUIRE of Auckland Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An item on Morning Report discussed Mark Lundy's retrial for the murder of his wife and daughter. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the item incorrectly inferred that Mr Lundy had actively been seeking increased life insurance on the day the murders occurred, and that this was unfair. The item was a straightforward report of the latest evidence given at trial and the item as a whole clarified the meaning of its opening statements. Not Upheld: Accuracy, Fairness, Law and Order, Responsible ProgrammingIntroduction[1] An item on Morning Report discussed Mark Lundy's retrial for the murder of his wife and daughter. The item reported that 'Mark Lundy's retrial has been told that he tried to increase his family's life insurance just hours before his wife and daughter were hacked to death'....

The Authority has not upheld two complaints about a broadcast of The Panel which briefly discussed public perception of the recognition of a Palestinian state and the panellists’ views on whether Aotearoa New Zealand should sanction Israel. The complaints were made under several standards and included claims the broadcast was unbalanced for not including comment from Palestinians ‘or directly affected individuals’, and treated Palestinians unfairly. Additionally, a panellist’s comment was said to be inaccurate and misleading, and to discriminate against and denigrate Palestinians. Under the balance standard, the Authority found alternative perspectives were provided by the other panellist. In addition, the broadcast: was clearly signalled as approaching the topics canvassed from the panellists’ perspectives; was narrowly focussed on certain aspects of the much larger, complex Israel-Palestine conflict; and listeners were likely to be aware of significant viewpoints given the issues had been frequently covered in a range of media....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that a brief Nine to Noon segment discussing the latest developments in a site investigation at the former Ivon Watkins-Dow (Dow) chemical plant in Paritūtū, New Plymouth lacked balance and accuracy. Noting the nature of the programme, the perspectives included in it and other media, and that the period of current interest for issues at Paritūtū was ongoing, the Authority found reasonable efforts were made to present significant viewpoints. The Authority also found none of the matters alleged to be inaccurate or misleading were materially inaccurate or misleading in the context. Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989National Radio – Nine to Noon – interview with a grandmother campaigning against prescription of the drug Ritalin – grandmother not medically qualified made allegedly inaccurate statements – item allegedly unbalanced and unfair as it failed to present expert medical opinionFindings Principle 4 (balance) – personal perspective – balanced mainstream view – not upheld Principle 5 (fairness) – not relevant – not upheld Principle 6 (accuracy) – mixture of fact and opinion – not upheld Principle 6 (accuracy) – Authority unable to establish number of people being prescribed Ritalin in New Zealand – decline to determine This headnote does not form part of the decision....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that a story called “A Hāngī for my Birthday,” which was read out on Storytime on RNZ National, breached the children’s interests and offensive and disturbing content standards. The story was told from the perspective of a young child whose birthday was that day, and who helped his family prepare a hāngī for dinner. The complaint was that a part of the story where the family buy and kill hens to cook in the hāngī was unsuitable for children. The Authority acknowledged the story contained challenging themes on where meat comes from and that some of the descriptions, including the hens in cages, and being pulled out by the legs and stuffed in boxes, alluded to possible mistreatment of the animals....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 52/95 Dated the 22nd day of June 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by WELLINGTON PALESTINE GROUP Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway L M Loates W J Fraser R McLeod...

ComplaintMediawatch – National Radio – allegedly offensive languageFindings Principle 1 – language not offensive – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision Summary [1] An interview with former broadcaster Ron Sneddon about recent changes in the radio market was broadcast during Mediawatch on National Radio at about 9. 10am on Sunday 28 September 2003. [2] Miss Hadfield complained about “offensive content and swear words” during the interview, in which references were made to: “tits, bums and fart jokes” a radio station called “The Bitch”. [3] In response, RNZ declined to uphold the complaint on the basis that the language was not offensive in the context of the broadcast. [4] Dissatisfied with RNZ’s decision, Miss Hadfield referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989. For the reasons below, the Authority does not uphold the complaint....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) and (ii) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Te Ahi Kaa – discussed post-earthquake relief efforts in Christchurch – included audio extract from a previous news bulletin reporting on the earthquake – allegedly in breach of accuracy and responsible programming standards – broadcaster upheld complaint under responsible programming standard – action taken allegedly insufficient FindingsStandard 8 (responsible programming) – action taken by the broadcaster was sufficient – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – use of audio extract not inaccurate or misleading when considered in context – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Te Ahi Kaa, a programme broadcast on Radio New Zealand National on Monday 14 March 2011 just after the 1am news bulletin, discussed some of the post-earthquake relief efforts in Christchurch....

ComplaintBookmarks – book reading – offensive language; unsuitable for children FindingsPrinciple 1 – potential breach averted by words being beeped – no language or concepts which would offend – not targeted at children – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary An extract from the book "They who do not Grieve" by Sia Figiel was read by her on the Bookmarks programme broadcast on National Radio on 2 December 1999 beginning at 7. 00pm. Part of the extract was masked by an audible beep. Douglas Bacon complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd that the extract read was vulgar and that he could hardly believe the "obscenities" it contained. He said he took into account that it was broadcast during the early evening when younger people could be listening....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about an interview with Dame Jacinda Ardern on RNZ National, in which presenter Jesse Mulligan used the word ‘prick’ when asking Ardern about a past comment she made in Parliament. The complaint alleged the use of this language breached multiple standards. The Authority found it was low-level language that would not have surprised or offended most listeners in the context or alarmed or distressed any children who happened to be listening. The remaining standards did not apply.   Not Upheld: Offensive and Disturbing Content, Children’s Interests, Promotion of Illegal and Antisocial Behaviour, Discrimination and Denigration, Balance...