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Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 One News and Tonight – item reported on the release of the "Sutch Papers" by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service – allegedly unbalanced and inaccurate Findings Standard 4 (balance) – item did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – Sutch Papers released did not confirm that "Sutch had a longstanding association with the KGB" as stated in the item – upheld No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast on TV One at 6pm on 6 June 2008 and repeated on Tonight at 10. 30pm the same evening, reported on the release of the Sutch Papers by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS)....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item about an audio tape purporting to carry the voice of Osama Bin Laden – reporter said that “Bin Laden threatened to again take revenge on America as he did on 9/11” – allegedly inaccurateFindingsDecline to determine complaint under s. 11(b) of Broadcasting Act 1989This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News at 6pm on 20 January 2006 reported that an audio tape, purporting to carry the voice of Osama Bin Laden, had been broadcast by a television network in the Middle East. The tape had warned of new terrorist actions against the United States. The reporter said: In the tape that aired on Al Jazeera, Bin Laden threatened to again take revenge on America as he did on 9/11....

Complaint under section 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sunday – item about marketing 42 Below vodka in the American market – featured interview with gay bar owner – allegedly in breach of privacyFindingsStandard 3 (privacy) – no private facts revealed – consent given for interview – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item broadcast on Sunday on TV One at 7. 30pm on 12 June 2005 featured a marketing manager, James Dale, who had been appointed to promote a New Zealand vodka called 42 Below in the American market. [2] The item included an interview with the owner of a gay bar, John Libonati, who had sent Mr Dale an email condemning the disparaging comments Mr Dale had made about gay culture. Mr Libonati said that he had received a reply from James Dale which had included a number of insults....

Complaint Strassman – offensive language – "fuck" – interview with Rima Te Wiata breached her privacy – offensive behaviourFindings(1) Standard G2 – context – warning – AO time and classification – no uphold (2) Privacy – no private facts revealed – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary An episode of the comedy programme Strassman was broadcast on TV2 at 9. 30pm on 16 May 2000. Brian Shearer complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, about the repeated use of the word "fuck" during the programme, and an interview with Rima Te Wiata, which he considered breached her privacy and was in bad taste due to questions asked about her sex life. TVNZ responded that the programme was intended as adult entertainment, began well after the watershed, carried an AO certificate and was preceded by a warning about strong language....

An appeal by Michael Hooker against this decision was dismissed in the High Court: AP SW 6/02 PDF1. 09 MBComplaintStripsearch – series incorrectly classified as PGR – unsuitable for children – adult themes – breach of good taste – denigrated men – deceptive programming practice – broadcaster not mindful of effect on children FindingsStandard G2 – did not exceed current norms of decency and good taste – no upholdStandard G4 – participants not treated unjustly or unfairly – no upholdStandard G6 – not relevant – no upholdStandard G7 – no upholdStandard G8 – warning that hybrid classification in final episode potentially a deceptive programming practice – no upholdStandard G12 – no upholdStandard G13 – series did not discriminate against men – no upholdThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary[1] Stripsearch was a seven-part series broadcast on TV2 on Tuesday evenings at 8....

Complaint under section 8(1A) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item on Air Force helicopter crash on ANZAC Day – first reporter reported from the site of the crash – second part of the item showed photographs of the men who died, parts of their Facebook pages and past interviews with them – showed footage of the sole survivor being taken to an ambulance on a stretcher – item included comment from head of the Air Force – allegedly in breach of privacy FindingsStandard 3 (privacy) – privacy standard does not apply to deceased individuals – servicemen’s family members not identified – no private facts disclosed about surviving serviceman – footage of survivor not obtained by prying – broadcaster exercised adequate care and sensitivity – information about the crash and the survivor of legitimate public interest – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Summary The film "Striptease" which starred Demi Moore and Burt Reynolds was screened at 8. 30pm on TV2 on 31 January 1999. Kristian Harang complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the film, which depicted a woman with naked breasts during a striptease act, was offensive and unsuitable for younger viewers. He also claimed that the film was of no social or educational value. TVNZ advised Mr Harang that it did not consider that the broadcast had breached norms of decency and taste. The broadcaster also maintained that it had been mindful of the effect of the programme on children because it had assigned the film an AO classification and had preceded its broadcast with an explicit warning. The film, it said, had screened after the established 8. 30pm watershed. Dissatisfied with TVNZ’s decision, Mr Harang referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s....

ComplaintSome of my best friends are … Muslims – Muslims, Christians and "zsh" described favourably as religions – "zsh" apparently "Jewish" but allegedly censored – excision breached standards of balance, accuracy and fairness FindingsStandard 4; Standard 5; Standard 6 – no evidence of any censorship in programme designed to promote tolerance – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The comments made by a Muslim woman were indistinct when she was promoting understanding between Muslims, Christians and a third religious group – possibly Jews. The incident occurred in the programme, Some of my best friends are… which looks at minority groups in New Zealand. Muslims was the group featured in the programme broadcast on TV One at 7. 00pm on 29 March 2003....

ComplaintSunday – investigation of Dr Richard Gorringe who had been found guilty of professional misconduct and disgraceful conduct through use of alternative medicines – biased – unfair – misleading FindingsStandard 4 – reasonable opportunities given – not unbalanced – no uphold Standard 6 – Dr Gorringe dealt with fairly as ample opportunity given to present views – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The use by Dr Richard Gorringe of alternative medicine, alongside conventional medicine, was investigated in an item broadcast on Sunday at 7. 30pm on TV One on 2 September 2003. Dr Gorringe had been found guilty by the Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal on two charges of professional misconduct and one of disgraceful conduct. [2] Margaret Kirk complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the item was biased and unfair, and trivialised the work of Dr Gorringe....

Complaints under section 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 Holmes – two items about allegations of sexual abuse against former church worker – described in second item as “sexual monster” – named and photographs shown – alleged breach of privacy – second item included recent footage of church worker allegedly taken without permissionFindings Standard 3 (Privacy) and Guideline 3a – Privacy Principles (i), and (iv) – disclosure was a breach of privacy principle (i) but justified in the public interest – not upheld Standard 3 (Privacy) and Guideline 3a – Privacy Principles (iii) – footage of man taken from public place – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Allegations of sexual abuse by the former supervisor at an orphanage run by the Presbyterian Church in the 1970s were made in items on Holmes broadcast on TV One at 7....

ComplaintOur People, Our Century: "Cradle to Grave" – unbalanced – unfair – inaccurate portrayal of history – failure to acknowledge social initiatives of National party FindingsStandard G6 – authored perspective – not a controversial issue – no uphold Standard G19 – not an editorial matter – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary The second programme in the series Our People, Our Century was broadcast on TV One at 8. 30pm on 14 February 2000. It was entitled "Cradle to Grave" and interpreted New Zealand’s recent social history through an examination of the lives and experience of three different families. Bruce Fulton complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the programme lacked balance and fairness because it neglected to acknowledge any political party other than the Labour Party....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Promo for Coronation Street – broadcast during Breakfast – contained brief image of a woman slapping a man’s face – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, and children’s interests standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – shot of woman slapping a man’s face was very brief – Breakfast was unclassified and targeted at adults – promo unobjectionable in this context – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – Breakfast was aimed at adults and any children viewing were unlikely to be doing so unsupervised – promo would not have disturbed or alarmed child viewers – broadcaster adequately considered children’s interests – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-046:Malley and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1993-046 PDF446. 44 KB...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sunday – item reported on ex-All Black who now lived in Japan and his ongoing struggle with depression – reporter stated “Alone in Tokyo, population 35 million, chaotic, frenetic, intense. Perhaps the last place in the world you’d expect to find someone trying to stay balanced after coming through the blackest period of his life” – allegedly inaccurate FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – term “chaotic” used to convey reporter’s opinion – not a material point of fact – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on Sunday, broadcast on TV One on 24 October 2010, reported on an ex-All Black who now lived in Japan and his ongoing struggle with depression. The reporter travelled to Tokyo to interview him about the imminent publication of his book....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1991-049:Rosa and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1991-049 PDF371. 91 KB...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint an item on 1 News concerning the deaths of over 125 people at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Indonesia breached the balance and accuracy standards. The complainant alleged it was offensive and careless to compare this tragedy to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, as in Hillsborough the ‘fans played no role in causing the disaster. ’ The Authority found the balance standard did not apply as the broadcast’s mention of other disasters at football stadiums did not constitute a ‘discussion’ for the purposes of the standard. It did not uphold the complaint under the accuracy standard as it was not misleading to suggest Hillsborough was one of football’s worst tragedies. Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint an item on 1 News reporting on Immigration New Zealand’s decision to allow Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull (also known as Posie Parker) into New Zealand breached the balance and fairness standards. The complainant was concerned with the broadcast’s description of Parker as ‘anti-trans’ rather than ‘pro-women’, and its link between Parker and people doing Nazi salutes at her events. The Authority found the item was balanced, referring to comments from both the Immigration Minister and Parker herself. It also considered Parker was treated fairly in the broadcast, noting the right to freedom of expression means broadcasters are free to use descriptors they consider appropriate, provided they do not breach broadcasting standards. Not Upheld: Balance, Fairness...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]Sunday focused on an initiative by a road safety organisation which creates images of car crash victims as they would appear now. One of the families taking part in this initiative lost their seven-year-old boy, who was killed by drink-driving teenagers 17 years earlier. The incident was briefly recounted, showing footage of the driver of the car and of several passengers. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the item breached the privacy of the young people involved in the crash. The crash was a sufficiently serious and well-known event that the facts about it and the individuals' involvement had not become private again through the passage of time. The story carried high public interest and did not revisit the incident in a manner that would be considered highly offensive to an objective reasonable person....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An item on Breakfast reported on a shoot-out during an anti-terror raid in Brussels. During the item, the Europe Correspondent stated, ‘We’ve now heard that one suspect has been neutralised’. The Authority did not uphold a complaint alleging that the term ‘neutralised’ was not accurate, appropriate or neutral language. The Authority found the choice of language was not a material point of fact in the item, which focused on an anti-terror raid linked to the Paris terror attacks. Further, the term ‘neutralised’ is at times used in the context of reporting on police or counter-terrorism action. The use of this term was not biased against, and did not imply fault on the part of, the Belgian Police. Not upheld: Accuracy, Controversial IssuesIntroduction[1] A news item on Breakfast reported on a shoot-out that occurred during an anti terror raid in Brussels....