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Summary A promo for the Billy T Awards was shown during This is Your Life which featured Michael Jones on 29 October 1997 beginning at 8. 30pm. The promo referred to masturbation. Mr Hay of Auckland complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that it was inappropriate to include the promo during the broadcast of a programme about a well known sportsman which would be watched by a large number of young people. He said he found it offensive and crude. TVNZ responded that it unhesitatingly agreed with Mr Hay that the promo was inappropriately placed. It explained that it was an error of judgement which had been acknowledged by the department responsible for making and scheduling of programme trailers. It apologised for causing offence. Dissatisfied with the action taken by TVNZ, My Hay referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1998-079 Dated the 23rd day of July 1998 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by JENNY HALE of Auckland Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED S R Maling Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod J Withers...

Summary A character, "Xerox – Warrior Prince", in the "Serial Stuff" series in What Now, was portrayed eating some oversized food items. He also made some enthusiastic comments about food in skits in which he appeared. The actor who played the character had a larger build than the other actors. The programme was broadcast on TV2 on 14 March 1999, commencing at 8. 00 am. Mrs Edwards complained to Television New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that the character perpetuated the stereotype that people who are above "normal weight" were like that because they ate too much. "Fat phobia" could be reinforced in children’s minds, she wrote, and could lead to bulimia or anorexia. TVNZ responded that the effect of the "Billy Bunter type character" was to lampoon such stereotyping. The acting was exaggerated, it wrote, to show how silly pre-conceived ideas about types of people can be....

Summary A line from the movie American Anthem which included offensive language was the subject of a complaint. In the movie, two gymnasts fall in love and deal with stressful personal lives, while training for the US national team trials. The movie was broadcast on TV2 on 10 October 1999 beginning at 12. 00pm. Kellie Watkins complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the language was inappropriate for the time of broadcast. TVNZ upheld the complaint as a breach of standards G2 and G12. As a consequence, it reported that the movie was reclassified AO, so that future broadcasts in PGR time would be prevented unless the film was cut. TVNZ also apologised to Ms Watkins and her household. Ms Watkins contended that TVNZ’s action in response to the upheld complaint was inadequate....

ComplaintStrassman – ventriloquist – offensive language – fucking FindingsStandard G2 – AO – warning – context relevant – freedom of expression – limitations must be justifiable – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary A ventriloquist in Strassman, broadcast on TV2 at 9. 30pm on 4 July 2000 used the phrase "I wish you had a fucking brain" when he spoke to one of his puppet characters. Paul Schwabe complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the broadcast of "gratuitous offensive language" contravened the Broadcasting Act's requirement for broadcasters to maintain standards consistent with good taste and decency. TVNZ responded that Strassman was an adult comedy programme broadcast at 9. 30pm which carried an AO certificate and was preceded by a warning advising that it contained strong language. In that context, it did not consider that the language breached standard G2....

Complaints under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item looked at a couple running the One World Foundation who had been banned from Samoa because of allegations regarding the legitimacy of their work – allegedly in breach of balance, accuracy and fairness Findings Standard 4 (balance) – item did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – no inaccuracies – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – complainants were treated fairly – chosen interview excerpts fairly represented the complainants’ position – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast on TV One at 6pm on 10 March 2008, reported that “a New Zealand-based couple’s been banned from Samoa for life after being accused of taking freebies in the name of charity”....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sunday – interviewed fashion designers Trelise Cooper and Tamsin Cooper, who were involved in a High Court case about their branding – reported that Tamsin Cooper's silk velvet coats, labelled as 100% silk, had been tested and the fabric was “not 100% silk, but mostly viscose” – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair Findings Standard 4 (balance) – programme did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – no inaccuracies – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – not unfair to Tamsin Cooper – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on Sunday, broadcast on 3 December 2007 at 7. 30pm on TV One, discussed a High Court action involving fashion designers Trelise Cooper and Tamsin Cooper....

Complaints under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sensing Murder: Insight – programme looked into several historical unsolved murders – included commentary from three psychics – allegedly inaccurate Findings Standard 5 (accuracy) – factual information contained in the programme was accurate – psychics’ commentary about the murders was presented as their own perspective – factual material clearly distinguished from opinion, analysis and comment – no evidence viewers were misled – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A programme called Sensing Murder: Insight, broadcast on TV2 at 8. 30pm on 4 September 2007, looked at several historical unsolved murders and three psychics’ comments and insights about each case. At the beginning of the programme the narrator stated: Sensing Murder provoked a huge response from the public. Viewers were divided into two camps: believers and sceptics....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby – comedy series about a politically incorrect relief teacher – teacher threatened to sodomise a pupil – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] In an episode of Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby, a comedy series about a politically incorrect teacher in a New Zealand school, the main character threatened to sodomise a pupil if he refused to name which of his classmates had drawn a crude cartoon on the blackboard. The episode screened on TV One at 9. 35pm on 6 May 2005. Complaint [2] Dame Laurie Salas complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the scene was not something a viewer would expect in “supposedly responsible” television....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Fence Jumping – promo – documentary about gay men who “came out” when married – broadcast during One News beginning at 6. 00pm – allegedly offensive, inappropriately classified and unsuitable for childrenFindings Standard 1 and Guideline 1a (good taste and decency) – context – not upheld Standard 7 and Guideline 7b (classification) – appropriately classified as G – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – homosexuality dealt with in straightforward way which was suitable for children – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A promo for the documentary Fence Jumping was broadcast during One News at about 6. 30pm on Sunday 25 April 2004. The documentary was about men who, while married, realised that they were gay and how such men “came out”. The promo indicated the programme’s content....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Flipside – findings of a global survey examining sexual behaviour - frequency of sexual intercourse in various countries – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interestsFindings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – delivered in the context of a serious message – not presented in a salacious manner – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – targeted at teenage audience – unlikely to appeal to younger viewers – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of Flipside screened on TV2 at 5pm on 13 October 2004. Flipside is a programme targeted at a teenage audience and discusses issues of relevance to youth. An item introduced the findings of the 2004 Durex Global Sex Survey which examined sexual behaviour in various countries....

ComplaintCoca Cola Chart Show – music videos – All The Things She Said – Beautiful – scenes of same-sex kissing removed – unfair – discriminatory FindingsStandard 6, Guideline 6g – no discrimination – threshold not reached – no upholdThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] Music videos All The Things She Said and Beautiful were broadcast on TV2’s Coca Cola Chart Show from 10. 00am. The first video screened on 2, 16, 23 and 30 March and 6 April 2003. The second video was shown on 23 and 30 March and 6 April 2003. [2] Jordan Carter on behalf of New Zealand Young Labour, Karena Brown, Andrew Rowse and Tony Milne all complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the edits made to the music videos to remove scenes involving same-sex kissing were discriminatory....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Border Patrol – undeclared meat package from France intercepted at Auckland International Mail Centre – MAF official commented that people eat horse in France and discussed the dangers associated with raw meat in terms of its potential to carry diseases – allegedly in breach of discrimination and denigration standard FindingsStandard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – comment about diseases not directed at French people – did not encourage discrimination or denigration – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of the reality TV series Border Patrol was broadcast on TV One at 7. 30pm on 26 July 2010. Border Patrol was a locally produced television programme that followed the daily activities of New Zealand’s border security staff, including Customs officials at airports and Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) officials at international mail centres....

Complaints under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 Breakfast – hosts commented that immigrant doctors "can't be as good as our doctors", "they would stay overseas if there's opportunity to make more money overseas" and that immigrant doctors require training which makes the job of locally-trained doctors "more challenging" – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decency, controversial issues, accuracy, fairness, discrimination and denigration FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – comments were hosts' personal opinions – not upheld Standard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – comments made during brief exchange between co-hosts – no discussion of a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – overseas-trained doctors an occupational group and not individual or organisation to which standard applies – Mr Powell treated fairly – not upheld Standard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – broadcaster did not…...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-096–097:Sharp and Leonard-Taylor and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1993-096, 1993-097987. 7 KB...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1991-042:Group Opposed to Advertising of Liquor and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1991-042 PDF365. 34 KB...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1990-003:Ritchie and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1990-003 PDF983. 25 KB...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]Seven Sharp featured a brief segment about a Christchurch couple who had been recorded by members of the public having sex after hours at their workplace. The segment was presented as a humorous 'lessons learned' skit, featuring comments such as, 'apparently you can see through glass', and still photos of the incident were shown. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the broadcast breached the couple's privacy as the information was already in the public domain at the time of broadcast. Not Upheld: PrivacyIntroduction[1] Seven Sharp featured a brief segment about a Christchurch couple who had been recorded by members of the public having sex after hours at their workplace. The segment was presented as a humorous 'lessons learned' skit, featuring comments such as, 'apparently you can see through glass', and still photos of the incident were shown....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]The sports presenter during a ONE News bulletin described the performance of the Blues rugby team as ‘schizophrenic’. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the use of the term was unacceptable and contributed to the stigmatisation of people with mental illness. The Authority recognised that the use of the term ‘schizophrenic’ to describe a sports team may be seen as insensitive and inappropriate. However, in the context of this item the Authority found the comment did not reach the high threshold for encouraging discrimination against, or denigration of, those with mental illness. The term was used in a colloquial manner, and did not contain any malice towards people with mental illness. Not Upheld: Discrimination and DenigrationIntroduction[1] A ONE News item discussed an upcoming game between the Crusaders and Blues rugby teams....