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Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ] An item on 3 News reported details of John Key’s meeting with the Indonesian president. The newsreader discussed terrorism in Indonesia and referred to Indonesia as ‘the biggest Muslim country in the world’. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that this statement was inaccurate, finding that viewers would have understood the intended meaning that the majority of Indonesians are followers of Muslim faith. The Authority also declined to uphold the complaint that the discussion of terrorism in Indonesia denigrated Muslims and/or Indonesians, as it was factual and did not carry any invective. Not Upheld: Accuracy, Discrimination and Denigration   Introduction [1] An item on 3 News reported details of John Key’s meeting with the Indonesian president....

SummaryThe arrest of Headhunter gang members was covered in an item broadcast on 3 News on 11 December 1998. Russell Gillies complained to TV3 Network Services Limited, the broadcaster, that because the item had shown footage of gang members giving the camera, and therefore the viewer, "the fingers", it had failed in its responsibility to maintain standards of good taste and decency. Mr Gillies described the gesture as a defiant act which was intended to be an insult, and argued that the inclusion of it in the item was offensive. TV3 advised Mr Gillies that after viewing the item, and examining the context in which "the fingers" symbol was shown, it had concluded that currently accepted norms of decency and taste had not been breached. Dissatisfied with TV3’s decision, Mr Gillies referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item reported on anti-whaling demonstrations targeted at Japan – reporter stated, “. . . protesters marched through the streets of Auckland calling for illegal whaling to be stopped” – allegedly inaccurate FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – reference to “illegal whaling” not a material point of fact – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on Friday 5 November 2010, reported on New Zealand anti-whaling activists that took part in worldwide demonstrations targeted at Japan. The newsreader introduced the item as follows: Today is International Whaling Day and to mark it hundreds of protestors marched in Auckland and Wellington....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – news reader stated that Samoan prison guards had been charged with bringing contraband into Auckland prisons – allegedly in breach of discrimination and denigration standard FindingsStandard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – news reader’s remark was factual – no invective – did not encourage discrimination against or denigration of Samoans – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] During an item on 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on Monday 6 December 2010, the news reader stated: Two Samoan prison guards have been arrested and stood down from their positions after being charged with bringing contraband into two Auckland jails. The men are accused of bringing in drugs, cell phones, cigarettes and food for prisoners at Mt Eden and Auckland Central Remand prisons....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 3 News – reported on the purchase of a bluefin tuna at auction for nearly one million dollars – item contained footage of fish’s head being removed and a number of tuna being sliced and filleted – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and violence standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – killing animals for food is a fact of life – images were not gratuitous and would not have offended most viewers in the context of a news item – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – filleting fish did not amount to “violence” for the purposes of the standard – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ] A 3 News item reported on the Labour Party’s election year conference, including details of the party’s education policy. The reporter referred to David Cunliffe ‘handing out an election year bribe’. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that this was unfair. Political parties should expect their policies will be subject to commentary and scrutiny, particularly leading up to a general election, and it is not uncommon to refer to election ‘bribes’ in political reporting. Not Upheld: Fairness Introduction [1] A 3 News item reported on the Labour Party’s election year conference, including details of the party’s education policy. The reporter said, ‘David Cunliffe sits down at Wellington High School handing out an election year bribe, promising every school student from intermediate up, their own computer’. The item was broadcast on TV3 on 5 July 2014....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item on the petition to overturn the removal of section 59 of the Crimes Act and whether a referendum on the issue should be held during the 2008 election – contained film clips of an adult lightly smacking a child’s bottom with an open hand – allegedly inaccurate and misleading Findings Standard 5 (accuracy) – viewers would not have been misled – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News entitled “The Smacking Law Referendum” was broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on Tuesday 24 June 2008. It looked at a petition aimed at overturning the repeal of section 59 from the Crimes Act 1961 and, if the petition obtained the required number of signatures, whether a referendum on the issue should be included in the 2008 election....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item reported on damage caused by Christchurch earthquake – showed footage of poultry shed – news reader stated “And this is a destroyed battery hen farm, home to 26,000 chickens. Animal rights activists say that up to a third of them were trapped and suffocating” – allegedly in breach of accuracy and fairness standards FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – statement a material point of fact – said that chickens were “suffocating” not that they had “suffocated” – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – complainant and farm not identified – item did not reflect badly on complainant – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on 7 September 2010, reported on the large scale damage caused by the Christchurch earthquake....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 3 News – item reported on trials of the ‘Urewera Four’ – reporter referred to original Urewera terror raids and stated that “17 people were arrested and initially charged under the Terrorism Suppression Act” – broadcaster upheld complaint that this statement was inaccurate because no one had been charged under that Act – action taken by the broadcaster allegedly insufficient Findings Action Taken: Standard 5 (accuracy) – action taken by TVWorks was insufficient – error should have been corrected at earliest appropriate opportunity – upheld No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision.  ...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – promos contained the word “next” – allegedly inaccurate Findings Standard 5 (accuracy) – complaint trivial and vexatious – decline to determine under section 11(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Prior to a commercial break during 3 News on 12 July 2007, a promo was shown that read “next – Top Chef”. [2] Prior to a commercial break during 3 News on 13 July 2007, a promo was shown that read “next – Project Runway”. Complaint [3] R Dodd made a formal complaint to TVWorks Ltd, the broadcaster, alleging that the use of the word “next” was inaccurate and in breach of broadcasting standards....

Complaints under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item about file sharing software – showed images from a snuff movie three times during short item – woman seen begging not to be filmed with a gun held to her head – gunshot heard on one occasion but with no image – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order, privacy, fairness, children’s interests and violence standards – broadcaster upheld complaints under Standard 1, spoke to news staff and broadcast on-air apology – complainants dissatisfied with decision and action taken FindingsStandard 2 (law and order) – broadcaster did not encourage viewers to break the law or glamorise the criminal activity shown – not upheld Standard 3 (privacy) – irrespective of whether the snuff movie was real or fake, no breach of privacy – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – unable to determine whether woman treated fairly – decline…...

Complaint3 News – comment by newsreader – offensive behaviour – mockery of middle-aged women Findings(1) Standard G2 – insufficiently offensive – no uphold (2) Standard G13 – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary A newsreader read an item on 3 News about a group of middle-aged English women who had raised money for charity by posing nude for a calendar, during which he commented "I bet that’s all they raised". The item was broadcast on TV3 between 6. 00pm and 7. 00pm on 26 March 2000. Jenny Rockel complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd, the broadcaster, that the newsreader had given the impression that the idea of women’s sexual viability in middle life was laughable. She considered that this was offensive and tasteless. In its response, TV3 said that the remark was unscripted and intended by the newsreader to be amusing....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ] During 3 News coverage of the results of the 2014 general election, a reporter was shown persistently attempting to interview the Internet-Mana Party leader Laila Harré. The Authority declined to uphold the complaint that the reporter's treatment of Ms Harré was unfair. The reporter's behaviour did not cross the high threshold for finding unfairness to politicians and public figures, particularly in the context of an important political broadcast. Not Upheld: Fairness Introduction [1] The 3 News election coverage, 'Decision '14, Election Night', included footage of a reporter persistently questioning and aiming a microphone at the Internet-Mana Party leader Laila Harré as she attempted to make her way into the party's post-election gathering. Ms Harré mostly ignored the reporter but when she tried to speak the reporter interrupted and spoke over her....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News– item on Russian supermodels – reported on dangers of sexual exploitation in the modelling industry – comment about thirteen-year-old girl being paid to have sex – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interests standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – statement matter-of-fact and relevant to the subject matter – not salacious – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – broadcaster adequately considered the interests of child viewers – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at approximately 6. 22pm on 5 July 2010, reported on the worldwide success of Russian supermodels and the dangers of sexual exploitation in the modelling industry....

Te Raumawhitu Kupenga declared a conflict of interest and did not participate in the determination of this complaint. Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ] 3 News summarised the findings in the latest report released by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the United Nations report was propaganda, and should not have been referred to. This was a straightforward news report on the latest findings released by the IPCC. Not Upheld: Controversial Issues, Accuracy, Fairness, Responsible Programming Introduction [1] A 3 News item summarised the findings of the latest report released by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The item was broadcast on TV3 on 14 April 2014....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item looked at trial of prison inmate charged with taking a female prison officer hostage and sexually assaulting her – showed Crown prosecutor telling the court that the inmate had shown the officer a note which referred to oral sex and had sniffed a sanitary disposal unit – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on 12 May 2008, reported on the trial of a prison inmate who was facing five charges, including kidnapping and sexual assault, after taking a female prison officer hostage. The reporter stated that he had “barricaded the door and began to talk about sex and was visibly aroused”....

Complaint under section 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item about strike action at the Port of Lyttelton – showed staff who were not on strike – complainant alleged that viewers might assume that they were on strike – alleged breach of privacyFindingsStandard 3 (privacy) – staff not identifiable – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Strike action at the Port of Lyttelton was dealt with in an item broadcast on 3 News beginning at 6. 00pm on 29 March 2005. Complaint [2] The Chief Executive (Rod Grout) of Pacifica Shipping (1985) Ltd (trading as the Pacific Transport Group) complained to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 that the item breached the privacy of some Pacifica Shipping workers....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 3 News – item reported results of a survey about present and potential coalition parties for the two main political parties – item used phrase “propping up the government” on several occasions – allegedly unbalanced and inaccurate FindingsStandard 4 (balance) and Guidelines 4a, 4b, 4c – “propping up” not unacceptable in brief news item even when used repetitively – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) and Guidelines 5c and 5d – phrase has range of meanings – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The results of a survey about the present and potential coalition partners for the two main political parties were reported in an item broadcast on 3 News on TV3 at 6. 00pm on 1 August 2004....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – report on the 65th anniversary of the arrival of New Zealand’s first refugees – stated that the orphaned Polish children had spent time in Russian orphanages – allegedly inaccurate Findings Standard 5 (accuracy) – history of what happened to the Polish refugees and their families prior to coming to New Zealand was not material to the focus of the item – viewers not misled – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on Sunday 1 November 2009, reported on the 65th anniversary of New Zealand’s first refugees, who were 732 Polish children and 102 caregivers. [2] The presenter introduced the item by saying: It’s 65 years today since New Zealand welcomed its first refugees....