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Complaint3 News – dismissal of teacher – sex with student – identity revealed – privacy FindingsPrivacy – facts in public domain – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary An item on 3 News broadcast on TV3 on 26 March 2000 reported that a female teacher had had a sexual relationship with a student at a school where she had taught. She was named in the report, and a photograph of her was included in the item. In addition there was film footage showing the reporter knocking at the door of her home. Kevin Niederberger complained to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 that the teacher’s right to privacy had been violated by naming her, showing her photograph and filming her at her workplace....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – news reader stated “What is wrong with these people, I ask”, with reference to Richie McCaw and others declining invitations to Royal wedding – allegedly in breach of discrimination and denigration standard FindingsStandard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – complaint frivolous – decline to determine under section 11(a) of the Broadcasting Act This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on Wednesday 27 April 2011, reported on Prince William and Kate Middleton’s plans following their upcoming wedding. At the end of the item, the reporter stated: And just this morning we’ve heard that a third wedding guest has returned his invitation....

Complaint3 News – interview with actor Matt Damon included scenes from action movie "The Bourne Identity" – excessive violence – no warning – alarm children FindingsStandard 10 and Guideline 10g and Standard 9 – majority – sufficient care shown given item’s introduction and type of violence portrayed – no uphold – minority – material inappropriate in G rated time-slot – uphold Standard 1 and Guideline 1a – acceptable in context – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] An interview with actor Matt Damon while visiting Sydney was included in an item on 3 News broadcast by TV3 between 6. 00 – 7. 00pm on 28 August 2002. The interview included two fight scenes from his recent film "The Bourne Identity"....

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 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(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....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An item on 3 News discussed New Zealand’s efforts to remove the veto power held by permanent member states on the United Nations Security Council. Both the presenter and reporter referred to a recent example of Russia exercising its veto in relation to a proposed tribunal to investigate the crash of flight MH17. The Authority declined to uphold a complaint that the item was misleading and unbalanced because Russia in fact was supportive of investigating the MH17 tragedy and holding those responsible to account, but was not in favour of setting up a tribunal on the matter. The item was materially accurate and the reference to Russia’s exercise of the veto power did not amount to a discussion of a controversial issue of public importance which triggered the need to present alternative views....

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. ] 3 News reported on an incident in which Pam Corkery of the Internet-Mana Party swore at journalists. The Authority declined to uphold the complaint that the inclusion of the word 'shit' breached standards. Ms Corkery's choice of language was largely what made her behaviour newsworthy, and it was in the public interest to show viewers the footage uncensored. The inclusion of one swearword during an unclassified news programme targeted at adults did not threaten broadcasting standards. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Children's Interests Introduction [1] A 3 News item briefly reported on an incident in which the Internet-Mana Party's press secretary, Pam Corkery, was filmed swearing at journalists at the party's campaign launch....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item reported on a 3-year-old child walking a tightrope over a tiger enclosure – allegedly in breach of children’s interests FindingsStandard 9 (children’s interests) – light-hearted human interest story – child not humiliated – adequate care and sensitivity shown by broadcaster – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on Wednesday 14 April 2010, reported that a 3-year-old child had walked a tightrope above a tiger enclosure in China as part of a publicity stunt for a circus....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – four items reporting special investigation into Ministry of Social Development’s “Community Max” projects questioned how millions of dollars had been spent – reporter visited sites of six projects – allegedly in breach of controversial issues, accuracy, fairness, and discrimination and denigration standards FindingsStandard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – items discussed a controversial issue of public importance – broadcaster made reasonable efforts to present significant points of view on the issue within the period of current interest – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – very small number of minor points had the potential to be misleading – however in the context of four items which legitimately questioned government spending upholding the complaint would unreasonably restrict the broadcaster’s right to freedom of expression – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – MSD should expect that as a government Ministry it is subject to scrutiny…...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item reported on the Conservative Party leader and apparent party practices – allegedly in breach of discrimination and denigration standard FindingsStandard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – item was a legitimate and straightforward news report – did not encourage the denigration of, or discrimination against, any section of the community – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on 7 May 2012 on TV3, was introduced by the newsreader as follows: Colin Craig’s Conservative Party has a distinctly Christian streak and so does his workplace. 3 News has learned it includes weekly prayers often led by him. Craig says it’s something other employers should adopt, just like Friday night drinks....

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 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....

Complaint3 News – complainants included one of two survivors of an air crash in which eight people died – message left on answerphone reporting progress and advising that they were not giving interviews to media – answerphone message omitting reference to interviews broadcast as part of news item – breach of privacy – unfair FindingsStandard 3, Privacy Principles (i) and (iii) – answerphone message aimed at all callers – information was released to the public – no intrusion in the nature of prying – no uphold Standard 6 and Guideline 6e – time of stress for the complainants – high public interest – contents of message in public arena – use of message not insensitive or unfair – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint3 News – complainant victim of rape and attempted murder in the United States – alleged offender arrested after 20 years because of DNA evidence – news item showed photo of complainant at time of offence – breach of privacy – community standards not maintained – item caused unnecessary distress – item involved unnecessary intrusion into complainant and family’s grief FindingsPrivacy – complainant not identified – no uphold Standard G2 – images not breach of community standards in context – no uphold Standard G16 – issues better addressed under G17 Standard G17 – intrusion into grief occurred – but valid news item and no unnecessary gratuitous detail This headnote does not form part of the decision Summary [1] The complainant, a New Zealand woman, was the victim of a rape and attempted murder in the United States....

Complaint3 News – possible cure for cancer – deceptive – misleadingFindingsStandard G7 – not applicable Standard G11 – not applicable Standard G15 – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary A dietary supplement made from pig pancreatic enzymes was said to provide a possible cure for cancer, according to an item on 3 News broadcast on 11 May 2000 between 6. 00–7. 00pm. Murray Tonks complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd, the broadcaster, that the item lacked scientific credibility and that it was apparent that there was no independently verified research findings which backed the claims made. In his view, the item used a deceptive programme practice and was misleading, as it could have raised false hopes for cancer sufferers....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item broadcast secret recording of comments made by National Party deputy leader Bill English – allegedly unfair Findings Standard 6 (fairness) – broadcast of anonymously supplied tape inherently unfair – however, Mr English had opportunity to comment, John Key provided comment, and 3 News informed viewers of circumstances surrounding the tape – degree of public interest leading up to election – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on 4 November 2008, reported that 3 News had been sent a secret recording of comments made by the deputy leader of the National Party, Bill English, at a cocktail party during National's August 2008 conference. The 3 News presenter said, The recording is clearly designed to derail John Key’s election campaign ....