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Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – after an item about duck hunting maimais, the news presenter stated “a man needs his cave” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – complainant mistaken – broadcaster’s response adequate – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast on TV One at approximately 6. 55pm on Friday 2 May 2008, reported on a group of duck-hunting “Southern men” who held an annual award ceremony for the best maimai (a camouflaged construction that shelters and hides duck hunters). The item looked at two different maimais, one consisting of a raised camouflaged caravan, and the other a small house-like structure that had running water, beer on tap and SKY television....

ComplaintOne News – item reported findings of preliminary study reported in Science – excessive amounts of vitamin C – possibly carcinogenic – inaccurate and unbalanced FindingsStandard G1 – tentative nature of research stressed – no uphold Standard G6 – care when interpreting result emphasised – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary The preliminary results of a research programme which suggested that excessive doses of vitamin C might contribute to tissue damage linked to cancer was the subject of an item on One News broadcast at 6. 00pm on 15 July 2001. Glenn Seal complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the item was neither accurate nor balanced. In response, TVNZ pointed out the item’s emphasis on the preliminary nature of the research, and added that it was not claimed that vitamin C caused cancer. It declined to uphold the complaint....

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....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]At the end of a One News weather segment, the weather presenter made reference to ‘bejewelled, corpulent, affluent tourists with big fat wallets’ in relation to a photo of a cruise ship. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the comment was inaccurate and in poor taste. While derogatory, it did not reach the threshold for threatening current norms of good taste and decency. The comment was an off-the-cuff remark delivered in a light-hearted tone, without invective, and was obviously intended to be humorous. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Accuracy, Discrimination and DenigrationIntroduction[1] At the end of a One News weather segment, the weather presenter showed an image of a cruise ship anchored in Hawkes Bay, saying: …they’re not disgorging logs; they’re disgorging bejewelled, corpulent, affluent tourists with big fat wallets....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]Two ONE News items covered the lava eruption of Mount Kilauea that threatened a small town in Hawaii. The complainant alleged that the temperatures of the lava given in the news items were inaccurate. The Authority declined to determine the complaint on the basis it was trivial, as it related to a technical and insignificant aspect of the broadcast. The complainant continues to refer similar complaints to the Authority despite previous decisions. Declined to determine: AccuracyIntroduction[1] Two ONE News items covered the lava eruption of Mount Kilauea which threatened a small town in Hawaii. [2] Mr McDonald complained that references to the temperatures of the lava in the two items were inaccurate. [3] The issue is whether Mr McDonald's concerns raise issues of broadcasting standards of a level which warrant our determination....

ComplaintOne News – item about HIV positive man facing charges of sexual offending – HIV status irrelevant to criminal allegations – broadcaster did not respect principles of law - unbalanced – impartial – unfair – broadcaster not mindful of effect on children – item caused unnecessary panic, alarm and distress FindingsStandard G5 – standard concerned with maintenance of law and order – possible breach of law beyond Authority’s jurisdiction – no uphold Standard G16 – broadcast did not cause "unnecessary" alarm – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary An item on One News broadcast on TV One at 6. 00pm on 23 November 2000 described the court appearance of a North Shore teacher who faced 20 charges in relation to sex offences allegedly committed against six boys. The news item described the man, whose name had been suppressed, as having tested HIV positive....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – 24 December item interviewed woman whose husband was killed by a drunk driver – 7 January item spoke to youths appearing in court after being arrested for drink-driving – both items allegedly in breach of controversial issues and accuracy FindingsStandard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – items were straightforward news reports – no discussion of a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – complainant did not identify any inaccuracies – not misleading to omit discussion of the points raised by the complainant – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item on search for missing sailor – report stated that air force had covered an area of around 360,000 kilometres – allegedly inaccurate FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – complaint vexatious and trivial – 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 One News, broadcast on TV One at 6pm on Monday 29 March 2010, reported on a missing sailor whose boat had been found off the Chatham Islands – the man was still missing, but his dog was found alive on board the boat. [2] During the item, the reporter stated that a “helicopter and Airforce Orion covered an area of around 360,000 kilometres from Gisborne to the East Cape”....

ComplaintOne News – file footage of partly naked meningitis victim – unconscious – privacy FindingsPrivacy principles (i), (ii), (vi) and (vii) – facts not highly offensive and objectionable – public interest and consent defences – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary File footage of an unconscious man then suffering from meningococcal meningitis was shown during an item on One News broadcast on TV One between 6. 00 and 7. 00pm on 30 April 2000. Kathleen Hobo complained to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 that the footage breached the man’s privacy, as he was filmed naked, except for a disposable nappy. In its response, Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, said that the man’s mother had consented to the filming before the original broadcast, and that it considered the rebroadcast footage was neither voyeuristic nor exploitative....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Lead item on One News – investigative report into alleged pornographer in Gisborne – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency FindingsStandard 1 (Good taste and decency) – item was genuinely newsworthy – strong warning given – news by very nature will often deal with distasteful material – content not offensive – images discreet – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1]The lead item on One News on 1 August 2004 was a report from Television New Zealand’s investigative team concerning an alleged pornographer in Gisborne. The item alleged that the man was involved in procuring under-age girls for sex and the making of pornography, including through the use of stupefying drugs, and that he lured women into pornography by making false promises and statements....

ComplaintOne News – collapse of floor during wedding celebration in Jerusalem – amateur footage of moment of collapse – gratuitous and sensationalist – breach of good taste and decency FindingsStandard G2 – footage a legitimate part of news item – not especially graphic – no uphold Standard V12 – action taken by broadcaster sufficient – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary An item broadcast on One News at 6pm on 26 May 2001 reported on a civil disaster in Israel, in which the floor of a building in Jerusalem had collapsed during a wedding party, killing 30 people and injuring hundreds more. The item featured amateur video footage from the wedding celebration, including the moment the floor collapsed. J Carapiet complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the broadcast breached standards of good taste and decency....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item reported on Hone Harawira’s travel expenses – stated that he “racked up a $35,000 travel bill. . . that’s almost $4000 more than the Māori Party’s total travel bill” – allegedly inaccurate and unfair to Mr Harawira FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – comparison based on Parliamentary Service expenditure only – failed to mention that Māori Party MPs also received funds from Ministerial Services – created misleading impression that Mr Harawira spent more than the entire Māori Party on travel – upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – Hone Harawira is a political figure who should expect robust criticism – not unfair – not upheldNo Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] An item on One News, broadcast at 6pm on Thursday 28 April 2011, reported on MP Hone Harawira’s travel expenses....

ComplaintOne News – interview with golfer Michael Campbell – liquor signage on backdrop – incidental promotion not minimised – upheld by TVNZ – a breach of standard A3 – staff reminded of responsibilities – action insufficient FindingsActon taken sufficient This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Golfer Michael Campbell was interviewed on One News, broadcast on TV One on 16 January 2001, about his participation in the forthcoming New Zealand open golfing championship. The work "Steinlager" was clearly visible on the backdrop behind him. GALA’s Complaints Secretary (Cliff Turner) complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the signage breached the standard which required that incidental liquor promotions be minimised. TVNZ upheld the complaint. It acknowledged that a different camera angle could have been used. It advised that sports staff had been fully reminded of their responsibilities under the Promotion of Liquor Code....

Complaint under section 8(1A) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item on education programme established to prevent youth suicide and self harm – included footage of students – allegedly in breach of privacy FindingsStandard 3 (privacy) – students, teachers and parents identifiable but no private facts disclosed in broadcast and filming was in a public place – those shown not particularly vulnerable – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast on Friday 26 November at 6. 25pm, reported on the establishment of an education programme in a South Auckland community aimed at preventing youth suicide and self-harm. The news reader introduced the item by stating that “Kaumatua gathered to bless a South Auckland school after a number of teen deaths in the area. One is related to a circulating text message promoting self-harm”....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item allegedly contained comments that were inconsistent with BBC report – allegedly in breach of accuracy standardFindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – broadcaster unable to locate comments specified by the complainant – Authority therefore unable to assess broadcasting standards against those comments – Authority declines to determine the complaint in all the circumstances under section 11(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] J M Baxter made a formal complaint to TVNZ about an item broadcast on One News at 6pm on 22 September 2012. He asserted that the item was inconsistent with a BBC report which quoted the United States Attorney General saying that New Zealand had opened its ports to US war ships....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]A ONE News item reported on Maritime New Zealand’s lifejacket awareness campaign and featured footage of a female boatie, QA, at the Takapuna Beach boat ramp. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that showing her in the item breached her privacy, and that her comment to the reporter was taken out of context which was inaccurate and unfair. Not Upheld: Privacy, Accuracy, FairnessIntroduction[1] A ONE News item reported on Maritime New Zealand’s lifejacket awareness campaign, in light of six drownings in the first week of summer. Introducing the item, the presenter stated, ‘[Our reporter] found Auckland boaties were complacent about the dangers’. In a pre-recorded item, the reporter said, ‘We’ve been at Takapuna boat ramp for just 15 minutes, and out of three boats, six of eight people on board weren’t wearing lifejackets’....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An item on ONE News and a later ONE News update showed a highly-ranked New Zealand mixed martial artist's loss in an Ultimate Fighting Championship match, in which he was kicked and punched repeatedly in the head. The Authority declined to uphold two complaints that the footage was excessively violent because the level of physicality was not unexpected and acceptable in the context of a sport news story covering a fight. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Responsible Programming, Children's Interests, ViolenceIntroduction[1] An item on ONE News and a later ONE News update showed a highly-ranked New Zealand mixed martial artist's loss in an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) match, in which he was kicked and punched repeatedly in the head until the referee stopped the fight....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – report on National Party leader John Key's "state of the nation" speech – included responses from community groups and the Prime Minister – allegedly unbalanced FindingsStandard 4 (balance) – reasonable efforts made to present significant viewpoints – 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 30 January 2007, reported on the "state of the nation" speech by National Party leader, John Key. It showed parts of Mr Key's speech and also contained a short excerpt from a speech by the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, in which she disputed Mr Key's assertion that there was a "growing underclass" in New Zealand. [2] The One News political editor commented that Mr Key's speech had not contained "a lot of real concrete solutions"....

ComplaintOne News – item reported the issue of a safety advisory notice for an oil heater sold through the Warehouse – following item reported death of two girls in fire thought to have been caused by gas heater – complaint that items unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair Findings Standard 4 – each item balanced – not upheld Standard 5 – each item accurate – not upheld Standard 6 – juxtaposition of items created misleading impression – unfair – upheld No OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision Summary [1] The issue of a safety advisory notice about the Brio Five Fin oil heater, sold through The Warehouse stores, was reported in an item broadcast on One News on 30 August 2003 beginning at 6. 00pm on TV One....