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The Authority has not upheld a complaint concerning an interview on Breakfast. In a discussion concerning Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s State of the Nation speech, the host stated to ACT Party Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden ‘You mentioned that, division was from the previous Government. I mean, come on, you look at the Treaty of Waitangi. You must be able to read the room in terms of how the nation is feeling towards that Bill by your party. ’ The complainant considered the host’s implication that this division was caused by ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill was inaccurate, unbalanced and unfair. The Authority found that the question was comment, analysis or opinion to which the accuracy standard did not apply. The other standards either did not apply or were not breached. Not Upheld: Accuracy, Balance, Fairness...

The Authority has not upheld an accuracy complaint about a 1News segment on the dangers of crossing sand bars. In the segment, a Coastguard representative said, ‘We recommend crossing the bar at high or low tide, so we can try and take the current out of the equation’. The complaint alleged the recommendation to cross at low tide was ‘wrong’ and ‘dangerous’ and Coastguard were not an authoritative source regarding maritime matters. The Authority considered there were reasonable arguments for a finding the statement was not materially inaccurate in the context of the broadcast. The segment’s overall emphasis was on the dangers and complexity in crossing sand bars, and the statement addressed just one of several risk factors mentioned. In any event, the Authority found it was reasonable for the broadcaster to rely on information provided by the Coastguard representative on this topic. Not Upheld: Accuracy...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint under the offensive and disturbing content, balance and accuracy standards about a segment of The Watermelon Report that said Jesus Christ was ‘a Palestinian’ and ‘a Palestinian refugee’. The Authority found the segment was unlikely to disproportionately offend or disturb the audience in the context of audience expectations of The Watermelon Report and the host. The broadcaster’s proactive broadcast of a clarification indicating the claim about Jesus was the presenter’s view and was ‘not universally supported’ addressed any concerns under the accuracy standard. The balance standard did not apply. Not Upheld: Offensive and Disturbing Content, Balance, Accuracy...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that two interviews on Morning Report, which explored the propriety of funding for a campaign to encourage Māori to register on the Māori electoral roll, breached the balance and accuracy standards. The complainant said the interviews with Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, Chair of the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (WOCA) which funded the campaign, and with Hon Shane Jones, who was asked to comment on the issue, displayed ‘anti-Māori bias’. Noting the broadcast incorrectly stated WOCA was a government agency, the complainant also said listeners would be left with an impression there was corruption taking place based on a false assumption. The Authority found the balance standard was not breached as significant perspectives about the advertising campaign were presented in the broadcast and in other media within the period of current interest....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that action taken was insufficient, after the broadcaster upheld a complaint under the accuracy standard about a statement in First Up that Israel had ‘always been adamant’ there would never be a Palestinian state. The Authority agreed with the broadcaster’s decision that the statement was materially inaccurate. However, it found the broadcaster complied with the accuracy standard requirement to correct material errors within a reasonable period, given its prompt broadcast of a correction. It also found the correction was not insufficient by virtue of having omitted additional context sought by the complainant. The balance standard did not apply. Not Upheld: Accuracy (Action Taken), Balance...

SummaryA news report on Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report on 20 November 1998 at about 7. 30am stated: "In Israel more land is to be handed over to the Palestinians". Ms Zarifeh, on behalf of the Wellington Palestine Group, complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the report was inaccurate. She pointed out that the land in question was not in Israel, but was illegally occupied by Israel. It was wrong, she continued, to convey the impression that Israel was somehow being generous in giving the land away. The Group had complained about such inferences in reporting on a number of occasions in the past, she noted, and it was unfortunate that RNZ had "resumed the practice of mislabelling the boundaries of the Middle East....

Summary Good Morning’s nutritionist interviewed a representative from the International Soy Advisory Board and demonstrated the use of soy products in cooking in a broadcast by TVNZ on TVOne on 3 May 1999 beginning at 10. 00am. Mr James of Whangarei complained to Television New Zealand Ltd that the programme was unbalanced, unfair and inaccurate as it did not warn viewers of the known health risks of using soy products, nor did it reveal that the guest was either a consultant to or an employee of a company which markets the products. TVNZ responded that the programme did not purport to investigate the merits of soy products, but was essentially a cooking demonstration carried out while the guest discussed the principal ingredient. It maintained that as research on the benefits of soy products was equivocal, it was not in a position to judge whether the broadcast was accurate....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item about the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster – said that it had killed “16,000, possibly double, even treble that” – complaint that figure was inaccurate – broadcaster upheld the complaint on the basis that there was dispute about the number of deaths and the item should have reported this – broadcaster discussed the issue with newsroom staff – complainant dissatisfied with reasons for upholding decision and action takenFindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – CanWest’s reasons for upholding decision were incorrect – should have upheld the complaint on the basis that the figures in the report were inaccurate, not because the position was uncertain – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item on recent memorial to Māori Battalion in Gisborne – noted Maori Battalion had highest casualty rate of any New Zealand unit in the war – allegedly inaccurateFindingsPrinciple 5 (accuracy) – ambiguity in words used – complainant and broadcaster took different meaning from words – unable to determine accuracy – declined to determine under s11(b) of Broadcasting Act 1989 This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News on 11 July 2004 noted the unveiling of a memorial to the Māori Battalion which fought in the Second World War. The item included the statement: By the time the Māori Battalion arrived home, they’d suffered the highest casualty rate of any unit in the war, 680 men killed....

Summary An item reporting on the result of a One Network News/Colmar Brunton political poll was broadcast on One Network News on TV One 21 June 1999 between 6. 00pm and 7. 00pm. Mr Helm complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the item was misleading and inaccurate in its interpretation of the poll results. He said that the item incorrectly linked voter support to the potential composition of a future Parliament. He said that the interpretation was based on a wrong assumption that the poll results, if reflected in a general election, would lead to proportional, or very nearly proportional, representation. TVNZ responded that the item was an accurate indication of political preferences at the time of polling....

SummaryMalcolm Sutherland, a New Zealand soldier in Vietnam in 1970, was killed by "friendly fire". The incident was "covered-up" by the platoon commander, Lieutenant Roger Mortlock, and the death was reported officially as being the result of "enemy fire". The cover-up was explained on a 20/20 item broadcast at 7. 30pm on 21 February 1999. The item reported that (now) Brigadier Mortlock had recently resigned under threat of dismissal. Ms Banbury, the late Malcolm Sutherland’s sister, complained directly to the Broadcasting Standards Authority, under s. 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 1989, that the item breached her privacy as she and another brother had been filmed at an emotional time at a Vietnam Veterans’ Reunion in 1998 when they accepted an honour on her brother’s behalf at a time when they did not know the true situation....

Summary Auckland’s controversial Britomart development was the subject of discussion on John Banks’ talkback programme on Radio Pacific broadcast on 30 July 1999 between 6. 30–7. 30am. Mr Banks, an opponent of the project, suggested that the developer, Mr Lu, should return to his home country in Asia. He said "we don’t want to pour our money down your loo Mr Lu. " Savoy Equities Ltd, on behalf of Mr Lu, complained to Radio Pacific Ltd, the broadcaster, that the comments made were personally abusive and insulting, and incited hostility towards Chinese and Singaporeans. It contended that the host’s remarks were aggravated by what it called his ignorance of the facts. Radio Pacific responded that Mr Lu had been offered the opportunity to respond on-air at the time, but had declined....

Complaint under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Summer Report – panel discussion about healthy eating and exercise – reference to healthy food pyramid – advice given that not all fats were bad – unsaturated fat preferred to saturated fats – item alleged to be inaccurate, unfair and unbalancedFindings Principle 4 (balance – the safety of trans-fats not a controversial issue dealt with in the broadcast – not upheld Principle 5 (fairness) – trans-fats peripheral – not upheld Principle 6 (accuracy) – trans-fats not the topic of discussion – not upheldObservation Authority may decline to determine further complaints from Ms James when complaint only about peripheral matter dealt with in broadcastThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A panel discussion about healthy eating and exercise was broadcast as part of Summer Report on National Radio between 8. 00 to10. 00am on Thursday 8 January 2004....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – reported sentencing of man convicted for stabbing a teenage tagger – reporter asked victim’s family for comment regarding defence lawyer telling them to “get over it” – footage showed lawyer saying it was “time for people to move forward, to move on” – allegedly in breach of accuracy and fairness Findings Standard 5 (accuracy) – reporter’s question was a reasonable summation of the lawyer’s comments when juxtaposed with footage of lawyer’s comments – not inaccurate or misleading – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – complainant did not identify who he thought was treated unfairly – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989All Night Programme – host used the phrase “50 times less power” – allegedly inaccurate Findings Standard 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] At approximately 12. 10am on Radio New Zealand National on Saturday 24 October 2009, the radio host of the All Night Programme discussed the “World Solar Challenge”, a race across Australia using cars powered by the sun. He referred to Cambridge University’s entry, saying: “‘Endeavour’ requires 50 times less power than a normal petrol-fuelled vehicle, and experts believe that aspects of its design should provide a model for green vehicles in the future” – that from team spokeswoman Lucy Hickmet....

Summary An Our World programme about wetas, broadcast on TV One between 6. 30 – 7. 30pm on 21 June 1998, included a reference to the "Auckland Museum" in the credits. On behalf of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Public Petition Campaign Group, Mr Corrin complained to Television New Zealand Ltd that it was factually incorrect to describe the Auckland War Memorial Museum as the "Auckland Museum". On the basis that the Broadcasting Standards Authority had accepted in an earlier decision that a brief reference to the "Auckland Museum" did not contravene the standards, TVNZ declined to uphold the complaint. Dissatisfied with decision, Mr Corrin referred the Group’s complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989. For the reasons below, the Authority declines to determine the complaint....

ComplaintOne News – Olympic competitors banned for drug use – athlete Marion Jones suspected – unfair – inaccurate FindingsStandard G1 – not applicable Standard G4 – report on speculation not unfair – no uphold Standard G5 – speculation not illegal – no uphold Standards G14, G19 and G21 – not applicable This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Under the heading "Drug Cheats", a promo for Holmes broadcast on TV One on 28 September 2000 questioned whether athlete Marion Jones and swimmer Inge de Bruijn had taken performance-enhancing drugs before the Olympic Games in Sydney. John O’Neill complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the allegations required an explanation. He said he had not heard anything to link athlete Marion Jones to drugs, and he wondered where TVNZ had got its information, and whether the allegation was justified....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint under the accuracy standard about Dr Siouxsie Wiles’ statement ‘It's safe to have the [COVID-19 Pfizer] vaccine if you're pregnant’. The Authority found the statement was materially accurate. In any event, it was reasonable for the broadcaster to rely on Dr Siouxsie Wiles as an authoritative source. Not Upheld: Accuracy...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 158/95 Dated the 19th day of December 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by LLOYD MINCHINGTON of Christchurch Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod...