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Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item reported on death of Osama Bin Laden – included image of bruised and bloodied face – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decency, controversial issues, responsible programming, children’s interests and violence FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – image related to major international event – clear warning given – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – contextual factors – image preceded by prolonged and detailed warning – broadcaster exercised adequate care and discretion when dealing with the issue of violence – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – 3 News was an unclassified news programme targeted at adults – news often deals with unpleasant material – clear warning – broadcaster adequately considered children’s interests – not upheld Standard 8 (responsible programming) – 3 News was an unclassified news programme – standard not applicable – not…...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1991-041:Children's Media Watch and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1991-041 PDF788. 47 KB...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]The host of Paul Henry said ‘bastards’ when referring to phone scammers and said the word ‘God’ several times as an exclamation when discussing the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that this language breached broadcasting standards. It would not have offended a significant number of viewers or adversely affected any children who might have been watching. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Children’s Interests, Discrimination and DenigrationIntroduction[1] The host of Paul Henry said ‘bastards’ when referencing phone scammers and said the word ‘God’ several times when discussing the 2015 Rugby World Cup – for example, ‘by God they are playing well’. [2] Craig Davie complained that Mr Henry used ‘foul language’ and was ‘taking the lord’s name in vain’, which was offensive and unsuitable for children....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item regarding the death of actress Janet Leigh who starred in the movie “Psycho” – segment included the scene in which her character was stabbed to death in the shower – allegedly contrary to children’s interestsFindingsStandard 9 (children’s interests) – clearly identified film clip – not realistic – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News broadcast on TV One at 6pm on 5 October 2004 reported on the death of actress Janet Leigh, who had starred in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller “Psycho”. The segment included a scene from that movie in which Ms Leigh’s character was stabbed to death in the shower. Complaint [2] On behalf of Viewers for Television Excellence Inc....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News and Tonight – allegations of gang-related bullying at Taradale High School – item reported that petition given to school board by students – reported that petition was against bullying and sought to have students responsible removed – One News referred to troublemaking students as “Black Power bullies” – Tonight referred to them as “Black Power babies” – allegedly in breach of standards relating to balance, accuracy, fairness and children’s interestsFindingsMr Calcinai’s complaintStandard 5 (accuracy) – item implied that Board of Trustees took no action until presented with students’ petition – inaccurate – petition did not request board to remove students referred to as “Black Power babies” – inaccurate – situation described as “bullying” – was in fact two conflicting parties – not made clear in item – inaccurate – upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – unfair to school’s reputation to suggest gang-related…...

Complaint Shortland Street – episodes involving – casual sex (one night stand) – the use of toothpaste to make a child ill – ending an episode with voodoo-inspired fear – adult themes – inappropriate for broadcast to young people at 7. 00pm FindingsStandard G8 – appropriately rated PGR – no uphold Standard G12 – classification evidence of being mindful of children – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] Shortland Street is a long running fictional series broadcast at 7. 00pm on weekdays on TV2. The episode broadcast on 12 August 2001 included a central character having a one-night sexual encounter, the episode on 17 August raised the possibility of giving a child some toothpaste to make her ill to enable the mother to have a break, and on 21 August, an episode concluded with fear inspired by the use of voodoo....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Closer – scene involving internet sex-chat contained sexually explicit dialogue – use of the word “cunt” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interests Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – language was relevant to the storyline and character development – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – broadcaster adequately considered the interests of child viewers – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Closer, a film based on a play by Patrick Marber which followed the love affairs of two couples, was broadcast on TV One at 8. 30pm on Sunday 10 February 2008....

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....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1990-004:Hamilton and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1990-004 PDF736. 19 KB...

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]A promo for the series Broadchurch screened during a PGR-rated episode of Masterchef New Zealand. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the promo contained material likely to alarm or distress children. Any suggestion of something sinister occurring in the series was implied only, and not explicitly described or shown. None of the content warranted an AO classification or later time of broadcast. Not Upheld: Children's InterestsIntroduction[1] A two-minute promo for Broadchurch outlined the premise of an upcoming series. It screened within a PGR-rated episode of Masterchef New Zealand, at 7. 30pm on TV ONE on Sunday 4 May 2014. [2] Samantha Fleming complained that the promo contained material that would have been distressing for children and was unsuitable for the timeslot....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 107/94 Dated the 7th day of November 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by J P LOWE of Clive Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson J R Morris L M Loates W J Fraser...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989My Wife and Kids – adult character made references to sex life – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interests Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) and Standard 9 (children’s interests) – programme contained oblique and light-hearted sexual innuendo – mild sexual banter would have gone over the heads of younger viewers – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of My Wife and Kids was broadcast on TV2 at 5. 30pm on Wednesday 11 February 2009. At the beginning of the programme, a family were shown sitting around their kitchen table eating when the mother announced that she wanted to open her own restaurant. The children left the room and the mother and father were left sitting at the table....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) and 8(1B)(b)(ii) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – two items covering the murder trial of Clayton Weatherston – first item contained footage of Mr Weatherston in court describing his attack – second item included the prosecutor saying the word “fucking” three times – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, fairness, discrimination and denigration, responsible programming, children’s interests and violence standards Findings13 July item Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – details of attack given by Mr Weatherston were explicit – item should have been preceded by a warning – upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – item should have been preceded by a warning – broadcast during children’s normally accepted viewing times – broadcaster did not adequately consider the interests of child viewers – upheld Standard 10 (violence) – item contained explicit details of violence – broadcaster did not exercise sufficient care and discretion – upheld Standard 6 (fairness)…...

ComplaintHolmes – item on Erotica exhibition – offensive behaviour Findings: Standard G6 – no uphold Standard G7 – not applicable Standard G11 – not applicable Standard G12 – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary A Holmes item broadcast on TV One on 4 August 2000 between 7. 00–7. 30pm dealt with a trade fair held in Auckland entitled Erotica 2000. According to the organisers, the fair was intended to change people’s perception of erotica being sleazy and to present it as mainstream. Dennis Walker complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the broadcast promoted the sex industry as a viable lifestyle and that TVNZ was irresponsible in screening such material. In his view, all aspects of the sex industry degraded women. In its response, TVNZ noted that the broadcast had taken a "light-hearted look" at the trade fair....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-097 Dated the 22nd day of August 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by JOHN FOWLIE of Paeroa Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

ComplaintLaw and Order – person with mental illness portrayed as violent, unpredictable and evil – inaccurate – unfair – stereotype FindingsStandard G1 – fiction – no uphold Standard G6 – fiction – no uphold Standard G12 – 9. 30pm not usual children’s viewing time – decline to determine Standard G13 – dramatic work – no uphold Standard G20 – fiction – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The murder of an eight-year-old boy and subsequent investigation was dramatised in an episode of Law and Order broadcast on TV3 at 9. 30pm on 15 December 2001. It was disclosed that he was killed by two girls (aged 13 and 10) and at the trial, the prosecution argued that the younger girl was a "sociopath", while the defence argued that she had "frontal lobe damage" following an accident, and had suffered ongoing abuse....

ComplaintFair Go – “Fair Go Ad Awards” – presenter lampooned margarine advertisement – sexual suggestions allegedly offensive and unsuitable for childrenFindings Standard 1 – sexual innuendo oblique and inexplicit – comedy – not upheld Standard 9 – not unsuitable for children in context – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the Decision Summary [1] The annual “Fair Go Ad Awards” included a segment during which the presenter lampooned an advertisement for margarine, which had been nominated for “worst ad”. The episode of Fair Go was broadcast on TV One at 7. 30pm on 15 October 2003. [2] Geoff New complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the parodies contained sexually suggestive material which breached standards of good taste and decency and was unsuitable for children. [3] In response, TVNZ disagreed that the programme breached broadcasting standards....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Paddle Pop Begins – children’s cartoon – main character’s name was the same as a brand of iceblock – allegedly in breach of responsible programming and children’s interests standards Findings Standard 8 (responsible programming) – accept that Streets logo and name of character amounted to branding or marketing – however programme was clearly a children’s cartoon rather than an “advertisement” for the purposes of guideline 8d – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – programme would not have alarmed or disturbed child viewers – broadcaster adequately considered children’s interests – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] An episode of the children’s cartoon Paddle Pop Begins was broadcast on TV3 at 8. 25am on 13 October 2011....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1997-175 Dated the 15th day of December 1997 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by ANDREW MACPHERSON of Wellington Broadcaster TV3 NETWORK SERVICES LIMITED S Maling Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod J Withers...