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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....

Warning: This decision contains language and themes that some readers may find offensive. Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]National Treasure is a four-episode fictional mini-series telling the story of a famous comedian’s life falling into chaos following allegations against him of historical sexual abuse. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the use of the word ‘fuck’ in the first two episodes, or a conversation about oral sex in the first episode, breached the good taste and decency or children’s interests standards. The Authority acknowledged that some viewers may find this content challenging or offensive....

Complaints under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Campbell Live – item reported on bullying at Massey High School – contained repeated footage of girls fighting – item was not preceded by a warning – parents and students interviewed expressed dissatisfaction at how the school had handled the incident – allegedly in breach of standards relating to privacy, accuracy, fairness, responsible programming, children’s interests, and violence FindingsStandard 3 (privacy) – students shown in the footage were not identifiable beyond those who would have already known about the altercation – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – item did not present itself as a follow-up to the previous story on bullying and was not unfair to X, his parents or Massey in this respect – impression created about fighting and bullying at Massey was not the result of unfairness but stemmed from the facts of the incident and the response of students and parents…...

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]The Authority declined to uphold complaints that three broadcasts showing fishing and hunting were barbaric and cruel. As the Authority has noted in previous decisions on similar complaints from the complainant, killing and preparing animals to eat is a fact of life and her concerns are based primarily on personal lifestyle preferences, not broadcasting standards issues. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Law and Order, Controversial Issues, Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration, Responsible Programming, Children's Interests, ViolenceIntroduction[1] Peta Feral complained about three episodes of fishing and hunting programmes. In general, her complaints were that fishing and hunting are barbaric and cruel. More specifically, she objected to the practices of catch-and-release fishing, live baiting and boar hunting. [2] The issue is whether the broadcasts breached any of the standards set out in the Free-to-Air Television Code of Broadcasting Practice....

An appeal against this decision was dismissed in the High Court: AP90-SW02 PDF980. 81 KBComplaintScream – movie – breach of good taste – glamorised criminal activity – inappropriately classified AO – broadcaster not mindful of effect on child viewers – broadcaster did not exercise care and discretion regarding violenceFindings(1) Standard 9, Guideline 9b – gruesome and horrific violence – scene at 8. 45pm – uphold Standard 9, Guidelines 9a, 9c, 9e and 9f – subsumed(2) Standard 1 – no uphold(3) Standard 2 – no uphold(4) Standard 7, Guideline 7a – no uphold(5) Standard 10, Guidelines 10a, 10b and 10f – horror film – included elements of parody – violence highly unrealistic – no upholdNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary[1] Scream is a teen horror movie which parodies the horror movie genre. The movie was broadcast on TV3 at 8. 30pm on 18 January 2002....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 22/95 Dated the 12th day of April 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by WENDY SHEPHERD of Levin Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson L M Loates W J Fraser...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 130/95 Dated the 16th day of November 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by FRANCIS FISCHER of Dipton Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 59/94 Dated the 2nd day of August 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by EXCLUSIVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I. W. Gallaway Chairperson J. R. Morris R. A. Barraclough L. M. Dawson...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-052 Decision No: 1996-053 Dated the 16th day of May 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by JOHN SHRAPNELL of Wellington and CLIVE BOOCK of Dunedin Broadcaster TV3 NETWORK SERVICES LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

ComplaintHolmes – footage of English coach’s half-time speech – offensive language – unsuitable for childrenFindings(1) Standard G2 – use of language not endorsed – no uphold (2) Standard G12 – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Footage from a soccer coach’s half-time speech to players which contained strong language was broadcast on Holmes on TV One on 27 April 2000 beginning at 7. 00pm. Paul Schwabe complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the footage contained repeated and gratuitous offensive language. He contended that the item was offensive and unsuitable for children. TVNZ responded that the item was linked to new research findings that such angry motivational speeches did not assist performance, and maintained that the item was of topical interest....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Blender – music video included segments of a toddler being frightened by people dressed up as monsters – child shown crying and distressed – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, children’s interests and violence standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – video unrealistic – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – music video broadcast at 11. 33pm – standard does not apply – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – video did not contain any scenes of violence – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] During an episode of the music video programme Blender, broadcast on C4 at 11. 30pm on 8 June 2009, a video for a song called “Kids” by the band MGMT was played....

ComplaintMusic Video – "Beautiful Day" – offensive behaviour – unsuitable for children FindingsStandard G2 – kissing shown – not offensive – no uphold Standard G12 – content acceptable – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary A music video was broadcast on TV One at about 8. 00am on Sunday 8 October 2000 between a religious programme and a children’s programme. The song "Beautiful Day" was sung by U2. Barry Marshall complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the video contained "licentious behaviour" which he considered offensive. In his view, it was unsuitable for broadcast at any time, but particularly so when placed between two "quality programmes". TVNZ responded that the song’s lyrics were not unsuitable for child viewers and that the visuals of a couple kissing did not exceed community norms of decency and good taste....

Summary In an item on Holmes broadcast on 1 July 1998 between 7. 00–7. 30pm, tributes were paid to a nine-year-old girl who had died from a brain tumour. It was reported that in spite of having had surgery in the United States, she had recently died. Mrs Hunt of Auckland complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the close up pictures of "a very ill, sad and distressed child" were totally unnecessary and would have caused distress to any parents or children suffering from terminal illnesses. She said she considered it in the worst possible taste to show pictures of a child close to death, and she contended it was particularly disturbing to children. TVNZ emphasised that the tribute to the little girl reflected the Holmes team’s esteem for her....

Complaint under section 8(1C)(c)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Desperate Housewives promo – brief scenes showing couples kissing, and characters saying “let’s have sex” and “if I was a lesbian, I’d totally do you” – allegedly in breach of children’s interests standard Findings Standard 9 (children’s interests) – promo was broadcast during G-rated movie – contained material likely to be unsuitable for children – broadcaster did not adequately consider the interests of child viewers – upheld No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A promo for Desperate Housewives was broadcast on Saturday 2 February 2008 at 8. 30pm on TV2 during the movie Herbie: Fully Loaded, which began at 7pm and was rated G. The promo contained the following brief scenes: Three separate shots showing three fully clothed couples kissing....

SummaryAn episode of British Sex was broadcast on TV3 at 9. 30pm on 28 October 1999. This series was publicised as a programme with a straight talking approach to all things sexual, which featuring "ordinary" people. Daphne Painting complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd, the broadcaster, that the programme was "a polluting intrusion and desecration of [her] home". She complained particularly about footage of a "body caster", who modelled body parts, including genitalia, which she described as "reprehensible in the extreme". She also stated her opinion that the programme’s effect on children would be to "corrupt" them. TV3 responded that British Sex was AO rated, screened an hour after the AO watershed, and was preceded by a written and verbal warning. It did not consider that the "body caster" segment was unacceptable in that context, commenting that the castings were non-sexual, and were neither lewd nor degrading....

ComplaintPromo – Charmed – slutty – offensive language – incorrect classification – broadcaster not mindful of children FindingsStandard G2 – context – no uphold Standard G8 – PGR rating correct – no uphold Standard G12 – correct classification and time of broadcast – no uphold Standard G22 – PGR rating correct – no uphold Standard G24 – not relevant This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] A promo for Charmed was broadcast on TV3 on 30 September 2001 at 8. 20pm, during the film The Phantom Menace. [2] Michael Hooker complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd, the broadcaster, about the use of the word "slutty" in a promo which was broadcast during PGR time. [3] TV3 declined to uphold the complaint. It considered that the promo was acceptable for screening during PGR time....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item on the death of a jockey resulting from a fall – item showed images of the fall – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decency, programme classification, children’s interests and violenceFindings Standard 1 – news unclassified – images relevant to news item – not graphic – not upheld Standard 7 – contextual factors – no warning required – not upheld Standard 9 – news item – unclassified – not upheld Standard 10 – tragic accident – violence standard not applicable – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] One News broadcast an item on 27 March 2005 at 6pm on TV One concerning the death of a young jockey resulting from his fall during a race....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989From Hell – movie about the Jack the Ripper murders – screened during school holidays – man cut the buttons off woman’s dress in the first few minutes – allegedly contrary to children’s interestsFindings Standard 9 (children’s interests) – no actual violence – shown in AO timeband – warning before programme – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The movie From Hell, which followed a 19th century detective trying to solve the “Jack the Ripper” case, was broadcast on TV3 on 12 July 2004 at 8. 30pm. Complaint [2] Penny Jones, trustee of the Campaign for Our Children organisation, complained to CanWest TVWorks Ltd, the broadcaster, on behalf of the organisation that the broadcast was contrary to children’s interests....