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Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989The Unauthorised History of New Zealand – presenter commented that “the white settlers were intent on fucking over the natives” in New Zealand – pretended to urinate on a public sculpture – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order and balance standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheldStandard 2 (law and order) – no realistic portrayal of anti-social behaviour – not upheldStandard 4 (balance) – programme was not a news, current affairs or factual programme – standard did not apply – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The Unauthorised History of New Zealand was a satirical series lampooning certain trends and incidents in New Zealand history....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]The host of talkback programme Canterbury Mornings expressed the view that parking wardens in Christchurch were ‘scum’ for ticketing people in the central city, after everything they had been through with the earthquakes. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the host’s comments were unacceptable, irresponsible and denigrated parking wardens. The comments related to a legitimate issue and were well within the host’s right to free speech, especially given that talkback radio is recognised as a robust and opinionated environment. A caller also challenged the host, so listeners were given a countering perspective....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-168:Smits and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1993-168 PDF319. 29 KB...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]During Jeremy Wells' 'Like Mike' skit on the Hauraki Breakfast show, in which he parodied radio and television presenter Mike Hosking, Mr Wells made various comments about Māori people and Stewart Islanders. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the comments were racist, offensive and degraded Māori and Stewart Islanders. The item was clearly satirical and intended to be humorous, and was consistent with audience expectations of the programme and the radio station. As satire, the item did not encourage discrimination against, or denigration of, Māori or Stewart Islanders and this form of speech is a legitimate and important exercise of the right to freedom of expression....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 148/95 Decision No: 149/95 Dated the 14th day of December 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by TODD ROUGHTON of Wellsford Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-043 Dated the 18th day of April 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by KRISTIAN HARANG of Auckland Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1997-016 Dated the 27th of February 1997 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by PIRIPI WHAANGA of Wellington Broadcaster AOTEAROA NATIONAL MAORI RADIO J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

Complaint3 News – film review segment – review of "Crooked Earth" – excerpt included expression "kiss my arse" – offensive and unsuitable for childrenFindingsStandard G2 – acceptable in context – no uphold Standard G12 – not unsuitable for children – no upholdThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The New Zealand film "Crooked Earth" was one of the films considered in the film review segment of 3 News broadcast on 25 August 2001. The review included a brief excerpt from the film in which one of the characters said "kiss my arse". [2] Michael Hooker complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd, the broadcaster, that such offensive language was unacceptable at that hour and unsuitable for children. [3] In response, TV3 maintained that it was not unacceptable in the context of a film review, and declined to uphold the complaint....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item on the effects the recession was having on the adult entertainment industry – contained footage from “Boobs on Bikes” parade – included footage of a male stripper, a topless woman covered in body paint and three women dancing provocatively with one another – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interests FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – majority – footage of male stripper and women dancing provocatively was marginal – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – majority – item’s introduction gave adequate warning to parents and caregivers to exercise discretion – upholding the complaint would be an unjustified limitation on the broadcaster’s freedom of expression – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Bones promo – scenes including a human skull hitting a car windscreen, a human skeleton on a table and two characters kissing – dialogue about cannibalism – included on-screen graphics, one of which read “TV’s hottest crime scene” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order and children’s interests Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 2 (law and order) – complaint related to programming content in general – decline to determine Standard 9 (children’s interests) – promo incorrectly rated G – images were fleeting and inexplicit – broadcast was during an unclassified news programme – broadcaster sufficiently considered the interests of child viewers – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Rude Awakenings – scene in which man and woman have sex on a table – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Rude Awakenings was a New Zealand drama series focussing on the lives of neighbouring Ponsonby families. An episode screened at 8. 30pm on Friday 16 February included a scene in which one of the central female characters – who was dissatisfied with her marriage – had sex with her personal trainer on a table. The personal trainer continued to watch sport on television while having sex. [2] The scene was shot from behind the male character, whose naked buttocks were visible. No female nudity was shown....

Summary An interview with a bisexual author of erotic books was included in 60 Minutes broadcast on TV One on 31 October 1999 between 7. 30–8. 30pm. The woman described herself as "an amateur sexologist" and explained how she had become an expert on the subject of erotica. Mr Hausmann complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the material was pornographic, breached the good taste standard and was unsuitable to be shown at a time when younger viewers could be watching. He also maintained that the item lacked balance because it did not show the serious downside of what he termed sexual addiction. TVNZ responded that the programme had profiled a New Zealand woman who had been approached by a publisher to produce a work on female erotica. It suggested that the complainant had made an unfair assumption by concluding that the woman had a sexual addiction....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision]During the Hauraki Breakfast Show, the hosts made comments about two weather presenters, describing one as having 'charm pissing from every pore' and another as having 'a great rack'. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the comments breached standards of good taste and decency. The discussion was consistent with the style of content and humour regularly broadcast on Radio Hauraki and would not have unduly surprised or offended the station's target audience. Not Upheld: Good Taste and DecencyIntroduction[1] During the Hauraki Breakfast Show, the hosts discussed weather presenter Jim Hickey's retirement. One of the hosts described Mr Hickey as having 'charm pissing from every pore'. The hosts were less complimentary about the female weather presenter taking over from Mr Hickey, but commented that she had 'a great rack, though'....

The Authority declined to determine a complaint regarding a news item covering the expansion of a sexual violence court pilot. The complainant submitted that the victim advocate interviewed in the item should not have been interviewed and should not have been referred to as a rape survivor. The Authority concluded that, in all the circumstances of the complaint, it should not be determined by the Authority. The Authority found the concerns raised in the complaint are matters of editorial discretion and personal preference rather than broadcasting standards, and are therefore not capable of being determined by the broadcasting standards complaints procedure. Declined to determine: Good Taste and Decency, Programme Information, Violence, Law and Order, Discrimination and Denigration, Balance, Accuracy, Privacy, Fairness...

The Authority has declined to determine a complaint under the good taste and decency, children’s interests and accuracy standards, about a fictional character’s description of milk in an episode of Saturday Storytime. The Authority declined to determine the complaint on the basis it was trivial and did not raise any issues of broadcasting standards at a level which warranted consideration. Declined to Determine: Good Taste and Decency, Children’s Interests, Accuracy (section 11(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 – trivial)...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item covered the murder trial of Clayton Weatherston – contained footage of Mr Weatherston in court explaining how his relationship with Ms Elliott began – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and privacy FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – details of relationship were not sufficiently explicit to require a warning – high degree of public interest – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 3 (privacy) – deceased person not an “individual” for the purposes of Broadcasting Act 1989 – privacy standard does not apply to deceased persons – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast at 6pm on Thursday 9 July 2009, covered the day’s events at the trial of Clayton Weatherston, who was accused of murdering Sophie Elliott....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that comments made by the hosts of The Big Show about touching their testicles when they were nervous and a school speech titled ‘The Dilworth Way’ breached the good taste and decency and children’s interests standards. The Authority found the comments were within audience expectations for the programme and the radio station, Radio Hauraki. In the context the hosts’ conversation was unlikely to cause widespread offence or adversely affect any children who happened to be listening (although they were not the target audience). Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Children’s Interests...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 71 /94 Dated the 22nd day of August 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by MINISTER OF HEALTH HON JENNY SHIPLEY Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson J R Morris R A Barraclough L M Loates...

Summary A segment in the programme Eurotrash focussed on a "pornography king" and some of his activities. Another segment focussed on a large man whose naked body was treated as a work of art and displayed in some European art galleries. The programme was broadcast on TV4 on 18 February 1999, commencing at 8. 30pm. Ms Gowardman complained to TV4 Network Ltd, the broadcaster, that in viewing the segment she was confronted with full frontal and oral sex. The two items depicted shocking and indecent behaviour, and presented young people with incorrect perspectives on adult sexual relationships, she wrote. TV4 responded that the programme was rated AO, and was preceded by a verbal and written warning. The broadcaster denied that the item contained full frontal and oral sex....