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ComplaintNightline – item about Irish singer Sinead O’Connor’s new album - old footage of O’Connor ripping up photo of Pope – breach of good taste/decency – encouraged discrimination against/denigration of CatholicsFindings Standard G2 – footage not gratuitous – context highly relevant – no uphold Standard G13 – item did not encourage discrimination against/denigration of Catholics – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary A news item about the Irish singer Sinead O’Connor’s latest album, broadcast on Nightline on TV3 just before 11pm on 1 August 2000, included eight-year-old footage of O’Connor ripping up a photo of Pope John Paul II. W M Moore complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd, the broadcaster, that the item breached standards of good taste and decency and encouraged denigration of, or discrimination against, Catholics....

Summary The promo for an edition of 60 Minutes broadcast on 6 February 1999 referred to a story about short people and raised an issue about their decision to "breed". Mr Price of Wellington complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that he was offended by the use of the word "breed" in that context, as he considered it was more appropriately used in connection with animals and plants than with people. He wrote, "People, even short ones, ‘have children’. " TVNZ did not agree that the verb "to breed" had a pejorative meaning, and pointed to the dictionary definition of the word as " to bear, to generate (offspring)". It said it found no breach of either standard G2 or G13. The item, it continued, was a very positive one, and described how the gene which caused dwarfism had been identified....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-037 Dated the 28th day of March 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by SEAN N JOSEPH of Wellington Broadcaster CAPITAL FM LIMITED of Wellington J Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

An item on Prime News inadvertently contained an uncensored image of the word ‘cunt’. The Authority has not upheld a complaint alleging the action taken by the broadcaster in response to this error was insufficient. The broadcaster upheld the complaint under the good taste and decency standard and took steps to address the error with its news producers. The broadcaster also apologised to the complainant. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency (Action Taken)...

Summary An episode of It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, based around a fictional troupe of British soldiers in Burma in World War II entertaining fellow soldiers on stage, included a number of "Indian" characters. The episode was broadcast on Prime TV on 2 May 1999 at 8. 05 pm. Mr Theodore complained to Prime Television New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that the episode portrayed Indian people as inherently inferior, that a white actor wearing brown make-up to impersonate an "Indian look and accent" breached norms of decency and good taste, and that the broadcaster had failed to inform viewers of the accuracy of factual matters raised in the episode. Prime TV responded that the programme was not factual, and that within the context of its farcical approach it had not breached norms of taste or decency....

Complaint COW AM – offensive behaviour – offensive language – questions about sex life FindingsG2 – AO – 10. 00pm – student audience – risqué but no breach – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary COW AM is a programme broadcast on Channel 9 Dunedin. On 16 May, two young women and a man were asked whether they had had sex on the weekend and how it rated out of 10. They were also asked what position they liked for sex. The programme was broadcast at 10. 00pm. Mr J G Donaldson complained to Channel 9 Dunedin, the broadcaster, that the programme was "disgusting and immoral". He said he had seen the same sequence broadcast the following week on 22 May at 10. 00pm, and asked whether it was a regular occurrence....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Breakfast – item discussed the assault on convicted murderer William Bell by fellow prison inmates – presenter made a statement regarding the assault – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order and fairness Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – host’s statement was sarcastic – made clear to viewers that neither host supported violence against prisoners – not upheld Standard 2 (law and order) – item did not encourage viewers to break the law or promote, condone or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – people referred to were treated fairly – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Campbell Live – Minister of Police had declined to be interviewed – host said that when Cabinet Ministers refused to front up and discuss serious issues, they would receive the “no-show pie” – animation showing a photograph of the Minister of Police with a cream pie being pushed into his face – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, unfair and in breach of the violence standardFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – not unfair to the Minister – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – no issue of violence – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989The Morning Madhouse – The Edge – hosts commented on the name “Chris Peacock” – references to an item on KFC menu called “crispy cock” – mock advertisement containing references to oral sex – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindings Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – sustained and repetitive sexual references – likely that young people would have been listening – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] At around 7. 55am on 26 October 2004 the hosts of The Morning Madhouse on the radio station The Edge joked about a complaint they had received from a person by the name of Chris Peacock....

ComplaintSpace – images of man exposing buttocks – "mooning" – offensive behaviour FindingsStandard 1 and Guideline 1a – context – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] An episode of Space was broadcast on TV2 at 11. 25pm on 8 March 2002. At the end of the episode, images of a man’s buttocks, and of a second man holding the cheeks of the man’s buttocks apart, were broadcast in a montage of out-takes over which the closing credits were run. The incident apparently occurred during a stag party. [2] Laurie Collier complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the sequence was "one of the most indecent incidents I’ve witnessed on television". [3] TVNZ declined to uphold the complaint. It did not consider that in the overall context of Space the scene was in breach of broadcasting standards....

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....

Complaint3 News – child participants – mother’s consent – children of gang member sought by police – privacy – good taste – fairness – upheld by broadcaster FindingsAction taken by broadcaster sufficient This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Two pre-school children were shown in news items broadcast on 3 News at 6. 00pm and 10. 30pm on 25 January 2000. They were described as the children of a member of the "Screwdriver Gang" who was being sought by police in connection with armed robberies in Auckland. Kris Vavasour complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd that the privacy of the two young children had been breached. She also complained that it was a breach of the good taste standard and unfair to show footage of the children in a way which publicly identified them....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News– item reported on the Warriors rugby league team’s anti-bullying campaign – included video footage of high school students fighting – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order and violenceFindings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – introduction clearly signposted that item contained violent material – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 2 (law and order) – item did not encourage viewers to break the law or promote, condone or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – broadcaster exercised sufficient care and discretion – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast on TV One at 6....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Family Guy – cartoon comedy – male character injected with “gay gene” – went to “Straight Camp” where he was encouraged to drink, play full contact football, and “find loose women to have sex with” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, discrimination and denigration, children’s interests, and liquor standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – scene had clear humorous and satirical intent – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – scene was not unsuitable for supervised child viewers – broadcaster adequately considered children’s interests – not upheld Standard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – broadcast did not encourage denigration of, or discrimination against, a section of the community – not upheld Standard 11 (liquor) – broadcast did not amount to “liquor promotion” – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1990-012:Wood and Radio New Zealand Ltd - 1990-012 PDF452. 75 KB...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An item on 1 News reported on the outbreak of a cattle disease on a farm in South Canterbury. The item featured an interview with a farmer who used the expression ‘for Christ’s sake’. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that this expression was offensive and unacceptable to broadcast during children’s normally accepted viewing times. The Authority found there was public interest and high value in hearing an authentic voice from a New Zealand farmer as part of the news report. The Authority also noted it has consistently found that variations of ‘Christ’ and ‘Jesus Christ’ are commonly used as exclamations, and in this case, the interviewed farmer used the phrase to express his frustration and strong support of the affected farm owner....

The Authority has declined to determine a complaint about the use of the phrase ‘Jesus Christ’ by an English football fan expressing excitement during a news item covering England’s win against Denmark in the UEFA European Football Championship semi-finals. The Authority has found on numerous occasions the use of ‘Jesus Christ’ or similar terms as an exclamation does not amount to a breach of standards. Declined to Determine: Good Taste and Decency (section 11(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989)...

Warning: This decision contains language that some readers may find offensive The Authority has not upheld a complaint that action taken by Discovery NZ Ltd was insufficient, after it upheld a complaint under the good taste and decency standard about language and behaviour in a live interview on Newshub Live at 6pm. The interviewee was the father of Olympian Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, and was interviewed after her gold medal win. The interviewee used variations of the word ‘fuck’ in his response to questions. The Authority found the decision of the broadcaster to uphold the complaint, apologise and create guidance for live interview guests was adequate action taken given the nature of the breach. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency (Action Taken)...

SummarySome of the children's programmes screened on Channel 2 over a four day periodbetween 25 and 28 June included Sonic the Hedgehog, Captain N, Swat Cats, KingArthur and the Knights of Justice, James Bond Junior and Mighty Morphin PowerRangers. Ms Bannatyne complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that theseprogrammes were unsuitable for children under 8 years of age because they relied onviolence for their main themes and contained inappropriate language. She suggestedthat such programmes offered poor role models for children and were generally of apoor quality with trite, trivial story lines. She requested that they be discontinued. In response, TVNZ advised that none of the programmes was in breach of anybroadcasting standards and, further, that many of them provided entertaining andstimulating viewing for young minds....