Search Rapua

Summary A man who emulated the lifestyle of the fictional Austin Powers character was the subject of a news report on TV One broadcast between 6. 00–7. 00pm on 11 July 1999. In that context, reference was made to the recently released Austin Powers film "The Spy Who Shagged Me". Mr Schwabe complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the word "shagged" was an offensive macho term which degraded women and was not acceptable during a family hour broadcast. TVNZ acknowledged that the word "shagged" contained strong sexual innuendo, but argued that its level of offensiveness had been considerably moderated. It noted that the word was used only once during the item and that was in the context of the film’s title. It did not consider that that single reference breached any broadcasting standards....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item reported that a group of Australian teenage boys had filmed their attack of a teenage girl and were circulating the footage on DVD – showed some images of the boys’ attack – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, the maintenance of law and order, unfair, and in breach of children’s interests and the violence standard FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – subsumed under Standard 10 Standard 2 (Law and order) – nothing inconsistent with the maintenance of law and order – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – not unfair to teenage girl or homeless man – not upheld Standard 9 (children's interests) – item should have been preceded by a warning due to violent content – broadcaster did not consider the interests of children – upheld Standard 10 (violence) – item should have been preceded by a warning due to…...

Complaint under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Newstalk ZB – talkback host Tim Drover – terminated two calls perfunctorily – one caller described as “old witch” with a “brain the size of a pea” – allegedly unfair, offensive, unbalanced, and denigratory Findings Principle 5 (fairness) – calls terminated to prevent the broadcast of racist views – comments borderline unfair – not upheld Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – not offensive in talkback context – not upheld Principle 4 (balance) – not unbalanced – not upheld Principle 7 (social responsibility) and Guideline 7a (denigration) – not socially irresponsible to avoid the expression of racist views – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A caller to Newstalk ZB referred to her visit to Porirua City but the host (Tim Drover) interrupted her....

Complaint Radio Hauraki breakfast programme – Matthew Ridge had AAA credit rating – "Arrogant Angry Arsehole" – derogatory and offensive FindingsPrinciple 1 – context – no uphold Principle 5 – referred to named person – unfair – uphold No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision Summary [1] Former international rugby league player and current television host, Matthew Ridge, was referred to during the breakfast programme broadcast on Radio Hauraki on 26 November 2002. In view of the news report that Mr Ridge was again facing driving related charges, the hosts said that he had a new credit rating, AAA, for "Arrogant Angry Arsehole". [2] Stephen Peat complained to The RadioWorks Ltd, the broadcaster, that the comment was derogatory and the language was offensive....

ComplaintTux Super Dog Challenge – bugger – offensive language FindingsS4(1)(a) – context relevant – not used in anger – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Tux Super Dog Challenge was a series which featured dogs and their owners competing over a range of physical tests in the high country. It was broadcast weekly on TV One at 7. 00pm on Saturdays. Paul Schwabe complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, about the language used during the episode on 18 November 2000. The use of the word "bugger" on two occasions, he said, was offensive. Acknowledging that the word might be offensive in some contexts, TVNZ said nevertheless it was used in a "friendly" way on this occasion. It declined to uphold the complaint. Dissatisfied with TVNZ’s decision, Mr Schwabe referred it to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s....

Complaint Classic Hits FM: comments about Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones expecting a child: (1) racist remarks – offensive language; (2) denigrated Jewish people Findings(1) Principle 1 – majority – no breach, not racist – no uphold (2) Principle 7 – majority – legitimate use of humour – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary In a broadcast on 31 January 2000, a presenter on Classic Hits FM announced that Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones were expecting a child, and that Ms Zeta-Jones was considering converting to Judaism. The presenter added "and I suppose the baby will have a long nose and be good with money. Only joking. " Nicholas Koenig complained to The Radio Network Ltd that the comment was both offensive and derogatory. He sought a formal apology....

ComplaintOne News – Shop closure in country town – comment from observer – "It’s going to be a bugger to lose that shop" – language offensive. FindingsStandard G2 – language not inappropriate in context – no upholdThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary The comment "It’s going to be a bugger to lose that shop" was used by a man interviewed during an item about the closure of the Deka shop in Dargaville. The item was broadcast on One News on 16 March 2001 at 6. 00pm. Paul Schwabe complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the word "bugger" was offensive. TVNZ responded that the word was not inappropriate in the context of the item, and declined to uphold the complaint. Dissatisfied with TVNZ’s decision, Mr Schwabe referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Promo for 3 News – showed a man head-butting another man – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order, children’s interests, and violence standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – footage was fleeting and inexplicit and no visible injury was shown – broadcast during Home and Away and five minutes before the news – formed part of a newsworthy story – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – contextual factors – broadcaster exercised sufficient care and discretion when dealing with the issue of violence – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – contextual factors – broadcaster adequately considered children’s interests – not upheld Standard 2 (law and order) – footage in the promo did not encourage viewers to break the law or otherwise promote, condone or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the…...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989MasterChef New Zealand – contestants used the words “crapping” and “pissed off” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency standard FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – language was low-level and would not have offended most viewers in the context of a PGR programme – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] During the final episode of MasterChef New Zealand, references to “crapping myself” and “crapping yourself” were made by one of the contestants and one of the judges, and another contestant said she was “pissed off with [herself]” for forgetting important ingredients. The episode was broadcast at 7. 30pm on TV One on 12 June 2012. [2] Janet Lockyer made a formal complaint to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, alleging that the language was offensive and unacceptable....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989A Night at the Classic – AO comedy programme broadcast at 10pm and preceded by warning, contained swearing and sexual references – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decency and responsible programmingFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – swearing and sexual material were permissible in the context of an AO comedy programme screened at 10pm and preceded by a specific warning – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 8 (responsible programming) – programme correctly classified and screened in an appropriate timeslot – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] A Night at the Classic, a late-night comedy series featuring New Zealand comedians, contained swearing and sexual references. The programme was classified Adults Only (AO) and was broadcast at 10pm on 3 January 2013 on TV One....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – interviewed Cyclone Yasi survivor – reporter stated “Jesus, what went through your mind? ” – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decency, and discrimination and denigration FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – “Jesus” used to convey exclamation of shock – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on Friday 4 February 2010, reported on Cyclone Yasi in Queensland. During the item, the reporter interviewed a survivor who explained that she had been sitting on the toilet when a big tree came through the wall, to which the reporter responded, “Jesus, what went through your mind?...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1991-050:Wardlaw and Television New Zealand - 1991-050 PDF632. 24 KB...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-039:Sharp and TV3 Network Services Ltd - 1993-039 PDF317. 17 KB...

A complaint that a segment on The Breakfast Club, on More FM, where the hosts made jokes and puns about a woman who died after being pecked by a rooster, breached the good taste and decency standard has not been upheld. The Authority found that, while the comments were insensitive and had the potential to cause offence to family of the deceased, the programme as a whole did not reach the threshold required to justify a restriction on the broadcaster’s right to freedom of expression. The Authority found that, considering the context of the item (including the target audience of More FM and the audience expectations surrounding The Breakfast Club and its hosts) and the tone of the item, the item did not undermine widely shared community standards and was unlikely to cause widespread undue offence or distress. Not upheld: Good taste and decency...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 98/94 Dated the 20th day of October 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by C B of New Plymouth Broadcaster ENERGY ENTERPRISES LIMITED of New Plymouth I W Gallaway Chairperson J R Morris R A Barraclough L M Loates...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-148 Dated the 31st day of October 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by GEOFF HOLDING of Gore Broadcaster TV3 NETWORK SERVICES LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-183 Decision No: 1996-184 Decision No: 1996-185 Dated the 17th day of December 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by BOB ATKINSON of Nelson and EVAN DAVIES of Hamilton and MARIA DOVE of Auckland Broadcaster TV3 NETWORK SERVICES LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about a talkback programme which discussed the protests and occupation of Parliament. The Authority found the programme was within audience expectations and did not contain language in breach of the good taste and decency standard. Callers were not treated unfairly, given the talkback environment. The remaining standards were not breached or did not apply. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration, Programme Information, Balance, Accuracy...

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...