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Complaints under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Seven Sharp – presenters made comments about leader of the Conservative Party Colin Craig – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order, privacy, controversial issues, fairness, accuracy, discrimination and denigration, responsible programming, and violence standards FindingsStandard 6 (fairness) – comments in 17 April item aimed at Colin Craig in his professional capacity and therefore not unfair – comments in 24 April item were insulting and personally abusive to Colin Craig and therefore unfair to him – upheld in part Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – alleged coarse language did not threaten current norms of good taste and decency – abusive nature of comments more appropriately addressed as a matter of fairness to Colin Craig, rather than harm to general audience – not upheld Standard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – items did not encourage discrimination or denigration against people who opposed…...

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]The Authority declined to uphold a complaint that a number of cooking and fishing programmes 'perpetuate the exploitation, abuse, torture and murder of 63 million animals. . . per year'. Killing and preparing animals to eat is a fact of life, and the complaint was based primarily on personal 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 a number of cooking and fishing shows aired on Choice TV. Ms Feral argued that these programmes 'perpetuate the exploitation, abuse, torture and murder of 63 million animals. . . per year'. As examples, Ms Feral referred to footage of live oysters being eaten and catch-and-release fishing, both of which she alleged to be barbaric and cruel....

ComplaintPromo – Bitches and B*stards – offensive language – promo for AO rated programme screened at 8. 00pm – inappropriately classified FindingsStandard G2 – contextual matters – no uphold Standard G8 – promo appropriately classified – no uphold Standard G12 – taking into account classification and theme of programme in which promo screened – no uphold Standard G22 – see G8 – no uphold Standard G24 – no violent or explicit material – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] A promo for the AO rated programme Bitches and B*stards was broadcast by TV3 at 8. 00pm on 15 November 2001, during the PGR rated programme Family Confidential. [2] Michael Hooker complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd, the broadcaster, that the broadcast of offensive language at that time was unacceptable and in breach of the broadcasting standards....

Summary An item reporting on the result of a One Network News/Colmar Brunton political poll was broadcast on One Network News on TV One 21 June 1999 between 6. 00pm and 7. 00pm. Mr Helm complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the item was misleading and inaccurate in its interpretation of the poll results. He said that the item incorrectly linked voter support to the potential composition of a future Parliament. He said that the interpretation was based on a wrong assumption that the poll results, if reflected in a general election, would lead to proportional, or very nearly proportional, representation. TVNZ responded that the item was an accurate indication of political preferences at the time of polling....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Morning Report – news item reported investigation into allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour by police officers – said woman claimed that serving police officers would arrive while on duty, use handcuffs and batons on her and that she was often strangled to the point of blacking out – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and inappropriate for child listeners Findings Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Principle 7 (social responsibility) and guideline 7b (child listeners) – contextual factors – broadcaster was mindful of child listeners – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A news item on Radio New Zealand National’s Morning Report programme, broadcast at approximately 7....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-115 Decision No: 1996-116 Dated the 12th day of September 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by STEVE CONWAY of Wellington Broadcaster TV3 NETWORK SERVICES LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-059 Dated the 20th day of June 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by DAVID PEGRAM of Wellington Broadcaster RADIO PACIFIC LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An item on Seven Sharp reported the predictions of a climate scientist about the impacts of climate change on New Zealand by the year 2100, and included the opinion of a climate change health expert about the health risks associated with the predicted changes. The complainant argued that the item was misleading and unbalanced because the claims were presented as ‘fact’ and ‘inevitable’ rather than as ‘extreme projections’. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the item was inaccurate, as it clearly consisted of opinion and predictions, and was not presented as fact....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-148:Stephens and TV3 Network Services Ltd - 1993-148 PDF312. 31 KB...

SummaryThe film Eyes Wide Shut was the subject of an item broadcast on Holmes on TV One on 29 July 1999, commencing at 7. 00 pm. Trailers for the programme were shown earlier on the same day. Mr Walker and Mrs Siew complained to Television New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that the scenes of lovemaking and nakedness were unsuitable for television viewing, particularly at a time when children would be watching. The film had been devised to be pornographic and had been given an R18 film rating, Mr Walker wrote, but he was not aware that any warning was given by the broadcaster before the scenes were shown on television. The explicit sexual material was also unacceptable for the time band during which the trailer for the programme was placed, Mrs Siew wrote....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Campbell Live – panel discussion about power outage in Auckland – complainant alleged that programme gave the impression that the discussion was live, when it was pre-recorded – allegedly inaccurate, unfair and in breach of programme information standardFindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – no statements of fact alleged to be inaccurate – standard does not apply – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – no person or organisation alleged to be treated unfairly – standard does not apply – not upheld Standard 8 (programme information) – standard requires viewers to be disadvantaged before breach will be found – no disadvantage to viewers – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision Broadcast [1] Campbell Live, broadcast on TV3 at 7pm on 12 June 2006, included a panel discussion about a recent power outage in Auckland....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Eating Media Lunch – footage from British reality series Sex Inspectors included a couple engaged in various sexual acts – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order, privacy, balance, accuracy, fairness, programme classification and programme information standardsFindings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 7 (programme classification) – warning sufficient – not upheld Standards 2–6 and 8 – complaint based on mistake – not relevant – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] At approximately 9. 50pm on 14 December 2004 the presenter of Eating Media Lunch on TV2 introduced a segment which was to feature in the following episode. Brief footage from a British reality series called Sex Inspectors was shown, including a couple engaged in various sexual acts....

SummaryA nightmare housemoving experience was related by a woman featured in a programme entitled "My House, My Castle" broadcast on TV2 on 19 July 1999 beginning at 8. 00pm. The programme was previewed in the days preceding the broadcast. Michael Bott, on behalf of Brittons Housemovers (Wellington) Ltd, complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that footage showing a truck belonging to the company was used to illustrate the "housemoving story from hell". In fact, Brittons Housemovers had had no connection with the move, he wrote. The company cited a number of broadcasting standards which it contended were breached by the programme and the promos. In its response, TVNZ explained that the shots of the housemoving truck were archival shots which had been used to illustrate the story. It maintained that the company could not have been identified from that footage....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Close Up – presenter introduced item coming up after advertisement break – included footage from episode of Underbelly – showed a balaclava-clad man shooting at man sitting in a car – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, fairness, programme information, children’s interests and violence standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – broadcaster adequately considered the interests of child viewers – not upheld Standard 10 violence) – broadcaster exercised sufficient care and discretion when dealing with the issue of violence – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – standard not applicable – not upheld Standard 8 (programme information) – standard not applicable – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) Promo for F**k Off I’m Small – use of “F**k Off” in the promo – promo screened during PGR-rated programme – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and programme classification standards Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – swear word was not said or spelled out – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 7 (programme classification) – promo should have been rated PGR but was appropriately screened during PGR programme – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A promo for the programme F**k Off I’m Small was broadcast on Tuesday 13 November 2007 at 7. 55pm on TV One during Coronation Street. F**k Off I’m Small was advertised as the premiere episode of a documentary series entitled Real Life, which was to screen at 9. 30pm on Wednesday....

ComplaintDawson’s Creek – teen drama – references to sex and condoms – incorrect PGR classification – unsuitable for childrenFindings(1) Standard G8 – fictional drama – teenage target audience – content not gratuitous – no uphold (2) Standard G12 – properly classified PGR and screened in PGR time – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary An episode in the Dawson’s Creek series was broadcast on TV2 at 7. 30pm on 6 June 2000. Maree and Andrew Gunn complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the programme contained many explicit references to sex and a "graphic, trivial discussion on the selection of condoms". They considered that this material was unsuitable for younger viewers, and that the programme ought to have been rated AO rather than PGR....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Bones promo – contained footage of spiders and skeletal remains – broadcast during 3 News at approximately 6. 55pm – allegedly in breach of responsible programming and children’s interests standards FindingsStandard 8 (responsible programming) – promo correctly classified G – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – promo correctly classified – broadcaster adequately considered the interests of child viewers – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A promo for Bones was broadcast at approximately 6. 55pm on 25 April 2010 during 3 News on TV3. [2] Bones was a drama series about a forensic anthropologist called upon by the FBI to solve complex murder cases....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 127/94 Decision No: 128/94 Decision No: 129/94 Decision No: 130/94 Dated the 12th day of December 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by TREVOR MALLARD MP and VALERIE L J GREHAN of Wainuiomata and WAINUIOMATA COMMUNITY BOARD and DENNIS J KEALL of Wainuiomata Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson J R Morris L M Loates W J Fraser...

SummaryMalcolm Sutherland, a New Zealand soldier in Vietnam in 1970, was killed by "friendly fire". The incident was "covered-up" by the platoon commander, Lieutenant Roger Mortlock, and the death was reported officially as being the result of "enemy fire". The cover-up was explained on a 20/20 item broadcast at 7. 30pm on 21 February 1999. The item reported that (now) Brigadier Mortlock had recently resigned under threat of dismissal. Ms Banbury, the late Malcolm Sutherland’s sister, complained directly to the Broadcasting Standards Authority, under s. 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 1989, that the item breached her privacy as she and another brother had been filmed at an emotional time at a Vietnam Veterans’ Reunion in 1998 when they accepted an honour on her brother’s behalf at a time when they did not know the true situation....