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Summary The Department of Conservation’s (DOC) management programme which involved the shooting of thar (mountain goats), was addressed during the John Banks Breakfast Show, broadcast on Radio Pacific between 6. 00–9. 00am on 10 August 1999. The host of the programme expressed his strong displeasure at DOC’s actions. He referred to DOC staff using phrases such as "filthy low life", and "filthy perverts", and expressed a wish that their helicopter would suffer a power failure. The Department of Conservation complained to Radio Pacific Ltd that the language used in the broadcast failed to maintain standards of decency and good taste, and that the host did not refer to the thar management process which it had developed. Declining to uphold the complaint, Radio Pacific argued that the strong language used was appropriate on a station which valued the power of free speech....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Nightline – item featured interview with two members of the band Linkin Park who used coarse language – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – inclusion of the language was gratuitous and deliberately provocative – no warning given – research supports likelihood of viewers being offended – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] An item on Nightline, broadcast on TV3 just before 11pm on 15 October 2007, discussed the international success of American band, Linkin Park, and included an interview with two of the band members. At the beginning of the interview, one member said “Fuck you! ” in response to the interviewer welcoming them to New Zealand....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An item on Checkpoint reported on the final stages of a court case in Auckland, known as the ‘Dome Valley’ kidnapping, in which a young woman was kidnapped, beaten, sexually violated and left to die by a group of her former friends. The reporter outlined the events of the kidnapping and the item featured segments of the victim giving evidence (with her voice disguised) via audio-visual link from another room in the closed court. The reporter and the victim outlined her assault and injuries in some detail. No audience advisory was broadcast....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-075:Sharp and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1993-075 PDF484. 07 KB...

SummaryA radio station announcer, claiming he was doing a survey on STDs, telephoned a woman and asked a number of personal and intimate questions. The call was broadcast live on The Edge on 30 November 1998 at about 4. 00pm. J, the woman who received the call, had identified herself using her first name and employer’s name. She complained to the station that the call was a serious invasion of her privacy as she was never told that the caller was from a radio station, or that it was being broadcast live. J said the comments ranged from being personal to obscene, and cited some examples. When the matter was referred to the station initially, J received an apology both from the station manager and the announcer....

ComplaintThe Edge – announcer makes anonymous call to woman – purports to be buying magazines – says has fetish for "shirtless Papua New Guinea women" – threatening and offensive – breach of good taste and decency FindingsPrinciple 1 – sinister – threatening – breach of good taste and decency – uphold OrderBroadcast of summary – costs of $500 to Crown This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] During a broadcast on The Edge on 17 October 2001 between 9. 30am and 10. 00am, one of the announcers telephoned a woman who was advertising National Geographic magazines, purporting to be a potential buyer. He told the woman he had a fetish for "topless Papua New Guinea women" and requested copies of the magazines carrying such pictures....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-098–099:McElroy and Pryor and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1993-098, 1993-099 PDF802. 78 KB...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Eating Media Lunch – item parodied “naked” news programmes – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – sequence unnecessarily lengthy – gratuitously explicit – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Eating Media Lunch is a series that lampoons aspects of the media both in New Zealand and overseas. The use of semi-naked news presenters in some countries was featured in the item broadcast on TV2 starting at 10. 00pm on Tuesday 15 November 2005. [2] The item presented the “Fuck News” which was said to originate in France. The item showed two partly dressed presenters who seemed to be having sexual intercourse while reading the news....

The Authority upheld a complaint that a segment of Punjabi talkback programme, Dasam Granth Da Sach breached the good taste and decency, violence and law and order standards. During the segment, the host made threatening comments, directed at members of a Sikh sect in response to recent violent incidents in India. The Authority found the comments undermined widely shared community standards, considering their seriousness, specificity and other contextual factors. The Authority also found the comments actively incited violence and promoted disrespect for the law within the specific community of listeners. The Authority recognised the value of the broadcaster’s right to freedom of expression but found the potential for harm justified a restriction of this right. Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Violence, Law and Order Orders: Section 13(1)(a) broadcast statement...

ComplaintRadio Pacific – talkback – caller referred to Prime Minister Helen Clark as "a barren bitch and a sleeping homosexual" – failure to cut off caller – breach of good taste and decency – broadcaster failed to respond to complaint within statutory 20 working days – later advised the broadcast of derogatory comments against policy – host apologised and gave assurance that it would not occur again FindingsPrinciple 1 – personal abuse – unacceptable – uphold Principle 8 – no tape – no excuse – uphold OrderPrinciple 1 – broadcast of approved statement This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] During a talkback programme broadcast on Radio Pacific on 20 September 2001 between 9. 00pm and 10. 00pm, a listener heard a caller to the station describe Prime Minister Helen Clark as "a barren bitch and a sleeping homosexual"....

ComplaintThe Rock – a number of complaints – offensive language – offensive behaviour – broadcasts inconsistent with maintenance of law and order – broadcasts unsuitable for children Findings(1) s. 11(a) – complaints not "frivolous, vexatious, or trivial" (2) 22 November broadcast – 6. 31am – Principle 1 – uphold (3) 22 November broadcast – 6. 39am – no uphold (4) 23 November broadcast – 6. 39am – Principle 1 – uphold (5) 26 November broadcast – 7. 40am – Principle 1 – uphold – Principle 7 and Guideline 7b – uphold (6) 27 November broadcast – 6. 35am – action taken insufficient – uphold (7) 30 November broadcast – 6. 36am – action taken insufficient – uphold (8) 6 December broadcast – 6. 19am – no uphold OrderTotal costs to the Crown in the sum of $3,000Cross-references: 2001-071–084; 2001-138–204 This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaints under section 8(1B)(b)(i) and 8(1B)(b)(ii) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Breakfast – presenter deliberately mispronounced the name of Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit – stated that “Dick Shit” was “so appropriate because she’s Indian, so she would be dick in shit, wouldn’t she” – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decency, controversial issues, accuracy, fairness, discrimination and denigration and responsible programming – broadcaster upheld complaints under Standards 1, 6 and 7 – action taken allegedly insufficient FindingsStandards 1 (good taste and decency), 6 (fairness) and 7 (discrimination and denigration) – serious breach of broadcasting standards – action taken by broadcaster insufficient – upheld Standard 8 (responsible programming) – Breakfast was an unclassified news and current affairs programme – comments would not have alarmed or distressed viewers – not upheld OrdersSection 13(1)(a) – broadcast statement Section 16(4) – payment of $3,000 costs to the Crown This headnote does not form…...

Summary Radio Sport host, Martin Devlin, complained on air that he had been treated like a schoolboy by the manager of the New Zealand Cricket Team, John Graham. Mr Mee complained to The Radio Network of New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that a subsequent caller, commenting on Mr Devlin’s treatment by Mr Graham, was dealt with in an "abusive and contemptuous" way by Mr Devlin. The exchange was broadcast on Radio Sport on 23 August 1999, at about 9. 15am. TRN responded to Mr Mee’s complaint that the caller was a regular who would have been aware that he was entering a "robust arena" in calling the station’s talkback show. It also suggested that the caller might have incited Mr Devlin’s "strong" response. It declined to uphold Mr Mee’s complaint. Dissatisfied with TRN’s decision, Mr Mee referred his complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Back of the Y – programme contained substantial amount of coarse language and staged violence – mocked religion – skit in which a character playing Jesus Christ was beaten up by another playing Santa Claus – skit called ‘Pooman and Wees’ in which the character Pooman threw imitation faeces at his enemies and showed his bottom and genitals from behind – scene where woman was sprayed with imitation faeces and licked some off her hands – character Wees tried to clean the faeces off her by spraying her with imitation urine, but sprayed himself instead – skit called ‘Smoodiver’ in which the male character was shown apparently masturbating – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – episode contained material and themes that were in bad taste – cumulative effect of material – contextual factors favouring…...

ComplaintThe Racing Show – comment that caller should "stick his head up his arse" – offensive language FindingsPrinciple 1 and Guideline 1a – offensive remark – breach – uphold No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The Racing Show was broadcast on Radio Pacific on Friday 27 December 2002. During an on-air discussion between the host and a caller at 4. 30pm the caller alleged that the host had favoured a personal friend when he had selected the winners of the "$50 caller bets". A disagreement developed, and in response to the allegation, the host said to the caller "oh, go and stick your head up your arse". [2] M D Sharp complained to The RadioWorks Ltd, the broadcaster, that the comment was objectionable and obscene....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1992-003:Lyons and XS Radio Ltd - 1992-003 PDF237. 95 KB...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989The Edge Morning Madhouse – host sang jingle about a public figure being “into ladies” – included phrases, “when they make love do they have to put a strap on it”, she “wanted to go rug munching” and she “got sick of dicks” – broadcaster upheld complaint under good taste and decency – action taken allegedly insufficientFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – song lyrics were unacceptable for broadcast at 8. 20am – serious breach of good taste and decency – action taken by broadcaster was insufficient – upheld OrdersSection 16(4) – costs to the Crown $2,000 This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] At 8....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1992-025:Sharp and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1992-025328. 32 KB...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1998-021 Decision No: 1998-022 Dated the 5th day of March 1998 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by E of Napier Broadcaster GRAHAM J BARCLAY T/A SOUNDWAVE FM of Napier S R Maling Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod J Withers...