Showing 1 - 20 of 84 results.
An appeal against this decision by Bishop Denis Browne was dismissed in the High Court: CIV 2006-485-1611 PDF109....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989The Simpsons – use of the words “wanker” and “ass” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – PGR classification – PGR timeslot – words used in satirical rather than abusive manner – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of The Simpsons screened on TV3 at 7pm on 30 September 2004. At the beginning of the programme Homer Simpson described his favourite programme about a family of English soccer hooligans, saying “if they’re not having a go with a bird they’re having a row with a wanker”. [2] Later in the episode another character said “it’s a beautiful day to kick your ass”....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Outrageous Fortune – scene in which two actors have sex in a video store – scene in which male character was touching the female character in a sexual manner – 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] An episode of Outrageous Fortune, a comedy-drama series about a one-family crime wave trying to go straight, was broadcast on TV3 at 9. 30pm on 14 November 2006. The episode was preceded by a warning which said: This programme is rated adults only and is recommended for a mature audience. It contains sexual material and language that may offend some people....
CanWest TVWorks Ltd became TVWorks Ltd on 15 June 2007. Because the programme complained about was broadcast prior to this date, the broadcaster is still named as CanWest TVWorks Ltd (CanWest) except for the purpose of orders....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – reported reaction of recreational groups and farmers to recommendations made by the government’s Walking Access Consultation Panel – allegedly inaccurate and unbalanced Findings Standard 5 (accuracy) – item would not have misled viewers – not upheld Standard 4 (balance) – did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – balance standard did not apply – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on 7 March 2007, discussed the release of the recommendations made by the government’s Walking Access Consultation Panel....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item about new pricing structures for national calls at Telecom – graphic stated $0. 08c per minute on national calls – correct price $0. 18c per minute – allegedly inaccurateFindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – graphic inaccurate – significant mistake requiring correction – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6:00pm on 26 August 2004, contained an item on new pricing structures at Telecom for national calls. During the item, a graphic noted the following: “Anytime Plan” National Calling: $0. 08c per minute National Capped: $2. 75 (up to two hours) Home to Mobile: $0. 48c calls to 027 & 025, $0. 55c calls to 021 & 029 [2] The correct price for national calls was in fact $0. 18c per minute....
INTERLOCUTORY DECISIONComplaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Popetown – animated comedy set in a fictional Vatican City – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and unfair Decision on interlocutory application Request for formal hearing – not required in all the circumstances of the case – declinedThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Background[1] Three episodes of Popetown were broadcast on C4 at 9. 30pm on 29 June, 6 July and 20 July 2005. The animated series was set in a fictional Vatican City (called Popetown), and centred round a young priest called Father Nicholas, a group of corrupt cardinals and a child-like Pope character. [2] An episode called “Trapped” was broadcast on 29 June. The storyline involved the character Sister Marie giving the “Pope” “papal bull” energy drink, whereupon he develops “windy pops”....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 198960 Minutes – footage of teenagers committing animal cruelty offences – images of hedgehogs and ducks subjected to cruelty – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, and children’s interestsFindingsStandard 1 – good taste and decency – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 – children’s interests – contextual factors, particularly warnings, were sufficient – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] TV3 broadcast an item on 25 July 2005 at 7. 30pm entitled “God’s Creatures”, as part of the 60 Minutes current affairs programme. The item covered the recent arrest of two people in Huntly for animal cruelty. The item also dealt with the suggested link between animal cruelty and subsequent violent offences against people. [2] The item reported that the teenagers had set fire to cages which had trapped two feral cats....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Meaty – footage of Akon’s concert in Trinidad – Akon filmed simulating sexual intercourse on stage with a 14-year-old girl – allegedly in breach of law and order, accuracy, fairness, children’s interests and violence standards Findings Standard 2 (law and order) – item did not promote, condone or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – accuracy standard did not apply – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – no specific individual identified by the complainant – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – broadcaster failed to adequately consider the interests of child viewers – item lacked an appropriate warning – upheld Standard 10 (violence) – broadcaster failed to exercise sufficient care and discretion – upheld No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on Meaty, broadcast on C4 at 8....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 60 Minutes – item reporting on the reaction to the proposed Civil Union Bill before Parliament – allegedly unbalancedFindingsStandard 4 (balance) – broadcaster made reasonable efforts to present significant points of view – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcasts [1] An item on 60 Minutes entitled “Union Trouble” was broadcast on TV3 on 23 August 2004 at 7. 30pm. The focus of this segment was the reaction of various groups to the proposed Civil Union Bill. [2] The broadcast included interviews with the Pastor of the Destiny Church, a gay couple, a lesbian Presbyterian Minister and the managing director of the Maxim Institute. Complaints [3] Rachel Trimble complained to CanWest TVWorks Ltd, the broadcaster, that the 60 Minutes programme was neither balanced nor impartial....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989The Mummy Returns promo – broadcast on TV3 between 6pm and 7pm, and after 7pm – allegedly in breach of standards relating to children’s interestsFindingsStandard 9 (children’s interests) – 60 Minutes – not in breach of children’s interests – not upheld – 3 News – PGR rated promo broadcast during underlying G-time – children’s interest not sufficiently considered – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] TV3 broadcast two promos for the movie The Mummy Returns on 25 April 2005. The first promo was broadcast between 6 and 7pm during 3 News. The second promo was broadcast after 7pm, during 60 Minutes. Complaint [2] Graham Hoskin complained to CanWest TVWorks Ltd, the broadcaster, that the broadcasts were in breach of Standard 9 (children’s interests), noting specifically Guidelines 9a, 9f and 9i....
Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Campbell Live – item about a woman who believed a company called Christine Layby owed her $900 – woman shown visiting the company director’s home to demand a refund – allegedly in breach of privacy, inaccurate and unfair Findings Standard 3 (privacy) – ownership of a business not a private fact – disclosure of that fact not highly offensive – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – decline to determine three aspects – other aspects related to website material only or interviewees’ own views – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – complainant had sufficient opportunity to comment – not unfair – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....
Complaint under section 8(1)(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989South Park – picture of a statue of Jesus Christ – voice said “Look at me, I’m Jesus. Would you like me to crap on you Mr Bush?...
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item reporting on march to Parliament opposing Civil Union Bill and other government policies, and reaction to the march from various parties – allegedly unbalanced, unfair, inaccurate and contrary to children’s interestsFindings Standard 4 (balance) – reasonable effort made to present significant viewpoints – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – broadcast was impartial and objective – not misleading – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – no persons or organisations treated unfairly – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – child not humiliated or exploited – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A 3 News item broadcast on TV3 at 6. 00pm on 23 August 2004 reported on the march to Parliament by those opposed to the Civil Union Bill, and the reaction to the march....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Popetown – animated comedy set in a fictional Vatican City – priest accidentally removed “Pope’s” head and sewed it back on – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, unbalanced and unfairFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 4 (balance) – not a news, current affairs or factual programme – balance not required – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) and guideline 6g (denigration) – high protection given to satire and comedy – programme had clear satirical and humorous intent – did not encourage denigration – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An animated comedy series called Popetown centred around Father Nicholas, an idealistic young priest who lives in a fictional Vatican City (called Popetown) with a group of corrupt cardinals and a pogo-stick riding infantile Pope....
This decision was successfully appealed in the High Court: CIV 2007-485-2060 PDF46. 29 KB Complaint under section 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – interviewed a woman who was a committed patient under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment & Treatment) Act 1992 and receiving electroconvulsive therapy – woman said that she wanted the treatment to stop – item reported the view of the psychiatric hospital that the woman “was not well enough at the time of the interview to have given informed consent to it” – allegedly in breach of privacyFindings Standard 3 (privacy) and privacy principle 1 – disclosed private facts about woman – woman not capable of giving informed consent – no public interest in disclosing the private facts – upheldOrderSection 16(4) – payment of costs to the Crown $1,500This headnote does not form part of the decision....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 Item on 3 News focussing on the sale of imported jade marketed as New Zealand pounamu – complainant’s shop identified – interior of shop shown in hidden camera sequence – unrelated shop assistant shown – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfairFindings Standard 4 (balance) – subsumed under fairness Standard 5 (accuracy) – subsumed under fairness Standard 6 (fairness) – shop clearly identified – no opportunity given to comment – hidden filming unjustified – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] 3 News, broadcast at 6pm on 21 September 2004, contained an item reporting on moves taken by Ngai Tahu to control the marketing of pounamu (New Zealand greenstone). The item alleged that overseas jade was being passed off as pounamu....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Target – product check on sunscreens – noted that there is no standard for sunscreens in New Zealand – said only two of the five trial products advertised that they complied with the Australian standard – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair FindingsStandard 4 (balance) – item did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – balance standard did not apply – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – did not imply that products which did not comply with the Australian standard for sunscreens were inferior – not inaccurate – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – not unfair to compare products for consumer information – clearly based on a family’s opinion – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of Target, a consumer affairs programme, was broadcast on TV3 at 7....
Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item reporting research that men who were not circumcised were three times more likely to contract a sexually transmitted disease than those who were – allegedly unbalanced Findings Standard 4 (balance) – item did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News, broadcast on 7 November 2006 at 6pm on TV3, reported that research carried out by the Christchurch School of Medicine had revealed that men who were not circumcised were three times more likely to contract a sexually transmitted disease than those who were. The reporter said that the study had followed 500 males from birth to 25 years of age....
Complaint under section 8(1)(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Campbell Live – item reported that a Fijian island used by a New Zealand production company to film the television series Treasure Island, was being “trashed” – interviewed two men who had seen rubbish on the island – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair Findings Standard 4 (balance) – item did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – no reasonable basis upon which to conclude that the rubbish was left by Treasure Island production – broadcaster has not provided any evidence to support claims made in the item – inaccurate – upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – unfair to production company – upheld Order Section 13(1)(a) – broadcast statement This headnote does not form part of the decision....