Search Rapua

ComplaintNational Radio – Insight – edited highlights of a panel discussion on republicanism and the Treaty of Waitangi – unbalanced – lack of editorial integrity FindingsPrinciple 4 – not a controversial issue – no uphold Principle 6 – not news or current affairs – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] An Insight programme broadcast on National Radio on 3 June 2002, comprised edited highlights of a panel discussion on republicanism and the Treaty of Waitangi. [2] Dr Noel Cox, on behalf of The Monarchist League of New Zealand Inc, complained to Radio New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that the programme was unbalanced, its timing inappropriate, and it lacked editorial integrity....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Saturday Mornings with Kim Hill – interview with former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard – allegedly in breach of fairness standard FindingsStandard 6 (fairness) – Mr Howard was a controversial political figure who should have expected to be interviewed robustly – Mr Howard dealt with fairly – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Saturday Mornings with Kim Hill, broadcast on Radio New Zealand National between 9. 00am and 12. 00pm on 20 November 2010, featured an interview with former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard. The host introduced the item as an interview on the occasion of the release of Mr Howard’s personal and political autobiography, “Lazarus Rising”....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-062:Connolly and Radio New Zealand Ltd - 1993-062 PDF416. 71 KB...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ] Saturday Morning featured an interview with a filmmaker about his recent documentary Going Clear about the Church of Scientology. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the interview was unbalanced, unfair and biased against the Church. The focus of the interview was the filmmaker's perspective and his experience making the film; it did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance which required a balancing viewpoint to be presented. The nature of the programme was such that the broadcaster was not required in the interests of fairness to inform the Church prior to broadcast or invite its comment in response....

The Authority has declined to determine a complaint about an item on Nights, which discussed the New Zealand Book Council’s initiative to create a men’s book club, with the aim of encouraging more men to read books. Mr Golden complained that the item was inaccurate. He submitted that men should not be encouraged to read more books, as paper-based books were, for example, heavy, spread unwanted bacteria and could cause eye problems. The Authority declined to determine the complaint on the basis that it was frivolous and trivial, and ordered the complainant to pay a reasonable portion of costs to the broadcaster to compensate for the time and resources spent in dealing with the complaint. Declined to Determine: Accuracy Order: Section 16(2)(a) – $100 costs to the broadcaster...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint alleging a Nine to Noon interview discussing the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System and Children and Young People’s Commission Bill breached the balance and fairness standards. The item included interviews with current and former Children’s Commissioners, who were both generally opposed to the proposed legislation. As the item was clearly signalled as coming from a particular perspective, and the existence of other perspectives was indicated within the broadcast, the Authority found there was no need to include other perspectives within the item itself. In the circumstances it was unlikely listeners would have been left uninformed or unaware there were other perspectives on the issue. The fairness standard did not apply. Not Upheld: Balance, Fairness...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about an episode of Saturday Morning, in which host Kim Hill interviewed physician journalist and COVID-19 expert Dr Norman Swan. The complaint was that Dr Swan’s comments distinguishing between Long-Haul COVID-19 and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome normalised stigmatisation of the latter and breached the discrimination and denigration standard. The Authority acknowledged the complainant’s concerns, but found the comments did not reach the high threshold of harm that justifies restricting freedom of expression under the standard. Not Upheld: Discrimination and Denigration...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that two interviews on Morning Report, which explored the propriety of funding for a campaign to encourage Māori to register on the Māori electoral roll, breached the balance and accuracy standards. The complainant said the interviews with Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, Chair of the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (WOCA) which funded the campaign, and with Hon Shane Jones, who was asked to comment on the issue, displayed ‘anti-Māori bias’. Noting the broadcast incorrectly stated WOCA was a government agency, the complainant also said listeners would be left with an impression there was corruption taking place based on a false assumption. The Authority found the balance standard was not breached as significant perspectives about the advertising campaign were presented in the broadcast and in other media within the period of current interest....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1997-156 Dated the 27th day of November 1997 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by IAN WARD of Christchurch Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED S R Maling Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod J Withers...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 98/95 Dated the 21st day of September 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by BARRY BARCLAY of Wellington Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 53/94 Dated the 7th day of July 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by FRANCIS TRACEY of Auckland Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I. W. Gallaway Chairperson J. R. Morris R. A. Barraclough L. M. Dawson...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 Nine to Noon – item was part five of a 15-part reading of the novel “The Captive Wife” – the reading contained language of a sexual nature – 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]  On Friday 10 August 2007 at 10. 45am, Nine to Noon, broadcast on Radio New Zealand National, featured a reading from the novel “The Captive Wife” by Fiona Kidman. The novel was based on the lives of Jacky and Betty Guard, and events which took place in 19th century New Zealand. The reading was approximately 13 minutes long and was part five of a 15-part series....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1998-081 Decision No: 1998-082 Dated the 30th day of July 1998 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by A R MORETON of Auckland and ROBERT MENZIES of Picton RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED Broadcaster S R Maling Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod J Withers...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1998-028 Decision No: 1998-029 Dated the 26th day of March 1998 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by GREEN SOCIETY Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED S R Maling (Chairperson) L M Loates R McLeod J Withers...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Nine to Noon – media commentator referred to article in Investigate magazine which raised questions about the sexuality of a public figure – commentator said the named public figure was not a “poof” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and denigrated homosexuals FindingsPrinciple 1 (good taste and decency) – subsumed under Principle 7 – denigration of homosexuals was essence of the complaint – not upheld Principle 7 and guideline 7a (denigration) – high threshold for denigration not met – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Media commentator Phil Wallington reviewed the media on National Radio’s Nine to Noon each week during 2006. On 19 September 2006, he was highly critical of the manner in which the magazine Investigate had raised the issue of the sexuality of a public figure....

An appeal against this decision was dismissed in the High Court: CIV 2008-485-1465 PDF165. 64 KBComplaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Nine to Noon – interview with legal commentator about the Ministry of Justice’s review of the Domestic Violence Act 1995 – referred to women when talking about the victims and men when discussing the abusers – allegedly unbalancedFindings Principle 4 (balance) – not necessary to expressly acknowledge that men could be the victims of domestic violence – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] An item broadcast during Nine to Noon on Radio New Zealand National on 27 February 2008 featured an interview with a legal commentator, Catriona McLennan. Ms McLennan discussed a review, published by the Ministry of Justice, of implementation aspects of New Zealand’s Domestic Violence Act 1995....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that an interview between host Kim Hill and John Tamihere, Chief Executive of Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust and the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, on Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report breached broadcasting standards. It found the interview did not threaten current norms of good taste and decency, noting that the robust nature of the interview was in line with audience expectations of RNZ and Hill. It also found the balance standard was not breached on the basis that Tamihere was given sufficient time to express his views and, given other media coverage, viewers could reasonably be expected to be aware of other perspectives regarding how to best increase Māori vaccination rates. It further found that Tamihere was not treated unfairly during the interview. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Balance and Fairness...

Summary Monica Lewinsky was interviewed by Kim Hill on National Radio on 15 March 1999 just after 9. 00am, following the release of the book which dealt with her relationship with President Clinton. Simon Boyce of Paraparaumu complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that one of the interviewer’s questions was unfortunate and inappropriate. He maintained that the interviewer had a history of asking her guests sexually explicit and intimate questions which were clearly embarrassing. In his view, this interview breached standards R2 and R5 of the Radio Code of Broadcasting Practice. RNZ responded that in the context of an interview with Ms Lewinsky, the language used had not breached the requirement to observe standards of good taste and decency....

Summary A psychiatrist and the mother of a young person suffering from a mental illness were interviewed by Kim Hill on Nine to Noon broadcast on National Radio on 4 August 1999 beginning at 9. 40am. Mr Boyce complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd that the interview lacked balance because it did not include the point of view of anyone who had been diagnosed as suffering a mental illness. He also complained that, because the mother was identified, her son would also have been identifiable, and it was a breach of the Privacy Act to release his medical details. Mr Boyce argued that the interviewer perpetuated myths and stereotypes about those with mental illness. In its response, RNZ emphasised that the focus of the interview was the availability of treatment for young people suffering mental illness....