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ComplaintConcert FM – news item on cannabis use – report that decriminalisation would lead to increased use – and heavy use could lead to criminal behaviour FindingsPrinciple 4 – long period of current interest for the decriminalisation of cannabis debate – explored in other media – Guideline 4b (ii) – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] A submission that the decriminalisation of cannabis would lead to other criminal and anti-social behaviour was referred to in a news item broadcast on Concert FM at 8. 00am on 23 July 2001. It was reported that the submission had been made by the Police Association to a Parliamentary Health Select Committee inquiring into the harm associated with cannabis use. [2] David Currie complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the news item was misleading....

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....

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....

ComplaintSaturday Morning – Interview with David Lane of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards – SPCS – interviewer harangued Mr Lane – unfair FindingsPrinciple 5 – interview abrasive and querulous and subject matter subject to abrupt change – however interviewee is spokesperson for activist group and allowed to express opinion – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] Mr David Lane of the Society for the Protection of Community Standards (SPCS) was interviewed on Saturday Morning, at about 8. 15am on 13 July 2002, about contentious films. [2] Diane Ranger complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the interviewer shouted and sneered at Mr Lane, spoke in an insulting manner and prevented Mr Lane from putting his view. [3] In response, RNZ described the interview as robust, generally good humoured, and challenging....

ComplaintNational Radio – item on Barry Crump – bugger – offensive language FindingsPrinciple 1 – context relevant – programme not targeted at children – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary A play which portrayed the life and times of author Barry Crump was reviewed on Country Life, broadcast on National Radio on 29 July 2000 between 7. 00–8. 00am. The item contained interviews with the play’s director, actors and playwright, and included some excerpts from the play. The word "bugger" was used by one of the play’s characters. Paul Schwabe complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the language was offensive. He said it was his understanding that broadcasters were required to maintain standards consistent with good taste and decency. The word "bugger", he said, was plainly indecent language to him and to many other people....

ComplaintInsight – item on issues facing foreign students in New Zealand – allegation of rape by student in home-stay situation – no evidence presented to substantiate allegation – inaccurate FindingsPrinciple 6 – participants' contribution – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] An Insight programme broadcast on National Radio on 12 May 2002 considered some of the issues facing overseas students living in New Zealand, including the implications on the export education industry for this country. The programme included a claim that a student had been raped while living in a home-stay situation. [2] Robin Powell complained to Radio New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that the claim of rape by the student had not been substantiated, and it was therefore irresponsible to have broadcast such a claim....

ComplaintOff the Wire – radio comedy – National Radio – reporting relating masturbation to religion – offensive FindingsPrinciple 1, Guideline 1a – not offensive in context – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] Off the Wire, a radio comedy, was broadcast live on National Radio at 12. 15pm on Sunday 4 August 2002. A participant in the programme related an item that had previously been reported in the media in the United States. He stated: "A Sunday school teacher was convicted of a misdemeanour for counselling a teenage boy that a good way to curb his masturbation habit was to write ‘what would Jesus do’ on his penis". [2] Janet Armstrong complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, about the nature of the item. She described it as highly offensive to Christians and other listeners....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]Nine to Noon broadcast an interview with Joan Withers, chair of Mighty River Power, about her career and the energy industry, among other things. The Authority declined to determine a complaint that Ms Withers was not suitable to interview. RNZ's decision to interview Ms Withers is a matter of editorial discretion rather than broadcasting standards. The complainant has previously made similar complaints about Ms Withers and been warned that further similar complaints would be unlikely to be determined in future. Accordingly the Authority declined to determine the present complaint on the basis it was vexatious. Declined to Determine: Accuracy, Fairness, Responsible Programming Introduction[1] Nine to Noon broadcast an interview with Joan Withers, chair of Mighty River Power, about her career and the energy industry, among other things....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that it was a breach of broadcasting standards for an expert interviewee to suggest the anti-mask/anti-vaccination movement was behind bomb threats made to several New Zealand schools. The Authority found that while the issue of who was responsible constituted a controversial issue of public importance, the interview was clearly signalled as approaching the issue from a particular perspective, so the balance standard was not breached. It also found that anti-mask/anti-vaccination advocates are not groups to which the discrimination and denigration and fairness standards apply. Not Upheld: Discrimination and Denigration, Balance, Fairness...

The Authority has declined to determine a complaint alleging a brief news bulletin on Radio New Zealand’s RNZ Concert breached the balance and accuracy standards in reporting statements by US Vice President JD Vance. The Authority found in all the circumstances the complaint should not be determined as it amounted to the complainant’s personal preference regarding matters of editorial discretion and the complainant’s concerns about accuracy derived from a misinterpretation of the bulletin.   Declined to Determine (s 11(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 - in all circumstances): Balance, Accuracy...

The Authority1 has not upheld a complaint that interviews on The Detail discussing a ‘power imbalance’ between retirement village operators and residents breached the balance, accuracy and fairness standards. The complainant alleged the broadcast was unbalanced and unfair as it did not provide an alternative perspective from a retirement village operator or the industry, and the statement, ‘operators are just sitting on the weekly fee’, was inaccurate. The Authority found the broadcast was signalled as coming from a particular point of view and viewers were unlikely to expect a countering perspective in the broadcast. The Authority also found the alleged inaccurate statement was clearly distinguishable as analysis, comment or opinion and was not materially misleading. The fairness standard did not apply. Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy, Fairness...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 46/95 Dated the 31st day of May 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson L M Loates W J Fraser...

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: 80/94 Dated the 19th day of September 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by D. LOW of Kaeo Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson J R Morris R A Barraclough L M Loates...

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...

ComplaintCheckpoint – Waitara shooting – police officer not named – unbalanced interview with his lawyer – interviewer partial FindingsPrinciple 4 – a number of viewpoints heard – not partial – balance achieved over time – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary The lawyer for the police officer who shot and killed a man in Waitara was one of those interviewed in an item on the shooting broadcast on Checkpoint on National Radio on 16 August 2000 between 5. 00–6. 00pm. She explained some of the background to the shooting and defended the request that the officer not be named by the media. Simon Boyce complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the item was unbalanced and that it was "extraordinary" that the lawyer was interviewed and given an opportunity to defend the police officer....

Complaint under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Nine to Noon – commentator (Hana O’Regan) compared the impact of views of the leader of the National Party (Dr Brash) to those of Hitler – allegedly offensive, irresponsible, unbalanced, unfair and inaccurateFindings: Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – context – not upheld Principle 4 (balance) – another perspective on extensively debated controversial issue – not upheld Principle 5 (fairness) – focus of comparison on process, not policy – not upheld Principle 6 (accuracy) – limited factual comparison accurate – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Commentator Hana O’Regan was interviewed by the presenter (Linda Clark) on National Radio’s Nine to Noon between 9. 54 and 10. 00am on 11 February 2004....

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”....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Nine to Noon – political commentator made comments about the background to negotiations between the Government and Rio Tinto over the Tiwai Point smelter – allegedly in breach of accuracy standardFindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – panellist’s comments amounted to his opinion, not statements of fact – exempt from standards of accuracy under guideline 5a – high value speech – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] “Politics with Matthew Hooton and Mike Williams” on Nine to Noon contained political commentary on the Government’s negotiations with Rio Tinto Alcan Ltd (Rio Tinto), over the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter in Southland. The programme was broadcast on 2 April 2013 on Radio New Zealand National....