Search

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Without a Trace – promo showed a woman interrogating a beaten man, who was sitting on a chair, his hands tied and bleeding – woman aimed a nail gun at the man’s groin and stated “…I will nail more than your hand to the chair” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order, programme classification, children’s interests and violence standards Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 2 (law and order) – promo did not condone, promote or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld Standard 7 (programme classification) – promo correctly classified as PGR – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – majority agreed that the broadcaster adequately considered the interests of child viewers – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – promo was brief – did not contain explicit violence – majority considered broadcaster exercised…...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Close Up – interviewee compared playing old songs to having sex and an orgasm – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interests standards. Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – comparison was delivered in a straightforward and low-key manner – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – item was mild and light-hearted in nature – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on Close Up, broadcast on TV One at 7pm on 5 April 2007, showed an interview with Ray Manzarek, a former member of the rock group “The Doors”. [2] Towards the end of the interview, Mr Manzarek was asked if he ever got tired of playing the same songs. Mr Manzarek replied: Are you sick and tired of having sex?...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Close Up – included estimates of Iraqi civilian and military deaths since 2003 invasion – figures said to be difficult to verify – conservatively put at 49,642 but said most estimates suggested well over 100,000 – allegedly inaccurate FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – wide ranging estimate was not inaccurate – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast 1] The estimated number of Iraqi deaths since the US-led invasion on 20 March 2003 was given in an item on Close Up, broadcast on TV One on 7 December 2006 beginning at 7. 00pm. After giving the number of American and other coalition soldiers killed, the item reported: When it comes to tallying the number of Iraqi deaths, figures are difficult to verify....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – statement broadcast about a complaint upheld by the Authority – allegedly inaccurate and unfair FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – statement was an accurate representation of the Authority's decision – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – nothing unfair to Mr Greally in the statement – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Television New Zealand Ltd was ordered to broadcast a statement after a complaint had been upheld by the Broadcasting Standards Authority. Decision No: 2006-020 related to a complaint by Elizabeth Dunning about a One News item screened on 3 February 2006. The statement required by the Authority was broadcast on TV One during One News at approximately 6pm on 22 November 2006....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – report on National Party leader John Key's "state of the nation" speech – included responses from community groups and the Prime Minister – allegedly unbalanced FindingsStandard 4 (balance) – reasonable efforts made to present significant viewpoints – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News , broadcast on TV One at 6pm on 30 January 2007, reported on the "state of the nation" speech by National Party leader, John Key. It showed parts of Mr Key's speech and also contained a short excerpt from a speech by the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, in which she disputed Mr Key's assertion that there was a "growing underclass" in New Zealand. [2] The One News political editor commented that Mr Key's speech had not contained "a lot of real concrete solutions"....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News: Midday and One News – reported on a police drugs bust involving former Australian swimmer Scott Miller – Charlotte Dawson mentioned as being his ex-wife – one item included wedding photos of Ms Dawson and Mr Miller – allegedly in breach of law and order, balance, accuracy and fairness Findings Standard 2 (law and order) – items did not encourage viewers to break the law or otherwise condone, promote or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld Standard 4 (balance) – items did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – items were accurate on points of fact – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – Ms Dawson was treated fairly – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989The Unauthorised History of New Zealand – skit called “Dr Rangi” – doctor examined female patient’s breasts – became visibly sexually aroused as the female patient responded coyly – 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] The Unauthorised History of New Zealand was a satirical series lampooning certain trends and incidents in New Zealand history. An episode broadcast on TV One at 10. 10pm on 12 March 2007 contained a skit called “Dr Rangi”, which was a send-up of 1970’s sitcoms, involving a Maori doctor. [2] The skit involved Dr Rangi examining a female patient’s breasts and becoming visibly sexually aroused as the female patient responded coyly....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item reported that Green Party was calling for an urgent safety review of non-stick cookware – claimed the US Environmental Protection Agency had found possible links between non-stick cookware, cancer and birth defects – veterinarian stated that non-stick pans could be deadly to household birds – allegedly inaccurate and unfairFindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – item contained misleading and inaccurate statements – would have unnecessarily alarmed viewers – upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – not unfair to any person or organisation taking part in the programme – not upheldOrderSection 13(1)(a) – broadcast of a statement Section 16(1) – payment of costs to the complainant of $927. 50 Section 16(4) – payment of costs to the Crown $2,500....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Generic promo for One News – showed Ahmed Zaoui outside Mt Eden Prison – complainant alleged that promo glamorised anti-social behaviour – allegedly inconsistent with the maintenance of law and orderFindingsStandard 2 (law and order) – no portrayal of anti-social behaviour – broadcast did not show criminal activity or encourage viewers to break the law – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] TV One broadcast a generic promo for One News during several weeks of 2006. The promo included various well-known newsmakers using the phrase “It’s about me” including Ahmed Zaoui, an Algerian who had arrived in New Zealand in 2003 and sought refugee status....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item about prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq – included pictures of tortured and humiliated prisoners – allegedly excessively violent and unsuitable for childrenFindingsStandard 9 and guidelines 9a, 9e, 9f (children’s interests) – major news item – sombre introduction included warning – children’s interests considered – not upheld Standard 10 and guideline 10g (violence) – care and discretion exercised – warning included – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Previously unseen pictures of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq were screened in an item on One News broadcast on TV One beginning at 6. 00pm on 16 February 2006. The item reported the way the American guards had allegedly tortured and humiliated the Iraqi prisoners....

Complaints under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sensing Murder: Insight – programme looked into several historical unsolved murders – included commentary from three psychics – allegedly inaccurate Findings Standard 5 (accuracy) – factual information contained in the programme was accurate – psychics’ commentary about the murders was presented as their own perspective – factual material clearly distinguished from opinion, analysis and comment – no evidence viewers were misled – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A programme called Sensing Murder: Insight, broadcast on TV2 at 8. 30pm on 4 September 2007, looked at several historical unsolved murders and three psychics’ comments and insights about each case. At the beginning of the programme the narrator stated: Sensing Murder provoked a huge response from the public. Viewers were divided into two camps: believers and sceptics....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Fair Go – two related items, broadcast on different dates, contained footage of a reporter talking on his cell phone – viewers could hear what was being said by the person on the other end of the line – allegedly in breach of law and order, privacy and fairness Findings Standard 2 (law and order) – items did not promote, condone or glamorise criminal activity or encourage viewers to break the law – not upheld Standard 3 (privacy) – man knew he was speaking to a reporter – would have realised the conversations would be reported on in some manner – sufficient public interest – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – items treated the man fairly – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item looked at the government’s surplus and the likelihood of tax cuts – presenter made a comment regarding possible tax cuts – allegedly unbalanced and inaccurate Findings Standard 4 (balance) – presenter’s statement appeared to take a position – statement was balanced by comments from the political reporter – issue of tax cuts had a long history and was well publicised – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – subsumed into consideration of Standard 4 This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast on TV One at 6pm on 10 October 2007, discussed the cause and effect of the Labour-led Government’s $8. 6 billion surplus and the likelihood of tax cuts before the next election....

Complaint under section 8(1)(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item on man who had been stabbed in the upper thigh by a stingray barb – complainant alleged that man’s testicles were visible as he showed the camera his wound – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – complainant mistaken – man’s testicles not visible – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast on TV One at 6pm on 25 October 2007, reported on a fisherman who had been stabbed in the upper thigh by a stingray barb. The item included an interview with the man in hospital, during which his wound was shown to the camera. The man’s underpants were partially visible underneath his gown....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Close Up – item on the standard of care in rest homes in New Zealand – producer went undercover as a caregiver for five days in a rest home on Auckland’s North Shore – presenter and undercover producer raised a number of concerns regarding the quality of care being provided in the rest home – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair Findings Standard 4 (balance) – owners provided with an adequate opportunity to respond to allegations – broadcaster made reasonable efforts to provide significant viewpoints on the controversial issue discussed – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – undercover producer’s opinions and impressions not statements of fact – decline to determine whether undercover producer contracted an MRSA infection from rest home – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – legitimate use of covert filming – in the public interest to broadcast the material – item treated…...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item covering the murder trial of Clayton Weatherston – contained footage of Mr Weatherston in court describing his attack – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – viewers would not have expected the level of explicit detail provided – item required a warning – upheld No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast at 6pm on Monday 13 July 2009, covered the day’s events at the trial of Clayton Weatherston, who was accused of murdering Sophie Elliott. The presenters introduced the item by saying: The university tutor who killed his former student and girlfriend has given his version of what happened in her bedroom that day....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Breakfast – presenter held a highlighter to his nose and sniffed it – commented that highlighters are not as good as permanent markers for sniffing – allegedly in breach of law and order and children’s interests standards Findings Standard 2 (law and order) – sniffing permanent markers is not illegal – comments intended to be humorous – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – children unlikely to be watching Breakfast and not likely to be disturbed or alarmed – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] During an episode of Breakfast, broadcast on TV One on Thursday 10 April 2008, the following discussion took place between the programme’s presenters Paul Henry and Pippa Wetzell at approximately 8. 05am: Paul: What did we do before highlighters? They are so cool. . ....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Distraction – British comedy quiz show – host referred to one contestant as having “wanked off a dog” – alleged frequent use of the word “fuck” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – context – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of Distraction, a British comedy quiz programme in which the utmost is done to distract contestants from the task at hand, was broadcast on TV2 at 9. 30pm on 23 September 2005. During the introductory sequence, the host referred to one contestant as having “wanked off a dog”. Complaint [2] Malcolm Anderson complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the reference to “wanking off a dog” was disgusting, and in breach of good taste and decency....

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....