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ComplaintOne Network News – economic report – deficit – inaccurate – omission of information FindingsStandard G14 – no further information necessary – not inaccurate – simplicity important in reporting news in accessible way – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary An item on One Network News broadcast on TV One at 6pm on 21 December 1999 concerned New Zealand’s deficit. It was reported that economists and politicians had emphasised that increased saving and exports were required to improve the deficit. K H Peter Kammler complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the item was inaccurately reported because "invisibles" such as the profits of overseas shareholders were not mentioned as a major factor in contributing to the deficit. He also contended that the suggestion made in the item that increasing exports would assist in reducing the deficit was "fraught with… difficulties"....

ComplaintBig Brother – offensive behaviour – nudity – immorality – inappropriate for broadcast at 6. 30pm – unsuitable for children FindingsStandard G2 – adult themes – unsuitable for G timeslot – uphold Standard G8 – G classification incorrect – uphold Standard G12 – broadcaster not mindful of effect of broadcast on children – uphold No Order (but recommendation for a written apology) This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Big Brother is a television series which features a group of people who are confined in a house in Australia and continuously monitored by cameras. It is broadcast on TV2 at 6. 30pm Tuesdays to Saturdays. On Monday's Big Brother is broadcast at 6. 00pm. For the first two weeks the series was screened, the programme was broadcast on Mondays at 6. 30pm....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]The Authority has not upheld complaints from seven members of the public about an episode of Sunday, which investigated gay conversion therapy and whether this practice was happening in New Zealand. Three individuals were filmed covertly during the programme, appearing to offer gay conversion therapy to an undercover reporter, ‘Jay’, who posed as a young Christian ‘struggling with same sex attraction’. The Authority found that the broadcaster’s use of a hidden camera in this case represented a highly offensive intrusion upon the three individuals’ interest in seclusion. All three individuals were discussing a sensitive matter and could not have reasonably expected their one on-one conversation to be recorded in its entirety and broadcast. The Authority found that on its face the broadcast breached the privacy of these individuals....

 The Authority has upheld a complaint that a promo for The Shallows shown during Finding Dory breached the children’s interests standard. The Authority found that the promo, which featured sinister and scary shark related content, was inappropriate for a child audience which would likely have been disturbed or alarmed by it. The Authority noted the importance of scheduling and editing promos for AO programmes appropriately, taking into account the classification of the host programme, and also the time of broadcast, target and likely audience of the host programme, and audience expectations. In considering the contextual factors, the Authority also found that the promo did not meet the G classification of the host programme. The Authority made no orders, and determined that the publication of the decision was sufficient to publicly notify and remedy the breach and would provide appropriate guidance to the broadcaster and to broadcasters generally....

The Authority has declined to determine a complaint that the presentation of a 1 News Kantar Public poll concerning support for political parties ahead of the 2023 general election was misleading. The Authority has previously determined that excluding undecided voters from poll figures was not inaccurate, and the issue of poll figures adding to 100% did not require our determination. On this basis the Authority considered it appropriate to decline to determine the complaint. Declined to determine (section 11(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989, in all the circumstances): Accuracy...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-113–114:Smits and Christian Heritage Party and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1993-113, 1993-114 PDF798. 21 KB...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1998-005 Decision No: 1998-006 Dated the 12th day of February 1998 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by PHILLIP SMITS of Auckland Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED S R Maling Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod J Withers...

ComplaintDawson’s Creek – teen drama – references to sex and condoms – incorrect PGR classification – unsuitable for childrenFindings(1) Standard G8 – fictional drama – teenage target audience – content not gratuitous – no uphold (2) Standard G12 – properly classified PGR and screened in PGR time – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary An episode in the Dawson’s Creek series was broadcast on TV2 at 7. 30pm on 6 June 2000. Maree and Andrew Gunn complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the programme contained many explicit references to sex and a "graphic, trivial discussion on the selection of condoms". They considered that this material was unsuitable for younger viewers, and that the programme ought to have been rated AO rather than PGR....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 74/94 Dated the 1st day of September 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by DENNIS WALKER of Havelock North Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson J R Morris R A Barraclough L M Loates...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 29/95 Dated the 11th day of May 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by PHILLIP SMITS of Auckland Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson L M Loates W J Fraser...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 79/95 Dated the 31st day of July 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by WELLINGTON PALESTINE GROUP Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates W J Fraser R McLeod...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 159/95 Dated the 19th day of December 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by GALA Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1997-040 Decision No: 1997-041 Dated the 17 day of April 1997 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by GEOFFREY DUFFY of Auckland and NANCY LISTER of Hastings Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

ComplaintSunday – item about a dog attack on complainant’s daughter – interviewed two men who were the dog’s owners and who had pleaded guilty – questions raised about aspects of police case – unfair – unbalanced – inaccurate – dog owners' actions condoned FindingsStandard 2 and Guideline 2b – dog owners’ actions not condoned – no uphold Standard 4 and Guideline 4b – reasonable opportunities given to complainant to participate – no uphold Standard 5 and Guidelines 5d and 5e – two factual inaccuracies – park given incorrect name – upheld by TVNZ – colour of dog shown on police flyer not acknowledged as possibly incorrect – uphold – no other inaccuracies Standard 6 and Guidelines 6b, 6c and 6e – complainant advised TVNZ forcefully that he did not want to participate – late information included in item which created ambivalence but not put to complainant – not unfair in view of complainant’s stance…...

An appeal by Michael Hooker against this decision was dismissed in the High Court: AP SW 6/02 PDF1. 09 MBComplaintStripsearch – series incorrectly classified as PGR – unsuitable for children – adult themes – breach of good taste – denigrated men – deceptive programming practice – broadcaster not mindful of effect on children FindingsStandard G2 – did not exceed current norms of decency and good taste – no upholdStandard G4 – participants not treated unjustly or unfairly – no upholdStandard G6 – not relevant – no upholdStandard G7 – no upholdStandard G8 – warning that hybrid classification in final episode potentially a deceptive programming practice – no upholdStandard G12 – no upholdStandard G13 – series did not discriminate against men – no upholdThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary[1] Stripsearch was a seven-part series broadcast on TV2 on Tuesday evenings at 8....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item reported that a homicide investigation was underway after the death of Rotorua high school principal Hawea Vercoe – presenter stated that Mr Vercoe had died after being punched to the ground during a fight – included details of a recent conviction – allegedly inaccurate and unfair FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – reporters entitled to rely on information provided by police – broadcaster made reasonable efforts to ensure that the report was accurate – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – standard does not apply to deceased persons – family did not take part and were not referred to – 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 Sunday 22 November 2009, reported on the death of high school principal Hawea Vercoe....

ComplaintStepping Out – Documentary New Zealand – documentary about young urban Maori on hikoi in Far North – use of "fuck" and its derivatives – offensive language FindingsStandard G2 – AO – warning – language used minimally – appropriate in context – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Documentary New Zealand: Stepping Out was broadcast on TV One at 8. 30pm on 9 October 2000. It followed six young urban Maori as they traced on foot a route taken by their ancestor Tohe down the west coast of the Far North. During the documentary, the words "fuck" and its derivatives were used on several occasions. Paul Schwabe complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, about the use of such "grossly offensive language"....

ComplaintHolmes – canal development in Whitianga – ministerial order to start again the consents process – angry reaction among residents – no comment from Minister – unbalanced FindingsStandard G6 – balance achieved throughout item – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary The angry reaction in Whitianga to the Conversation Minister’s order to consider again aspects of the consents process for the proposed canal development in the town, was covered in an item on Holmes broadcast on TV One at 7. 00pm on 16 May 2001. Dorothy Stafford complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that as the purpose of the item was to condemn the delay, it had suggested that the project had been terminated and had given only cursory treatment of the legal reasons that required the Minister to take action. Accordingly, she wrote, the item was unbalanced....

ComplaintLoud overreaching advertisements in religious programmes broadcast on Christmas Eve – breach of good taste Findings in Decision No: 2001-023 Standard G2 – presence and type of advertising not an issue of broadcasting standards – decline to determine Appeal against No: 2001-023 Upheld – complaint remitted to Authority to rehearFindings on Reconsideration Conjunction between programming and advertising did not breach standards of good taste – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The programmes screened on TV One between 10:15pm and midnight on Christmas Eve 2000 included carols, Christmas music and Bible readings. [2] John Watson complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that it was offensive for the commercial breaks during these programmes to feature Boxing Day bargains and an exhortation to end prostitution....