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ComplaintNewstalk ZB – host Leighton Smith – caller used word "mongrel" to describe bad parents – denied it was a racist interpretation – offensive language – racist FindingsPrinciple 1 – context – no uphold Principle 7 – threshold not reached – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] Parenting was one of the topics discussed on the Leighton Smith Morning Show on 27 August 2002 in view of some murders committed recently by young people. One caller said that "two mongrel dogs" would produce "a mongrel pup", and that it was illegal to "beat that mongrel out of the pup". The Leighton Smith Morning Show is broadcast by TRN each weekday between 8. 30am – midday via the Newstalk ZB network. It is a talkback programme hosted by Leighton Smith....

Complaints under sections 8(1)(a) and 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Newstalk ZB – item on the sale of shares by the New Plymouth District Council – broadcast of complainant’s recorded comments regarding the issue – allegedly unfair – alleged breach of privacyFindings Principle 3 (privacy) – no private facts disclosed – not upheld Principle 5 (fairness) – complainant should have been aware he was being recorded – spirit of Guideline 5a observed – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Background [1] On 8 September 2004 the complainant faxed to Newstalk ZB a copy of a letter he had sent to various official institutions, including the office of the Auditor-General. The letter included allegations by Mr Gibbs that a district council executive stood to benefit financially from the sale of shares by the New Plymouth District Council....

SummaryNews broadcasts by Newstalk ZB and Classic Hits FM between 6. 00–9. 00 am on 16 October 1998 reported that a Victoria University student had been forced to leave her employment in England as a nanny because of sexual advances by her employer, Mr Mohammed Al-Fayed. Mr Wilkinson complained to The Radio Network Limited, the broadcaster, that the reports were inaccurate. In an interview he had heard with the student on another radio station, she had emphasised cultural differences and human rights matters as being the reasons for leaving her employment, he said. The sexual slant placed on the story by the broadcaster did not assist understanding of another culture, he wrote, and it was a disservice to the student. Responding, TRN said that the story, quoting the student as having had sexual advances made to her by Mr Al-Fayed, had been given widespread local and international coverage....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Talkback with Danny Watson – discussion about the Catholic Church’s excommunication of the mother and doctor of a nine-year-old girl in Brazil who had been raped, become pregnant, and had an abortion – the view of one of the people who rang in support of the Church’s actions was later criticised by other callers – a number of callers rang in criticising the Church’s actions – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, fairness and discrimination and denigration standards Findings Standard 6 (fairness) – complainant and Catholic Church treated fairly – not upheld Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – subsumed into consideration of Standard 6 Standard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – criticisms of the Catholic Church lacked necessary invective for a breach of the standard – robust nature of talkback – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the…...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Kerre Woodham Talkback – host started a discussion about whether the Falun Gong organisation should be able to participate in the Auckland City Christmas parade – host stated that Falun Gong had no place in the parade – callers rang in who were both for and against the host’s position – after 90 minutes of discussion, the radio station stopped airing calls from Falun Gong members – allegedly unfair Findings Standard 6 (fairness) – complainant was not “taking part or referred to” in the broadcast –points that complainant wanted to make were made by other callers – Falun Gong not treated unfairly – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Paul Holmes Breakfast – comments regarding the beheading of hostages in Iraq – allegedly breached good taste and decency FindingsPrinciple 1 (good taste and decency) – presenter’s comments light-hearted look at serious issue – common practice in broadcast media – no intent to minimise gravity of subject matter – no obscene language or macabre detail employed – not in breach of good taste and decency standard – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] At about 6. 53am on 22 September 2004 the host of Paul Holmes Breakfast on Newstalk ZB (Paul Holmes) began a segment about the beheading of hostages in Iraq. At the time of the broadcast, British man Kenneth Bigley had been captured by terrorists in Iraq....

ComplaintNewstalk ZB – host Larry Williams – guest Michael Laws – New York terrorist attack – President Bush's actions described as pathetic – ignorant and offensive comments FindingsPrinciple 7 – nominated by broadcaster – inappropriate Principle 5 – correct standard – comments not unfair in context – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The terrorist attack in New York City on 11 September 2001 was the topic discussed on Newstalk ZB between host Larry Williams and commentator Michael Laws at about 6. 20pm on 14 September 2001. During the discussion, Mr Laws described President George Bush’s actions as "pathetic". [2] Murray McEwan complained to The Radio Network Ltd, the broadcaster, that Mr Laws’ comments were "appallingly" ignorant and offensive. He deplored the host’s response who had allowed the guest’s remarks to go unchallenged....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1998-002 Dated the 29th day of January 1998 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by WING-YAU YEE of Auckland Broadcaster RADIO i98FM LIMITED S Maling Chairperson L Loates R McLeod...

Leigh Pearson declared a conflict of interest and did not take part in the determination of this complaint. Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sean Plunket Morning – host interviewed Dr Paul Connett about his views against fluoridation of water – allegedly in breach of controversial issues, fairness and discrimination and denigration standards FindingsStandard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – programme discussed a controversial of public interest – period of current interest is ongoing so listeners aware of other views – Dr Connett was given ample opportunity to present his perspective – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – interview was robust but reasonable and good-natured – Dr Connett treated fairly – not upheld Standard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – standard only applies to sections of the community, not individuals – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]The host of talkback programme Canterbury Mornings expressed the view that parking wardens in Christchurch were ‘scum’ for ticketing people in the central city, after everything they had been through with the earthquakes. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the host’s comments were unacceptable, irresponsible and denigrated parking wardens. The comments related to a legitimate issue and were well within the host’s right to free speech, especially given that talkback radio is recognised as a robust and opinionated environment. A caller also challenged the host, so listeners were given a countering perspective....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Kerre Woodham Talkback – host stated, in response to caller’s comment that having a disability was the result of “inbreeding”, “You fricken moron, I’d have cut you off if you hadn’t cut yourself off, you idiot…” – language used allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and responsible programming standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) and Standard 8 (responsible programming) – host said “fricken moron” not “fuckin’ moron” as alleged – comment broadcast after 9pm during talkback programme targeted at adults – comment would not have surprised or offended most listeners and its broadcast in this context was not socially irresponsible – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] Kerre Woodham Talkback was broadcast on Tuesday 12 June 2012 from 7pm to midnight on Newstalk ZB. At approximately 9....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Leighton Smith Show – host discussed verdicts in Urewera Four case – complainant phoned the programme and the host subsequently made comments about “nut bars” in New Zealand – allegedly in breach of discrimination and denigration standard FindingsStandard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – unclear which section of the community the complainant considered was denigrated or discriminated against – standard only applies to sections of the community and not to individuals so cannot be considered in relation to the complainant – broadcast did not encourage denigration of, or discrimination against, any section of the community – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] During the Leighton Smith Show, broadcast on the morning of 21 March 2012 on Newstalk ZB, the host discussed the verdicts in the “Urewera Four” case....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]A Newstalk ZB news bulletin reported on the Pope meeting with victims of clerical sexual abuse. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the number of victims cited was inaccurate. The broadcaster made reasonable efforts to ensure the item’s accuracy by obtaining the figure from a United Nations report. Not Upheld: Accuracy, FairnessIntroduction[1] A Newstalk ZB news bulletin reported on the Pope meeting with victims of clerical sexual abuse. The newsreader said the meeting was ‘a gesture aimed at expressing [the Pope’s] closeness to the tens of thousands of people abused by priests around the world’. The report was broadcast on Newstalk ZB on 5 July 2014....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Newstalk ZB – host used the phrase “whack-job Christians” – allegedly in breach of standards relating to discrimination and denigration FindingsStandard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – host used the phrase “whack-job Christians” to convey his personal opinion – comment lacked the necessary invective to reach threshold for encouraging discrimination against or denigration of Christians – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] During an item on Newstalk ZB broadcast on the morning of Friday 4 February 2011, the host stated: I voted for [MP’s name] before he got involved with all those ‘whack-job’ Christians and stuff, back when he was that middle class, middle of the road family man and he was on the verge of getting the five percent....

ComplaintNews bulletins on stations broadcast in the Southland area. Omission of broadcasting local news about Jeff Wilson – omission to broadcast local news items – inadequate coverage of local news – Principle 6, guideline (d) cited FindingsPrinciple 6 – complaint about omission to broadcast – decline to determine – editorial judgment Cross-reference2000-068, 2000-070–071 This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Brent Procter complained that local news bulletins on 22 May and 23 May 2000 on stations broadcast in the Southland area by The Radio Network Ltd (TRN) had failed to cover adequately the announcement that Jeff Wilson had decided to stand down from rugby. He considered that the matter was of "overwhelming local importance", and that by "ignoring the most obvious local aspects of the Wilson story", the integrity of news and current affairs had not been maintained....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Newstalk ZB Christchurch – “Stick of the Week” awards – host nominated and named both the parents of and a pre-schooler who had been involved in altercation with Mayor – child allegedly exposed to ridicule and humiliation – privacy allegedly breached FindingsPrinciple 3 (privacy) – facts disclosed already in public domain – not upheld Principle 6 (fairness) – child object of sympathy, not ridicule – not upheld Principle 7 (denigration) – item did not deal with specified section of community – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] “Stick of the Week”, a negative albeit light-hearted award, is a long-running segment of the Friday morning show on Newstalk ZB in Christchurch....

ComplaintPaul Holmes Breakfast Show – barrage of jokes against French and German military – racist and offensive Findings Principle 7 and Guideline 7a – no discrimination – high threshold not reached – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision Summary [1] A barrage of jokes relayed on the Paul Holmes Breakfast Show between 6. 00–8. 30am by its presenter, Paul Holmes, was broadcast on The Radio Network Ltd (TRN) on Friday 14 February 2003. The jokes targetted the French and German military. [2] Sylvia Shepherd complained to TRN, the broadcaster, that the jokes were racist, anti-French and offensive. [3] In response, TRN stated that the jokes, which had previously been published in the Sun newspaper in Britain did not encourage denigration of, or discrimination against, the French and were legitimate examples of humour or satire....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Newstalk ZB – film review – reviewer used words “she doesn’t get my balls going” – allegedly offensiveFindingsPrinciple 1 (good taste and decency) – context – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A film reviewer on Newstalk ZB said of an actor “she doesn’t get my balls going”. The review was broadcast during the Saturday morning Mike Hosking show at 9. 45am on 16 July 2005. Complaint [2] Gaile Porter complained to The Radio Network Ltd, the broadcaster, that the language was inappropriate at a time when her grandchildren were listening. She said the phrase, which was broadcast twice, was offensive. Principles [3] TRN assessed the complaint under Principle 1 of the Radio Code of Broadcasting Practice....

Summary"You and me baby, we ain’t nothing but mammals, so let’s do it like they do on the Discovery Channel" is a line from a song by The Bloodhound Gang played on 91 ZM on 20 November 1999 at 7. 45am. Vaughan and Diane Barrow complained to The Radio Network Ltd, the broadcaster, that the lyrics of the song breached current norms of decency and good taste, were harmful to children, and transgressed broadcasters’ obligation to be socially responsible. The Radio Network considered the complaint only under the good taste standard and, noting that the song contained innuendo and double entendres, argued that such content was nevertheless the norm for music targeted at youth. It noted that the song had had heavy airplay for at least three months and that it had received no other complaint about its content. It declined to uphold the complaint....