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The Authority has not upheld a complaint concerning an item on 1News reporting on cuts to the public sector. The complainant considered the broadcast’s claim that public sector spending cuts were to help pay for the government’s tax cuts was inaccurate, unbalanced and was unfair to Minister of Finance Nicola Willis, as it fully attributed public sector funding reductions to paying for tax cuts. The Authority found no breach of the accuracy standard, noting the broadcast did not fully attribute public sector funding reductions to paying for tax cuts. It further found in a news story about the impact of the cuts, the broadcaster was not required to include reference to other reasons for better management of government funds, as well as other financial measures that would also help pay for tax cuts, as the complainant had submitted....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that comments made by the hosts of Midweek Mediawatch concerning sexual violence during the October 7 attacks in Israel were inaccurate, unbalanced and unfair for downplaying or denying that sexual violence occurred. During an extended discussion concerning an interview on Q + A, and how the Israel-Hamas conflict is reported on generally, the hosts noted reporting of sexual violence on 7 October 2023 had been challenged by other outlets, and mentioned that the Q + A interview did not challenge these claims. The Authority found that the statements were more consistent with analysis, comment or opinion to which the accuracy standard did not apply. However, it found relevant statements were, in any event, not misleading. The balance and fairness standards did not apply. Not Upheld: Accuracy, Balance, Fairness...

The Authority has not upheld an accuracy complaint about a statement by RNZ’s Morning Report host, ‘Māori have a clearly proven proprietary right over water… the Supreme Court has acknowledged that’, during an interview regarding the National Party’s Local Water Done Well policy. The complaint alleged there was no case in which the Supreme Court had made such a statement. The Authority found the statement was not materially inaccurate or misleading in the context of the broader discussion: most audience members would not have interpreted the statement in a strictly legal sense or appreciated the technical legal distinctions drawn in the complaint. The key point being made by the host was that National would need to ensure Māori interests in water were adequately dealt with – or risk facing further litigation – since its policy removed co-governance as a feature. Not Upheld: Accuracy...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that comments made by a political panellist on Nine to Noon, including that National Party public meetings were ‘full of angry racists saying angry racist things’ breached broadcasting standards. While the Authority acknowledged the statement was inflammatory, it found the statements were hyperbole and political comment and opinion, and they were challenged immediately by another panellist – meaning listeners were unlikely to be misled, and given sufficient viewpoints to form their own opinions. Not Upheld: Accuracy, Balance...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that a Newshub Live at 6pm item suggesting Labour’s Affordable Water Reform policy encompassed controls over all freshwater breached the accuracy standard. The Authority found the relevant references to freshwater were inaccurate. However, in the context of a story about Mayor Wayne Brown’s concerns for Auckland ratepayers and call to action for National, such detail regarding Labour’s policy was not material to the audience’s overall understanding of the item. Not Upheld: Accuracy...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that RNZ breached the accuracy and balance standards of the Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand for including a statement in a news bulletin that Israel was ‘carpet bombing the Palestinian territory’. The Authority noted that it is not its role to determine the definitive meaning of the term ‘carpet bombing’; nor to determine whether Israel has carried out ‘carpet bombing’. The Authority’s role is to decide whether reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy. Noting ‘carpet bombing’ carries multiple meanings and the story was focused on the impacts of the bombing (not military strategy), the Authority did not find any material inaccuracy likely to impact the audience’s understanding of the broadcast as a whole. The balance standard did not apply. Not Upheld: Accuracy, Balance...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about a Radio New Zealand report which indicated a run of hot days in Hamilton was probably unprecedented. The complainant provided records from the 1930s, suggesting Hamilton had previously experienced a heatwave of greater duration and intensity. He argued the broadcast was inaccurate and, when notified of the previous heatwave, RNZ had taken insufficient actions to correct any misleading impressions. The Authority found the statements complained about were analysis, comment or opinion to which the standard does not apply and, in any event, did not result in the broadcast being misleading. Not Upheld: Accuracy...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint under the balance and accuracy standards about an RNZ news bulletin reporting comments by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye. Erdoğan accused Israel of ‘aim[ing] to sabotage’ nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran through its airstrikes on Iran on 13 June 2025. The complainant alleged Erdoğan’s comments were untrue and that the broadcast was misleading by not detailing ‘the true sequence of events leading to Israel's attack on Iran’. The Authority found the brief, straightforward item did not amount to a ‘discussion’ for the purposes of the balance standard. It also found Erdoğan’s comments were analysis, comment, or opinion to which the accuracy standard does not apply, and the broadcast was not inaccurate or misleading by omission. Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that a TVNZ news report concerning an Israeli military operation in the Occupied West Bank breached the balance and accuracy standards. The Authority found the balance standard was not breached as the requirement to present additional perspectives is reduced for programmes narrowly focused on one aspect of a larger complex matter, and the audience could reasonably be expected to be aware of significant context and viewpoints from other media coverage.  While noting the balance standard is not directed at bias, the Authority also identified no bias in the language used in the broadcast. The Authority also found reasonable viewers were unlikely to be misled by the content, language used or absence of further context. Not Upheld: Balance and Accuracy...

The Authority has declined to determine a complaint under various standards about an answer during the DUKE Quiz which, in identifying an astronaut who ‘did not set foot on the moon’, stated ‘but then, did anyone really land on the moon? ’. The Authority considered the complaint was trivial and did not warrant determination. Declined to Determine (section 11(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 – trivial): Offensive and Disturbing Content, Promotion of Illegal or Antisocial Behaviour, Accuracy...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about an item which reported on the road toll over Labour Weekend and showed images of an accident where a woman was hit by a truck. The Authority found the privacy, fairness, accuracy and law and order standards were not breached. The complainant alleged the driver of the truck was identified and the broadcast gave the impression they were at fault for the accident. The Authority found the item did not identify the driver of the truck nor reveal private information about them. The item did not refer to the driver, nor give the impression the truck driver was not driving safely. The item reported on what police had said were potential causes of crashes, but it was clear this was not referring to the specific incidents which had taken place over the weekend. Not Upheld: Privacy, Fairness, Accuracy, Law and Order...

Summary The weather in Northland was predicted to include a few showers turning to rain later, according to the midday weather forecast on Concert FM on 15 July 1999. Michael Batham of Russell complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the weather report was inaccurate and did not fully inform listeners of the actual conditions. He said that the following day a news item reported that there had been a number of road accidents in Northland which had been caused by bad weather. He also complained that the weather forecasts in general were too inaccurate for boating people to rely on. RNZ responded that, given the brevity of the forecast used on Concert FM and the large geographical area of each region, there was no inaccuracy in the information conveyed. It emphasised that full marine forecasts were available from other sources....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Radio Live – reference to the Arabian Gulf in a news report – allegedly inaccurateFindings Principle 6 (accuracy) – use of the term Arabian Gulf inaccurate – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] During a news item broadcast on Radio Live on 9 April 2007, a reporter used the term “Arabian Gulf” when reporting that a British service woman had been freed after being held hostage for 13 days in Iran. Complaint[2] Babak Mahdavi complained to CanWest RadioWorks Ltd, the broadcaster, that the body of water which separates the Iranian Plateau from the Arabian Peninsula was officially named the “Persian Gulf”, and therefore it was inaccurate to refer to it as the Arabian Gulf....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1997-009 Dated the 13th day of February 1997 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 R McLeod A Martin...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Secret New Zealand – described the investigation into DC10 crash into Mt Erebus in 1979 as the “biggest cover-up” in aviation history – inaccurate – unbalanced – unfair Findings Standard 4 –- no imbalance in regard to the comments made about the complainant’s investigation – no uphold Standard 5 – no factual errors – no uphold Standard 6 – no unfairness to the complainant – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision Summary [1] The whereabouts of pages from the captain’s ring-binder notebook was investigated in an episode of Secret New Zealand which looked at the Air New Zealand DC 10 crash on Mt Erebus in Antarctica in 1979. Secret New Zealand is a series which highlights mysterious or unresolved aspects of New Zealand history and the episode complained about was broadcast on TV One at 8....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 Nightline and 3 News – news items reported on release of convicted sex offender Stewart Murray Wilson – referred to Mr Wilson as “the Beast of Blenheim” and “the Beast” – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decency, law and order, privacy, controversial issues, accuracy, fairness, responsible programming and children’s interests FindingsStandard 6 (fairness) – standard only applies to individuals and organisations so cannot be considered in relation to prisoners in general – label was assigned to Mr Wilson and the nature of his crimes many years ago and has been used extensively throughout the media – it has become a well-known nickname and the broadcaster cannot be held responsible for its continued use – broadcasts also contained Mr Wilson’s legal name – not upheld Standard 2 (law and order) – use of the label “the Beast of Blenheim” and…...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about an interview on RNZ’s Sunday Morning programme with the author of the book, The Final Choice, in the lead-up to the binding referendum on the End of Life Choice Act. The End-of-Life Choice Society complained that the interview was unbalanced and inaccurate, as it presented the book as ‘the truth’, and did not question the author’s independence or her alleged religious affiliations. The Authority noted its role is limited to applying the relevant broadcasting standards and guidelines, and determining whether any harm was caused which outweighed the right to freedom of expression; it is not the Authority’s role to determine whether the author is ‘independent’, or to determine her personal view on the topic....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that a news report covering the US Democratic Convention breached standards by referring to then US President Donald Trump as ‘Trump’ or ‘Donald Trump’ rather than with the title ‘President’. The broadcast was fair to Mr Trump, considering his position and profile as a politician and public figure. It was not misleading to refer to Mr Trump as ‘Donald Trump’ and the report was unlikely to cause widespread offence. The discrimination and denigration standard did not apply to Mr Trump as an individual. Not Upheld: Fairness, Accuracy, Good Taste and Decency, Discrimination and Denigration...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]The Authority has not upheld a complaint about a RadioLIVE Drive show, which discussed the issue of property managers or landlords asking to see the bank statements of prospective tenants. The Authority found the broadcast did not breach any of the broadcasting standards raised by the complainant, noting the broadcast included a range of viewpoints from the hosts, interviewees and listeners who phoned into the programme. The broadcast discussed a legitimate issue and was in line with audience expectations for the programme and for talkback radio. The Authority therefore found no actual or potential harm that might have outweighed the important right to freedom of expression....