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Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 One News and Tonight – item reported on the release of the "Sutch Papers" by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service – allegedly unbalanced and inaccurate Findings Standard 4 (balance) – item did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – Sutch Papers released did not confirm that "Sutch had a longstanding association with the KGB" as stated in the item – upheld No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast on TV One at 6pm on 6 June 2008 and repeated on Tonight at 10. 30pm the same evening, reported on the release of the Sutch Papers by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS)....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Inside New Zealand: Leaving the Exclusive Brethren – experiences of five people who had left the Exclusive Brethren – allegedly in breach of privacy, unbalanced, inaccurate and unfairFindingsStandard 3 (privacy) – no private facts revealed – no offensive intrusion – not upheld Standard 4 (balance) – programme did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – no inaccuracies – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – not unfair to the Exclusive Brethren – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A documentary entitled Inside New Zealand: Leaving the Exclusive Brethren was broadcast on TV3 at 8. 30pm on 18 August 2005. The programme followed the experiences of five people who had left the Exclusive Brethren....

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 section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – 24 December item interviewed woman whose husband was killed by a drunk driver – 7 January item spoke to youths appearing in court after being arrested for drink-driving – both items allegedly in breach of controversial issues and accuracy FindingsStandard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – items were straightforward news reports – no discussion of a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – complainant did not identify any inaccuracies – not misleading to omit discussion of the points raised by the complainant – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Fair Go – item critical of a real estate contract between Ms K and the National Property Centre Ltd – discussed the actions of the agent involved in drawing up the contract, as well as some of the terms and conditions – item also reported on another contract between the parties for renovation work to be done on Ms K’s property – allegedly in breach of privacy, balance, accuracy, fairness and programme information standards Findings Standard 3 (privacy) – item did not disclose any private facts about the complainant – not upheld Standard 4 (balance) – item did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – item distinguished statements of fact from opinion and comment – no inaccuracies – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – the release form signed by Ms K permitted the complainant to discuss the matter…...

An appeal against this decision by Bishop Denis Browne was dismissed in the High Court: CIV 2006-485-1611 PDF109....

Due to Ms Morris’ membership of the Waitangi Tribunal, and participation in the Tribunal’s Inquiry into the Crown’s Foreshore and Seabed Policy in March 2004, the complainant and the broadcaster were consulted prior to consideration of this complaint by the Authority. Both agreed Ms Morris did not have a conflict of interest. Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 198920/20 – segment on the Foreshore and Seabed Bill entitled Your Shore, Our Shore – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfairFindings Standard 4 (balance) – other perspectives acknowledged – wide media coverage of the issue – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – misrepresentations of Court of Appeal decision and Foreshore and Seabed Bill – two aspects upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – subsumed under Standard 4Order Broadcast of statement This headnote does not form part of the decision....

ComplaintEdwards at Large – interview with complainant – host a media adviser to Prime Minister – programme funded by NZ On Air of which host’s wife was a board member – questions about these issues raised in Parliament by complainant – complainant alleged the item unbalanced and partial – broadcaster upheld complaint that programme was partial – written apology – complainant dissatisfied with both extent of complaint upheld and action taken FindingsStandard 4 – balanced debate – no uphold Action taken – letter included TVNZ’s Chief Executive’s explanation – sufficient – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] Mr Hide MP was interviewed on Edwards at Large about some questions he had asked in Parliament concerning the funding of the programme and the linkages between the host, Dr Brian Edwards, his wife Judy Callingham, the Labour Party, and NZ On Air....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item about US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s visit to New Zealand – allegedly unbalanced and unfair Findings Standard 4 (balance) – item did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – 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 26 July 2008, reported on US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice’s visit to New Zealand. The reporter stated that relations between New Zealand and America were “warming”, and that Dr Rice had “[described] the two countries as allies for the first time in 20 years”. Footage was shown of press conferences held with Dr Rice, Winston Peters (the then Minister of Foreign Affairs) and Helen Clark (the then Prime Minister), in which they made positive comments about the countries’ relationship....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Nine to Noon – interview with Sir Eion Edgar – allegedly in breach of law and order, controversial issues, accuracy, fairness and responsible programming FindingsStandards 2 (law and order), 4 (controversial issues), 5 (accuracy), 6 (fairness) and 8 (responsible programming) – complainant’s concerns did not raise any issues of broadcasting standards – decline to determine under section 11(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] During Nine to Noon, broadcast on Radio New Zealand National on Monday 22 February 2010, the host interviewed Sir Eion Edgar as he had recently been named Senior New Zealander of the Year....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News at Midday – reported on alleged immigration scam and Gerard Otimi’s appearance in court – included a graphic “Immigration Scam” – allegedly in breach of law and order, balance, accuracy and fairness standards FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – graphic not inaccurate in context of whole item which referred to “alleged” scam and “charges” – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – would have been clearer to phrase graphic as a question – item made it clear the scam was “alleged” and Mr Otimi was facing charges – absence of question mark did not result in Mr Otimi being treated unfairly – not upheld Standard 4 (balance) – item reported on Mr Otimi’s appearance in Court – did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 2 (law and order) – item did not encourage or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld This headnote…...

An appeal against this decision was dismissed in the High Court: CIV 2008-485-1465 PDF165. 64 KBComplaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Nine to Noon – interview with legal commentator about the Ministry of Justice’s review of the Domestic Violence Act 1995 – referred to women when talking about the victims and men when discussing the abusers – allegedly unbalancedFindings Principle 4 (balance) – not necessary to expressly acknowledge that men could be the victims of domestic violence – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] An item broadcast during Nine to Noon on Radio New Zealand National on 27 February 2008 featured an interview with a legal commentator, Catriona McLennan. Ms McLennan discussed a review, published by the Ministry of Justice, of implementation aspects of New Zealand’s Domestic Violence Act 1995....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sunday Mornings with Chris Laidlaw – programme discussing whether the services available to people who had been sexually abused were adequate, or whether a greater level of care could be provided – allegedly unbalanced Findings Principle 4 (balance) – programme did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The Ideas programme with Chris Laidlaw, broadcast on National Radio between 11am and midday on Sunday 10 September 2006, discussed whether the services available to people who had been sexually abused were adequate, or whether a greater level of care could be provided....

SummaryAccording to a news item broadcast on National Radio on 30 October 1998 at 9. 00pm, those who escaped from a fire in Sweden included refugees from Macedonia and Somalia. The secretary of the Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington and Suburbs Inc complained on its behalf to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the report was inaccurate and untruthful. Furthermore, it complained, the bulletin was an outright lie, as there were no refugees from Macedonia. The Community argued that the item was unbalanced and unfair because it favoured those who were of the view that the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia could legitimately be called Macedonia. RNZ responded that it had received complaints on previous occasions regarding the use of the name Macedonia, and that it had nothing further to add to its previous responses....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 113/94 Decision No: 114/94 Dated the 17th day of November 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by DR J P DOWNS of Dunedin and TRISH O'DONNELL of Hamilton Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson J R Morris L M Loates W J Fraser...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-014 Dated the 22nd day of February 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by CENTRE FOR PSYCHO- SOCIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT in Dunedin Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Nine to Noon – host spoke to a number of women about their experiences with dowry abuse in New Zealand – allegedly in breach of controversial issues, accuracy and discrimination and denigration standards FindingsStandard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – programme did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – highlighted problem of dowry abuse and presented experiences of a few women – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – complainant did not identify any inaccurate statements – not upheld Standard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – complainant did not identify any group or section of the community – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Radio New Zealand National News – news item broadcast on the night before the General Election reported on upcoming election prediction made by leader of the Labour Party that Labour could still win the election – allegedly in breach of controversial issues - viewpoints and fairness Findings Standard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – item discussed a controversial issue of public importance – the policies of other political parties were canvassed earlier the same day – appropriate that Prime Minister had the final say – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – item unbiased – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989The ComplaintAA complained that a Close Up item breached his privacy and was unfair to him by allowing his ex-wife and her father to allege that he was a wife-beater and a racist. The complainant said that Close Up had taken part in a "malicious attempt" to stop him being granted permanent residency in New Zealand. He said the item was also inaccurate, including allowing a high-ranking Immigration official to say that he had failed to declare a UK conviction for common assault on his immigration application. He provided a copy of his immigration application to show that he had declared the conviction before entering New Zealand. The Broadcaster's ResponseTVNZ said reasonable efforts had been made to get AA's side of the story, but AA had refused to be interviewed....