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Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sunrise – segment looked at an upcoming documentary called “How to Spot a Cult” – included an interview with an expert on religion and cults, Dr Dennis Green – comments made about Destiny Church and other religious groups – allegedly in breach of controversial issues and fairness standards FindingsStandard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – item did not involve a “discussion” of a controversial issue of public importance as envisaged by the standard – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – people and organisations referred to in the item were treated fairly – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A segment on Sunrise, broadcast on TV3 at 8. 56am on Wednesday 25 November 2009, previewed an upcoming Inside New Zealand documentary called “How to Spot a Cult”....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Close Up – item followed up on three recent killings of Asian people – a Chinese woman stated in the item that she was carrying one thousand dollars in cash in her handbag and that it was part of Chinese culture to carry a lot of cash – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair Findings Standard 4 (balance) – item did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – clearly interviewee’s opinion – no suggestion that other interviews were suppressed – not misleading or inaccurate – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – interviews did not distort original events – item did not encourage discrimination – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sunday – interviewed fashion designers Trelise Cooper and Tamsin Cooper, who were involved in a High Court case about their branding – reported that Tamsin Cooper's silk velvet coats, labelled as 100% silk, had been tested and the fabric was “not 100% silk, but mostly viscose” – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair Findings 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 Tamsin Cooper – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on Sunday, broadcast on 3 December 2007 at 7. 30pm on TV One, discussed a High Court action involving fashion designers Trelise Cooper and Tamsin Cooper....

Complaints under section 8(1)(a) and section 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 1989The Beach 94....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 Item on 3 News focussing on the sale of imported jade marketed as New Zealand pounamu – complainant’s shop identified – interior of shop shown in hidden camera sequence – unrelated shop assistant shown – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfairFindings Standard 4 (balance) – subsumed under fairness Standard 5 (accuracy) – subsumed under fairness Standard 6 (fairness) – shop clearly identified – no opportunity given to comment – hidden filming unjustified – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] 3 News, broadcast at 6pm on 21 September 2004, contained an item reporting on moves taken by Ngai Tahu to control the marketing of pounamu (New Zealand greenstone). The item alleged that overseas jade was being passed off as pounamu....

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....

ComplaintNewstalk ZB – talkback – topic – global warming – complainant tried to contribute – described as idiot – named as Brian – call terminated Findings Principle 3 – identity not revealed – no uphold Principle 4 – insufficient information – decline to determine Principle 5 – opportunity to terminate call without rudeness not taken – broadcaster irresponsible and abusive – uphold – no Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] Global warning was a topic discussed on talkback on Newstalk ZB, hosted by Leighton Smith, on the morning of 16 July 2001. At about 11. 12am, the complainant telephoned, gave his name as "Jim", and challenged the views advanced by a professor who had been interviewed, and who had disputed the global warming theory....

ComplaintInside New Zealand: The Hardest Decision – documentary – abortion –inaccurate statements – unbalanced – undermined New Zealand legislation FindingsStandard 2 and Guideline 2a – lawful standard maintained – no uphold Standard 4 – programme balanced – no upholdStandard 5 and Guidelines 5b, 5d & 5e – mixture of fact & opinion – accurate and impartial – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] Inside New Zealand: The Hardest Decision was a documentary which followed three women while they made a decision about whether or not to have an abortion. Several other women, who had been through the same experience, were also interviewed on the programme. The documentary was broadcast on TV3 at 8. 30pm on 28 November 2002....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Flipside – item reporting on Ahmed Zaoui, an Algerian refugee, having his birthday in a New Zealand prison – allegedly unbalancedFindingsStandard 4 (balance) – balance provided during period of current interest – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] An item on Flipside on TV2 at 5pm on 7 December 2004 reported on Ahmed Zaoui, an Algerian refugee, who was having his birthday in a New Zealand prison. Flipside was a news and current interest programme delivered in a style that appealed to a youth audience. [2] The item comprised video showing Mr Zaoui’s supporters holding a “birthday party” outside the prison, comments from his supporters and a studio interview with his lawyer....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Inside New Zealand: How to Spot a Cult – two-part documentary – spoke to former members of cults – included three former members of Scientology – allegedly in breach of controversial issues, accuracy and fairness FindingsStandard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – programmes did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – programmes were not inaccurate or misleading – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – Church of Scientology was well informed about the nature of the programmes – Church’s responses were included in the programme – not unfair – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Inside New Zealand: How to Spot a Cult was a two-part documentary series which was broadcast on TV3 at 9. 30pm on Wednesday 25 November and Wednesday 2 December 2009....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item about the 211 Helpline – said Opposition MPs were questioning whether service was too expensive and duplicated the service run by the Citizens Advice Bureau – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfairFindingsStandard 4 (balance) – controversial issue discussed – item did not need to include details about what the 211 service might cost if rolled out nationally – majority considers item should have explained that 211 service was operating more extensive hours than the CAB – majority uphold Standard 5 (accuracy) – subsumed under Standard 4 Standard 6 (fairness) – subsumed under Standard 4No OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] On TV One at 6pm on 23 May 2006, an item on One News discussed the 211 Helpline, a community helpline run by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD)....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Close Up – episode devoted to controversy about Meningococcal B vaccine and immunisation campaign – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfairFindingsStandard 4 (balance) – a range of significant views advanced about a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – no inaccuracies and not misleading – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – taking into account the format of programme, panel member Ron Law treated fairly – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The controversy about the Meningococcal B vaccine and the current immunisation campaign was dealt with during an entire episode of Close Up, broadcast on TV One at 7. 00pm on 14 July 2005. The item included interviews undertaken in Norway at the laboratory that developed the vaccine on which the New Zealand vaccine was based....

Complaint under section 8(1C) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item reviewed political career of Helen Clark – allegedly unbalanced Findings Standard 4 (balance) – item offered limited historical review of Helen Clark's time in Parliament – no discussion of 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 9 November 2008, reviewed the political career of the then leader of the Labour Party, Helen Clark, who was defeated in the New Zealand general election held the previous day. The One News presenter introduced the item by saying: So let's take a look at how Helen Clark's career stacks up. She is Labour's longest serving leader and the only one to win three terms as Prime Minister....

SummaryAn item on the programme 5. 30 with Jude, broadcast on TV One on 7 October 1998, featured a representative from a health products company discussing soy products, phytoestrogens, and commercial products containing them, with the presenter. Mrs James complained to Television New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that statements made in the item were unbalanced, and did not mention the risks of soy or phytoestrogen ingestion. The item confused soy food used as part of a varied diet with a component (phytoestrogen) extracted from it, she wrote. TVNZ responded that its research revealed many articles and symposia disclosing the beneficial effects of soy foods. Noting that soy products were freely available in New Zealand, and that there was no widespread concern about their sale, it declined to uphold the complaint. Dissatisfied with TVNZ’s response, Mrs James referred her complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s....

Complaint under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Newstalk ZB – talkback host Tim Drover – terminated two calls perfunctorily – one caller described as “old witch” with a “brain the size of a pea” – allegedly unfair, offensive, unbalanced, and denigratory Findings Principle 5 (fairness) – calls terminated to prevent the broadcast of racist views – comments borderline unfair – not upheld Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – not offensive in talkback context – not upheld Principle 4 (balance) – not unbalanced – not upheld Principle 7 (social responsibility) and Guideline 7a (denigration) – not socially irresponsible to avoid the expression of racist views – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A caller to Newstalk ZB referred to her visit to Porirua City but the host (Tim Drover) interrupted her....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-089 Dated the 15th day of August 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by TOM FREWEN of Wellington Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-121 Decision No: 1996-122 Dated the 19th day of September 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by P G CURRAN of Levin Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

Summary An item broadcast on Holmes on TV One on 15 December 1997 focussed on two teenage girls whose mother had died, owing about $2,000 to Adelphi Finance. The broadcast related how the girls’ father had moved in to care for them and how, shortly after, furniture in their house had been repossessed on behalf of that company. Adelphi Finance Ltd, through its solicitors, complained to Television New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that the item was factually inaccurate, distorted the actual events, was unbalanced and partial, and presented a misleading impression of both the complainant and the circumstances of the repossession. TVNZ responded that the complainant was given every opportunity to present its side and to have it included in the item. Further, it noted that a studio summation of the complainant’s case was included at the end of the broadcast....

Complaint60 Minutes – decriminalisation of prostitution – unbalanced – partialFindingsStandard G6 – s. 4(1)(d) – balance achieved within the period of current interest – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary The proposal to introduce legislation to decriminalise prostitution was the subject of an item on 60 Minutes which was broadcast on TV One on 21 May 2000 at 7. 30pm. The report examined how decriminalisation had worked in New South Wales, where prostitution had been legalised for some time. Stephen Yeats complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the broadcast was unbalanced because no views which opposed the proposal were heard. As he received no response to his complaint, he referred it to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989....