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Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item on the sentencing of convicted rapist Roger Kahui included a brief re-enactment showing actor forcing entry into victim’s home – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order, programme information, children’s interests and violence standards Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – item made it clear to viewers that it was a re-enactment – stylised dramatisation – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 2 (law and order) – item did not encourage viewers to break the law or otherwise promote, condone or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – item was brief – unlikely to disturb child viewers – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – broadcaster exercised sufficient care and discretion – not upheld Standard 8 (programme information) – standard not relevant – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision.…...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-007:Harang and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1993-007 PDF322. 28 KB...

Complaints under section 8 of the Broadcasting Act 1989Californication – programme contained swear words, discussions of sexual themes, sex scenes (including one involving violence) and implied teenage drug use – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – language was legitimate for a challenging drama – sex scenes and dialogue concerning sexual themes were integral to the storyline – teenage drug use was implied – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The first episode of a programme called Californication was broadcast on TV3 at 9. 30pm on 8 November 2007. Californication was a black comedy about a self-obsessed novelist named Hank Moody. Hank was suffering from writer’s block and was struggling to raise his 12-year-old daughter, while still holding strong feelings for his ex-girlfriend, Karen, the mother of his daughter....

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…...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-032 Dated the 21st day of March 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by DON CAMPBELL of Papamoa Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

Complaint COW AM – offensive behaviour – offensive language – questions about sex life FindingsG2 – AO – 10. 00pm – student audience – risqué but no breach – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary COW AM is a programme broadcast on Channel 9 Dunedin. On 16 May, two young women and a man were asked whether they had had sex on the weekend and how it rated out of 10. They were also asked what position they liked for sex. The programme was broadcast at 10. 00pm. Mr J G Donaldson complained to Channel 9 Dunedin, the broadcaster, that the programme was "disgusting and immoral". He said he had seen the same sequence broadcast the following week on 22 May at 10. 00pm, and asked whether it was a regular occurrence....

ComplaintRadio Pacific – talkback host's reference to graffiti artists’ attitude to suicide included the words – they "should commit suicide more quickly" – immature – bigoted – offensive FindingsPrinciple 1 and Principle 7 Guideline 7a – no tape – decline to determine Principle 8 – relevant – uphold No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] Graffiti artists were discussed on talkback broadcast on Radio Pacific at about 4. 15pm on 1 June 2001. In reply to a caller expressing concern about the suicide rate among that group, the host had used words to the effect "it is a pity more of them do not commit suicide more quickly". [2] Alan Royal complained to The RadioWorks Ltd, the broadcaster of Radio Pacific, that the remark was "immature, bigoted and offensive"....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Rome – two episodes contained offensive language – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – language was gratuitous and could have been edited without affecting the storyline – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] Two episodes of the historical drama Rome were broadcast on TV One at 10. 25pm on 13 January and at 11. 10pm on 3 February 2008. The 13 January episode contained the following lines: Caesar would’ve fucked Medusa if she’d had a crown. Nice manners, for a whore. Your son will eat shit and die before I make him legal. [I swear] on Juno’s cunt. I am a son of Hades! I fuck Concord in her arse! You can tell your lawyer to shove a taper up his arse and set himself alight....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Intellectual Property – video clip showed people in a laundromat using washing machines and dryers for unorthodox purposes – showed a boy taking a dog out of a washing machine and placing it into a dryer – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, children’s interests and violence standardsFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – not broadcast during “children’s normally accepted viewing times” – standard does not apply – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – placing dog in a dryer was not an act of violence to which the standard applies – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The video clip for a song entitled “The Blues are Still Blue”, by Belle and Sebastian, was broadcast on C4 on Intellectual Property at approximately 10....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 Radio Pacific – talkback segment discussing Ahmed Zaoui – host said “I don’t care if we shoot him and send him out in a dog food can” – several other statements relating to Mr Zaoui’s activities – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and inaccurateFindings Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – context – not upheldPrinciple 6 (accuracy) – decline to determine accuracy of one statement – two statements inaccurate – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] A talkback segment on Radio Pacific in the early evening on 11 November 2004 discussed the Algerian refugee Ahmed Zaoui. The host expressed strong views that Mr Zaoui should leave New Zealand, and said “I don’t care if we shoot him and send him out in a dog food can”....

Complaints under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 Newstalk ZB – Paul Holmes Breakfast – Hon Tariana Turia called a “confused bag of lard” by host – also accused of being a bully and “all mouth” – allegedly offensive, encouraged denigration, unbalanced and partialFindings Principle 1 and Guideline 1a (good taste and decency) – comments not indecent – questionable taste – context – not upheld Principle 4 (balance) – not applicable to editorial comment – not upheld Principle 6 (accuracy) – editorial comment not required to be impartial – not upheld Principle 7 and Guideline 7a (discrimination) – comments focused on individual, not group – not upheldObservation Broadcast comments raised issue of fairness, and broadcaster acknowledged probable unfairness. However, neither complainant raised the fairness standard either explicitly or implicitly in original complaints. Authority unable to assess a complaint on standard not raised in original complaints....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989The Simpsons – use of the words “wanker” and “ass” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – PGR classification – PGR timeslot – words used in satirical rather than abusive manner – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of The Simpsons screened on TV3 at 7pm on 30 September 2004. At the beginning of the programme Homer Simpson described his favourite programme about a family of English soccer hooligans, saying “if they’re not having a go with a bird they’re having a row with a wanker”. [2] Later in the episode another character said “it’s a beautiful day to kick your ass”....

ComplaintMarathon Man – film – offensive language – warning ought to have been broadcast – complaint upheld by broadcaster – action taken insufficient FindingsAction taken sufficient This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The movie Marathon Man was broadcast on Prime at 8. 30pm on 22 May 2002. [2] Mrs M Charlton complained to Prime Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the movie contained offensive language, and that viewers ought to have been warned about its use. [3] Prime upheld the complaint and apologised to the complainant. It explained that appropriate staff had been reminded of Prime’s collective responsibility "with emphasis placed on not making assumptions on behalf of viewers and that warnings must be specific in nature". [4] Dissatisfied with the action taken in response to her complaint, Mrs Charlton referred her complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s....

ComplaintTux Super Dog Challenge – bugger – offensive language FindingsS4(1)(a) – context relevant – not used in anger – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Tux Super Dog Challenge was a series which featured dogs and their owners competing over a range of physical tests in the high country. It was broadcast weekly on TV One at 7. 00pm on Saturdays. Paul Schwabe complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, about the language used during the episode on 18 November 2000. The use of the word "bugger" on two occasions, he said, was offensive. Acknowledging that the word might be offensive in some contexts, TVNZ said nevertheless it was used in a "friendly" way on this occasion. It declined to uphold the complaint. Dissatisfied with TVNZ’s decision, Mr Schwabe referred it to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s....

ComplaintTV2 Big Comedy Gala – offensive language – "fuck, shit, motherfucker" – religious skit – denigrated Christians FindingsStandard G2 – stand-up comedy – AO time – preceded by a warning – offensive language used infrequently – not inappropriate in context – no uphold Standard G13 – did not amount to denigration – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary The programme TV2 Big Comedy Gala, featuring stand-up comedians in a night club setting, was broadcast on TV2 at 10. 05pm on 19 May 2001. A M Langford complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that some of the language was very offensive, and one skit ridiculed the Christian faith. In reply, TVNZ acknowledged that the broadcast might not have been to everyone’s taste....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) and 8(1B)(b)(ii) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Breakfast – presenter made comments about the nationality of the Governor General – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decency, controversial issues, accuracy, fairness, discrimination and denigration, and responsible programming – broadcaster upheld complaints under Standards 1, 6 and 7 – action taken allegedly insufficient FindingsStandards 1 (good taste and decency), 6 (fairness) and 7 (discrimination and denigration) – serious breach of broadcasting standards warranted more immediate response from broadcaster but remedial action taken in days following broadcast was reasonable – action taken sufficient – not upheld Standard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – no discussion of a controversial issue of public importance – not upheld Standard 8 (responsible programming) – Breakfast was an unclassified news and current affairs programme – comments would not have alarmed or distressed viewers – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the…...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Four Weddings – reality series broadcast at 2pm included nude wedding where all of the guests were naked – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interests standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – nudity was matter-of-fact and non-sexual – content suitable for PGR programme – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – nudity not in itself harmful to children – content not unsuitable for supervised child viewers – broadcaster adequately considered children’s interests – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] An episode of a reality series Four Weddings, in which four brides evaluate each other’s weddings and compete for a honeymoon prize, was broadcast at 2pm on TV One on 26 December 2011....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1992-025:Sharp and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1992-025328. 32 KB...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ] Three episodes of a British dating game show, Naked Attraction, were broadcast on TVNZ 2 at 9. 30pm on Friday 10, 17 and 24 November 2017. During each episode, a clothed individual selected a date from six naked individuals, who were gradually revealed in stages from the feet up, with no blurring or pixelation of nudity. Six complainants referred their complaints about these episodes of Naked Attraction to the Authority, complaining that the programme contained a high level of full frontal nudity and sexual discussion, which was offensive and contrary to standards of good taste and decency. The complainants also submitted that the programme denigrated, or was discriminatory towards, both participants and viewers, and was broadcast at a time on a weekend night when children were likely to be watching....