Search Rapua

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News segment called “The Week in Politics” – reference to Dr Don Brash (Leader of the National Party) travelling in a police convoy from Parliament to the Wellington Stadium – comment by presenter that he “could have walked, the lazy bugger eh! ” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and allegedly inaccurate Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – word “bugger” not in breach of good taste and decency – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – comment not statement of fact – accuracy standard does not apply – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A segment called “The Week in Politics” was included in 3 News, broadcast on 23 July 2004, at around 6. 30pm....

ComplaintThe Last Boy Scout – film – "fuck" – frequent use – offensive languageFindingsStandard 1 – contextual matters – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The Last Boy Scout, an action movie, was broadcast on TV2 at 9. 25pm on 10 August 2002. [2] Lyall Philip complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the language used was offensive, and that it occurred at the beginning of the movie when children might have still been up watching television. [3] In declining to uphold the complaint, TVNZ said in context the language did not breach current norms of good taste and decency, and that the film was screened outside "children’s normally accepted viewing times"....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Newstalk ZB – Larry Williams Breakfast Show – three-way discussion between host and two guests about Tuvaluan overstayer recently convicted of assaulting his wife for second time – guest made comment purporting to justify violence against women – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency – allegedly denigratory of women Findings Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – in context, no obscene language or content – not upheld Principle 7 (social responsibility) – Guideline 7a (denigration) – taken in isolation comments offensive – but in context, comments clearly not meant to be taken at face value – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

SummaryThe Millennium Moment broadcast on TV One on 28 December 1999 during One News beginning at 6. 00pm included an item on nudist clubs. It reported that there were 24 nudist clubs in New Zealand with about two thousand members. Members of one such club were shown relaxing or playing sport. Kristian Harang complained to Television New Zealand Ltd that the item would have encouraged children and young people to consider nudism in public as normal when in fact only a small percentage of people were members of nudist clubs. He contended that the content was offensive and unsuitable for broadcast when children were watching television. TVNZ responded that the brief item was one of a series designed to record notable anniversaries and to reflect the diversity of life in New Zealand....

Complaint60 Minutes – interview with swimmer Trent Bray – allegations of steroid use – unfair to interviewee – bad taste FindingsStandard G2 – no uphold Standard G4 – swimmer given opportunity to tell his side of the story – not treated unfairly – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Swimmer Trent Bray, who had tested positive to a performance-enhancing drug, was interviewed on 60 Minutes broadcast on TV One on 26 March 2000 beginning at 7. 30pm. In an emotional sequence, he denied the allegation. J B Meiklejohn complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that it was inexcusable and unjustifiably insensitive to broadcast footage of the swimmer "incoherent in grief". In its response, TVNZ advised that the swimmer had not been coerced into participating in the interview, and had been aware of the scope of questions to be asked....

Complaint under section 8(1A) and 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – reported that a man had drowned trying to save two children – showed footage of ambulance officers performing CPR and then apologising to the man’s family because they could not revive him – showed family grieving next to the body – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and privacy FindingsStandard 3 (privacy) – standard does not apply to deceased persons – item included prolonged and close-up footage of grieving family members – offensive intrusion into highly vulnerable and distressing moment – privacy of family members breached – upheld by majority Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – unclassified news programme aimed at adults – not upheld No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Summary The promo for an edition of 60 Minutes broadcast on 6 February 1999 referred to a story about short people and raised an issue about their decision to "breed". Mr Price of Wellington complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that he was offended by the use of the word "breed" in that context, as he considered it was more appropriately used in connection with animals and plants than with people. He wrote, "People, even short ones, ‘have children’. " TVNZ did not agree that the verb "to breed" had a pejorative meaning, and pointed to the dictionary definition of the word as " to bear, to generate (offspring)". It said it found no breach of either standard G2 or G13. The item, it continued, was a very positive one, and described how the gene which caused dwarfism had been identified....

ComplaintQueer as Folk – offensive behaviour – homosexuality – paedophilia – offensive language – fuck – blasphemy – God – Jesus Christ; unbalanced – unlawful acts portrayed FindingsStandard G2 – AO time – series challenging – community divided – no uphold Standard G5 – did not condone illegality – no uphold Standard G6 – not relevant Standard G12 – not relevant Standard G13 – no denigration – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Episodes of Queer as Folk were broadcast on TV4 on 8 and 15 March 2000 beginning at 9. 30pm. The 8 March episode showed simulated sex between an adult male and a 15-year-old male, and the 15 March episode included a story line which referred to homosexual activity with the same young man....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item reported that a man had been found guilty of murdering another man then eating parts of the murdered man’s body – provided details of the man's cannibalistic act – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, programme classification, children’s interests and violence Findings Standard 10 (violence) – item contained graphic and violent details of a murder and cannibalism – required a specific warning – upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – broadcaster failed to adequately consider the interests of child viewers – upheld Standard 7 (programme classification) – standard not applicable – not upheld Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – subsumed into consideration of children's interests and violence No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item reported that a group of Australian teenage boys had filmed their attack of a teenage girl and were circulating the footage on DVD – showed some images of the boys’ attack – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, the maintenance of law and order, unfair, and in breach of children’s interests and the violence standard FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – subsumed under Standard 10 Standard 2 (Law and order) – nothing inconsistent with the maintenance of law and order – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – not unfair to teenage girl or homeless man – not upheld Standard 9 (children's interests) – item should have been preceded by a warning due to violent content – broadcaster did not consider the interests of children – upheld Standard 10 (violence) – item should have been preceded by a warning due to…...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Breakfast – host made comments about how people use public toilets – discussed how the news presenter's mother used to help him go to the toilet when he was a child – talked about suction toilets on trains in America – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – host's comments were light-hearted and intended to be humorous – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] During an episode of Breakfast, broadcast on TV One between 6. 30am and 9am on 20 April 2009, the hosts referred to a germ expert who had been interviewed earlier in the programme. This led one of the hosts to talk about the different methods people use to avoid germs in public toilets....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1997-083 Dated the 26th day of June 1997 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by KATHRINE COLES of Greytown Broadcaster RADIO PACIFIC LIMITED L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989National Radio – Nine to Noon – dispute about whether the presenter used the word “lie” or “line” – the former allegedly offensiveFindingsPhrase used was “that is a desperate line” – not in breach of broadcasting standards – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] On National Radio on 9 September 2005 on the Nine to Noon programme, National Party deputy leader Gerry Brownlee said, referring to Radio New Zealand, “this is Radio Labour at its best”. [2] In response to this comment, the presenter said either “that is a desperate line” or “that is a desperate lie”. Complaint [3] Michael Gibson said that he had heard the presenter respond “that’s a lie”. He considered the presenter’s comment was damaging and offensive. He stated that it breached “at least one” of the broadcasting standards....

Complaint under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Ultimate Force – promo – depicted two women kissing – 7. 00pm Sunday – offensiveFindingsStandard 1 and Guideline 1a (good taste and decency) – context – heterosexual and homosexual relationships are dealt with similarly – time of broadcast – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A promo for Ultimate Force was broadcast on TV One at about 7. 00pm on Sunday 11 January 2004. The promo included two women kissing. Complaint [2] Alvin Allan complained formally to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster. He contended that the visual of the two women “engaged in a passionate kiss” breached the requirements for good taste and decency....

An announcer on The Edge Breakfast recounted an experience at her antenatal class where she discussed how to address constipation post childbirth. The complaint was this segment breached the good taste and decency and children’s interests standards. The Authority did not uphold the complaint, taking into account the programme’s target audience, audience expectations, and the low-level language complained about (being of an anatomical, rather than a profane or sexual nature). Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency and Children’s Interests...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 110/95 Dated the 26th day of October 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by PHILLIP SMITS of Auckland Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1997-107 Dated the 21st day of August 1997 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by JOHN MALCOLM of Pukerau Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED S R Maling Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

SummarySome words which were pronounced in the same way but had different meanings were discussed on the children’s programme You and Me, broadcast on TV3 at about 3. 25pm on 30 July 1998. "Chairs" and "cheers" were given as one such pair. Mr Gibson complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd that these words should be pronounced differently, and that the programme’s effort to suggest otherwise breached the standards relating to good taste and balance. In response to the complaint, TV3 did not accept that the good taste standard was in question. As for balance, it said that viewers were advised that the words sounded the same, not that they were pronounced the same, and it declined to uphold that aspect of the complaint. Dissatisfied with TV3’s decision, Mr Gibson referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989....

Complaint under section 8(1C) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item on duck hunting – hunter pointed a rifle at the camera – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order and violence Findings Standard 2 (law and order) – hunter’s action was intended to be humorous and light-hearted – did not encourage viewers to break the law or promote, condone or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – subsumed into consideration of Standard 2 Standard 10 (violence) – subsumed into consideration of Standard 2 This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast on TV One at approximately 6....