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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....

Summary A repeat broadcast of an ICE TV programme was screened on TV3 on 17 July 1999, commencing at 9. 35am. ICE TV is a programme aimed at teenagers containing some humorous and informative material. O Blackburn complained to TV3 Network Services Limited, the broadcaster, that the programme contained language and nudity that was "unsuitable". TV3 responded that the programme was screened in PGR time and the nudity and language used were appropriate in that context. It contended that the nudity in the programme was not offensive. It said that the shots where the male presenters’ buttocks were visible were part of a comedic routine. It added that no genitalia or breasts were shown. As for the language, it stated it had "beeped" or removed words it considered offensive. TV3 declined to uphold the complaint....

SummaryA segment on consumer rights relating to boundary fences was included in Target broadcast on TV3 on 29 August 1999 beginning at 7. 00pm. A brief shot of a man’s buttocks was seen in a skit performed by two actors. Dawn Shelford, on behalf of Preserving Communication Standards Trust Inc, complained that she and the members of her group found this segment objectionable. She said they did not consider it appropriate for this segment to have been included in a consumer rights programme as it was "a kind of titillation based on public indecency". TV3 responded that the 7-second view of the actor’s bare bottom was in its view acceptable in the context. It did not agree that the scene was objectionable and exceeded community standards of decency. It declined to uphold the complaint. For the reasons given below, the Authority declines to determine the complaint....

Complaint Strassman – offensive language – "fuck" – interview with Rima Te Wiata breached her privacy – offensive behaviourFindings(1) Standard G2 – context – warning – AO time and classification – no uphold (2) Privacy – no private facts revealed – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary An episode of the comedy programme Strassman was broadcast on TV2 at 9. 30pm on 16 May 2000. Brian Shearer complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, about the repeated use of the word "fuck" during the programme, and an interview with Rima Te Wiata, which he considered breached her privacy and was in bad taste due to questions asked about her sex life. TVNZ responded that the programme was intended as adult entertainment, began well after the watershed, carried an AO certificate and was preceded by a warning about strong language....

ComplaintNewstalk ZB – offensive language – illegal – callous remark about shooting militia men in East Timor FindingsPrinciple 1 – flippant remark but not so offensive as to breach – no uphold Principle 2 – no uphold Principle 7 – not applicable This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Host Larry Williams, when listing topics for discussion on his programme, mentioned that New Zealanders had shot a militia man in East Timor, adding: "There’s plenty left to go. " This comment was broadcast during his programme on Newstalk ZB at about 4. 12pm on 27 September 2000. Mrs J K Sanders complained to The Radio Network Ltd, the broadcaster, that the host’s remark was "totally unacceptable and objectionable". In her view, the remark was contrary to the law and to standards of common decency. She requested that the station take "appropriate action" against the host....

ComplaintNews item about magazine for divorced people – offensive behaviour – picture of nude couple having sex FindingsStandard G2 – not inappropriate subject matter – momentary image – no uphold Standard G12 – not unsuitable for children – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Divorced people were providing a new market for entrepreneurs in the magazine industry, according to a news report on One News broadcast on 28 September 2000 at about 6. 20pm. Pages which were shown from a magazine included a picture of an apparently nude couple. Glenyss Barker, secretary of Viewers for Television Excellence (VOTE), complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, about the picture, which she said showed a nude couple having sex. She said it was inappropriate for broadcast at a time when children would be watching television....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item on the death of a Georgian luger at the Winter Olympics in Canada – showed footage of the athlete coming off his sled, flying over the barrier and hitting a metal pole – included still shots of the athlete in the air just prior to hitting the pole and then again in slow motion – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and privacy FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – item handled with care and sensitivity – not upheld Standard 3 (privacy) – privacy standard does not apply to deceased persons – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item on the death of a Georgian luger at the Winter Olympics – included footage of the crash that killed the athlete and a still shot of him being attended to by paramedics – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – broadcaster handled the crash with adequate care and sensitivity – still shot of paramedic giving CPR to the bloodied athlete on the borderline of acceptability – contextual factors – 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 Saturday 13 February 2010, reported on the death of a Georgian luger during a practice run at the Winter Olympic Games in Canada....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Bro’ Town – characters talked about young boy being a “bastard” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and discrimination and denigration FindingsStandard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – programme encouraged acceptance of children of single parent families rather than encouraging discrimination against them – legitimate humour and satire – not upheld Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – “bastard” was not used as a swear word – material was acceptable for a PGR-rated comedy programme at 7. 30pm – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of Bro’ Town, an animated comedy chronicling the misadventures of five Auckland teenagers growing up in the imaginary suburb of Morningside, was broadcast on C4 at 7. 30pm on Monday 15 March 2010. Some of the characters were shown talking in a backyard....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item on MTV music awards – showed actor Sacha Baron Cohen as his character Bruno dressed as an angel and only wearing a harness – Bruno was lowered in front of musician Eminem who was sitting in the crowd – Bruno was suspended upside down so that his buttocks were in the musician’s face – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interests FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – unsupervised children unlikely to watch news programmes – item did not contain material that would have disturbed or alarmed child viewers – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Trinny and Susannah: The Great British Body – large group of naked British people formed a sculpture of a naked person – contained full frontal nudity – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – nudity was matter-of-fact and non-sexual – programme aimed to convey uplifting message about people accepting their bodies – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The final episode of Trinny and Susannah: The Great British Body was broadcast on TV One at 2pm on Saturday 25 July 2009. Throughout the series, style gurus Trinny and Susannah had travelled across Britain talking to people about their naked bodies, with the aim of changing the way Britons viewed their bodies and celebrating the qualities that made each of them unique....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News at Midday – item reported comeback of English matador – showed images of bull with banderillas protruding from its back – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – item did not contain any objectionable footage – no warning required – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on 3 News at Midday, broadcast on TV3 at 12pm on Tuesday 1 September 2009, reported that a 67-year-old English matador was returning to Spain to continue his career in the bull fighting ring following major knee surgery and a quadruple heart bypass. The item included footage of the man getting into costume and in the ring with a bull....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Easy Mix news – report stated that Christchurch man had pleaded guilty to murdering his wife and neighbour and to having sexual intercourse with his victims’ bodies after strangling them – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – details of the case were widely reported – standard does not apply to certain groups of people or individuals – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A news report was broadcast on Easy Mix radio station at 2pm on Monday 9 November 2009. The news reader said: In this update, the Christchurch man who’s admitted to killing two women and burying them under his house will be sentenced at the end of the month....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Breakfast – item discussed the assault on convicted murderer William Bell by fellow prison inmates – presenter made a statement regarding the assault – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order and fairness Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – host’s statement was sarcastic – made clear to viewers that neither host supported violence against prisoners – not upheld Standard 2 (law and order) – item did not encourage viewers to break the law or promote, condone or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – people referred to were treated fairly – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Closer – scene involving internet sex-chat contained sexually explicit dialogue – use of the word “cunt” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interests Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – language was relevant to the storyline and character development – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – broadcaster adequately considered the interests of child viewers – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Closer, a film based on a play by Patrick Marber which followed the love affairs of two couples, was broadcast on TV One at 8. 30pm on Sunday 10 February 2008....

Complaints under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989The Unauthorised History of New Zealand – cartoon involving “King Dick” who ejaculated onto the face of a Chinese character – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency. Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – cartoon satirised anti-Asian views of former Prime Minister – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The Unauthorised History of New Zealand was a satirical series lampooning certain trends and incidents in New Zealand history. In an episode broadcast on TV One at 10. 30pm on 20 July 2008, the programme reviewed past Prime Ministers of New Zealand, including Robert Muldoon and Michael Savage, also mentioning Helen Clark (the then Prime Minister) and John Key (the National Party leader)....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(ii) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 NewstalkZB – during a discussion about the vice presidential candidate for the Republican Party, Sarah Palin, one of the regular commentators stated that Ms Palin's daughter was "the town bike” and that her family was "low-rent" – broadcaster upheld complaint that the comments breached Standard 1 (good taste and decency) and Standard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – action taken by broadcaster to rectify breaches allegedly insufficient Findings Standards 1 (good taste and decency) and 7 (denigration and discrimination) – broadcaster upheld complaint under two standards and counselled host on remark – action taken by broadcaster sufficient – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on Newstalk ZB, broadcast at 8....

Complaint under section 8(1C) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Bhajan Sanghra – host started a discussion about the National Party taking over from the previous Labour-led government – host believed that New Zealand's Indian community had been well supported under Labour – voiced concerns regarding what the National-led government would do to assist and support the New Zealand Indian community – encouraged listeners to text him with their concerns, which he would forward to the National Party – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and controversial issues standards Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – standard not relevant – not upheld Standard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance – standard not applicable – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Without a Trace – promo showed a woman interrogating a beaten man, who was sitting on a chair, his hands tied and bleeding – woman aimed a nail gun at the man’s groin and stated “…I will nail more than your hand to the chair” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order, programme classification, children’s interests and violence standards Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 2 (law and order) – promo did not condone, promote or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld Standard 7 (programme classification) – promo correctly classified as PGR – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – majority agreed that the broadcaster adequately considered the interests of child viewers – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – promo was brief – did not contain explicit violence – majority considered broadcaster exercised…...