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The Authority did not uphold a complaint about a promo for Taranaki Hard. The Authority found the item was within audience expectations for a promo shown during an unclassified news programme. It did not actively promote or glamorise illegal behaviour nor was it likely to cause widespread undue offence or cause harm to children watching. Not Upheld: Law and Order, Good Taste and Decency, Children’s Interests...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – teaser for upcoming item contained footage of bare-breasted women – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – footage was fleeting and shown from a distance – factual report – contextual factors – not upheld by majority This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] At the beginning of 3 News, broadcast on TV3 at 6pm on Wednesday 23 September 2009, the presenters highlighted the major stories of the evening, one of which concerned the Auckland “Boobs on Bikes” parade. As footage of the parade was briefly shown, the presented stated: And not just boobs on bikes, there are bazookas on tanks as well. [2] The footage of the parade included a shot of four bare-breasted women standing up in a convertible car....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989ZM Morning Crew – game called “Racial Profiling” in which hosts and contestant were asked to decide whether individuals who had committed certain offences in the United States were “black, white or Asian” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, discrimination and denigration, and responsible programming standardsFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency), Standard 7 (discrimination and denigration), Standard 8 (responsible programming) – segment was an attempt at humour and satire – the outcome as broadcast demonstrated flaws in stereotyping – broadcast would not have offended most listeners in context, was not socially irresponsible, and did not reach high threshold required for encouraging denigration of, or discrimination against, any of the groups referred to as sections of the community – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]During a late night talkback programme with a fill-in host, a caller expressed her attitude to the Royal family by reference to what she described as ‘Charles raping Diana’. The host challenged this and asked her what she meant. She spoke about how the Queen ‘devised the “three in the bed” scenario’ and how she felt sorry for Diana. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the reference to rape was unacceptable and the host should have terminated the call. It appeared the caller did not mean ‘rape’ in the literal sense, the conversation was not unduly offensive in the context of a late night talkback programme, and the host acted responsibly by asking the caller to clarify her point....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 Promo for Real Life: The World’s Most Enhanced Woman and Me – promo for documentary about presenter’s search for woman with largest breast implants in the world – contained footage of a number of women with very large breasts – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interests standards Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – footage was relatively inexplicit and was not salacious – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – broadcaster adequately considered children’s interests – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] A promo for The World’s Most Enhanced Woman and Me, a documentary in which the programme presenter went in search of the woman with the largest breast implants in the world, was broadcast on TV One at 6....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19897 Days – contained racial comments, coarse language and sexual connotations – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decency and responsible programming FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – content amounted to legitimate humour/satire referencing current affairs issues – consistent with expectations of New Zealand comedy programme broadcast at 9. 30pm – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 8 (responsible programming) – programme correctly classified AO and screened at 9. 30pm – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of 7 Days, a comedy programme in which two teams of comedians reviewed the week’s news stories, was broadcast at 9. 30pm on TV3 on Friday 1 April 2011....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989More FM – host discussed “tweet” on social networking website Twitter by rapper Lil Wayne – host said, “His tweet was quite interesting. He said, ‘I busted my fuggin’ head at skate park’” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interests standardsFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – host clearly said “fuggin’” – “fuggin’” not offensive in its own right – contextual factors – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction[1] At approximately 5. 30pm on More FM on 23 August 2011, the radio host was discussing interesting “tweets” by celebrities on the social networking website Twitter. He said: Lil Wayne, he fell off his skateboard, smashed him in the face, he got nine stitches. His tweet was quite interesting....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ] An episode of Seven Sharp included a short round-up of things that had recently ‘caught the attention’ of the presenters, including cheese ‘made of milk with human toe jam and belly button bacteria’. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that this was offensive and breached standards of good taste and decency. While some viewers would have found the subject matter unpleasant and distasteful, it did not threaten current norms of good taste and decency to an extent which breached the standard. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency Introduction [1] An episode of Seven Sharp included a short round-up of things that had recently ‘caught the attention’ of the presenters. Commenting on a picture of a round of cheese, one presenter said: This cheese might look delicious – like a good aged brie perhaps. Wrong....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]The host of Vote 2014 which covered the results of the 2014 general election, used the terms 'jeez', 'gee' and apparently 'Jesus' as exclamations. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the use of these terms was offensive and inappropriate. The Authority has consistently recognised that the colloquial use of variations of 'Jesus' as an exclamation to express irritation, dismay or surprise is increasingly common and widely accepted. The use of the words in this context, during live coverage of an important political event, did not threaten standards. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Discrimination and DenigrationIntroduction[1] During Vote 2014, comprising five hours of live coverage of the results of the 2014 general election, one of the hosts used the terms 'jeez' and 'gee' and apparently 'Jesus'....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1990-011:Turner and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1990-011 PDF516. 75 KB...

An appeal against this decision was dismissed in the High Court: CIV-2010-485-002008 PDF3....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(ii) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Breakfast – host read out viewer feedback and made comments about a female guest's appearance – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and fairness standards – broadcaster upheld fairness complaint, apologised to complainant and spoke to host and senior staff of Breakfast – action taken allegedly insufficient Findings Standard 6 (fairness) – action taken sufficient – breach of standards handled appropriately by the broadcaster – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] During Breakfast, broadcast on TV One between 6. 30am and 9am on 25 March 2009, a Greenpeace representative was invited onto the programme to discuss the issue of compensation for the health effects of nuclear testing. [2] Following the interview, in a viewer feedback segment at 7....

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 1989Criminal Minds – storyline involved kidnap of three teenage girls – kidnapper told girls that only two of them could leave alive, and they would have to kill the third girl – intended victim struck and killed the girl who was preparing to kill her – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of Criminal Minds, a fictional drama series about the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Unit, was broadcast at 8. 30pm on TV One on Thursday 8 November 2007. The storyline involved the abduction of three teenage girls who were held captive in a cellar....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Burying Brian – use of the word “fuck” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – language would not have offended a significant number of viewers – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The first episode of a New Zealand-produced drama called Burying Brian was broadcast on TV One at 8. 30pm on Wednesday 2 July 2008. The programme followed Jodie and the efforts she and her friends made to cover up the accidental death of her husband. [2] During the episode, the main character, Jodie, drunkenly announced to her friends that she wished her husband, Brian, was dead....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about an episode of Shortland Street that included scenes of a man injecting another against his will, removing one of his organs, then drinking alcohol from a glass with a bloodied glove. In the context, including the programme’s nature, classification and intended audience, the Authority found the episode was unlikely to have caused widespread undue offence or distress, or undue harm to child viewers. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Children’s Interests...

Summary An item on Breakfast broadcast on TV One at about 7. 40 am on 9 July 1998 reviewed the contents of leading women’s magazines published during that week. A studio guest referred to Paula Yates, who was featured in a magazine, and commented that Yates was known largely "for shagging the famous". Mr Yoxall complained to Television New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that the remark was vulgar, and an unacceptable breach of good taste and decency. TVNZ responded that the context of the remark was that the live studio broadcast was as tabloid as the magazines it reviewed. The comment was the guest’s genuinely-held opinion, and reflected a widely-held view of Yates. It was delivered in a light-hearted, laconic manner and, although unfortunate in view of Yates’ apparent attempted suicide, did not breach the standard, TVNZ wrote....

SummaryA repeat broadcast of the programme Who Dares Wins was broadcast on TV2 on 10 December 1998 at 7. 30pm. A Melbourne man responded to a dare to appear on stage with the male revue troupe Manpower. Ms Dawn Shelford of Rotorua complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, on behalf of the group Preserving Communication Standards. In her view the broadcast was offensive, particularly during family viewing time. In its response, TVNZ noted that the programme complained about had been the subject of an earlier complaint to the Authority which had not been upheld. It advised that the arguments it advanced then remained valid. Dissatisfied with TVNZ’s decision, Ms Shelford referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989. For the reasons given below, the Authority declines to uphold the complaint....

Summary In reporting the New Zealand cricket team’s visit to Buckingham Palace a 3 News sports item broadcast on 3 June 1999 beginning at 6. 00pm announced "The Blackcaps bowl up at Liz and Phil’s wicket…". Mr Bernards complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd, the broadcaster, that this reference was disrespectful to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and overstepped the limits of acceptability. He sought a sharply worded warning to TV3’s management not to repeat such language. TV3 responded that the phrase was intended to be a brief, light-hearted pointer to the report coming up. It noted that the humorous reference was more than adequately balanced by the tone of the full news item. While it regretted that the complainant had found the reference distasteful, it did not consider it had breached broadcasting standards and it declined to uphold the complaint....