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Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 Radio Live – host repeatedly referred to the Catholic Church as “the church of paedophilia” and commented that “the church is rife with paedophilia among its priests” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, balance, fairness and accuracy Findings Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Principle 4 (balance) – broadcast did not discuss a controversial issues of public importance – not upheld Principle 5 (fairness) – the church’s representative was given a sufficient opportunity to rebut the comments made by the host – not upheld Principle 6 (accuracy) – host did not make any unqualified statements of fact – the accuracy standard did not apply – not upheld  This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item on man who had been stabbed in the upper thigh by a stingray barb – complainant alleged that man’s testicles were visible as he showed the camera his wound – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – complainant mistaken – man’s testicles not visible – 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 25 October 2007, reported on a fisherman who had been stabbed in the upper thigh by a stingray barb. The item included an interview with the man in hospital, during which his wound was shown to the camera. The man’s underpants were partially visible underneath his gown....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Ghost Squad – scene showing a gang of teenage girls beating an off-duty police officer until he was unconscious – one of the girls was seen to urinate over the man’s head as he lay on the ground – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of Ghost Squad, a British drama series about a crime unit in which police officers policed their colleagues, was broadcast on TV One at 9. 30pm on 15 August 2006. The programme featured a scene in which a gang of teenage girls beat an off-duty police officer until he was unconscious....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Popetown – animated comedy set in a fictional Vatican City – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, unfair and denigratoryFindingsPreliminary findings – Authority applied TVNZ v VoTE approach to New Zealand Bill of Rights Act – Authority must consider whether finding a breach of standards would impose unreasonable limitation on free speech Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors favour broadcaster – public interest does not require finding a breach of standards simply because broadcasts lampooned Catholicism – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) and guideline 6g (denigration) – high threshold in light of protection given to satire in 6(g)(iii) – threshold one of vitriol or hate speech – fact that offence caused of itself insufficient to find breach of standard – programmes not realistic as complainant alleged – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – satirical programmes would only be unfair in…...

Complaint3 News – child participants – mother’s consent – children of gang member sought by police – privacy – good taste – fairness – upheld by broadcaster FindingsAction taken by broadcaster sufficient This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary Two pre-school children were shown in news items broadcast on 3 News at 6. 00pm and 10. 30pm on 25 January 2000. They were described as the children of a member of the "Screwdriver Gang" who was being sought by police in connection with armed robberies in Auckland. Kris Vavasour complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd that the privacy of the two young children had been breached. She also complained that it was a breach of the good taste standard and unfair to show footage of the children in a way which publicly identified them....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Police Ten 7 – wanted offender described as “possibly Māori but pale skinned” and “possibly Māori, [with a] light complexion” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, accuracy, fairness and discrimination and denigration standards FindingsStandard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – segment did not encourage the denigration of, or discrimination against, Māori as a section of the community – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] A segment on Police Ten 7 profiled an aggravated robbery of a bar in Christchurch. Viewers were told that it was committed by three men, two armed with guns and one armed with a crowbar. The segment included security footage of the robbery, outlined the facts of the case, and outlined ways that viewers may be able to help police identify the offenders....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-084:Sharp and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1993-084 PDF500. 47 KB...

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....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1998-075 Dated the 9th day of July 1998 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by PETER LORD of Christchurch Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED S R Maling Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod J Withers...

Summary The short film Stella Street was broadcast on TV2 at 10. 25pm on 26 July 1999. Stella Street is a short comedy programme featuring two impersonators who lampoon the performance style of the well-known characters that they portray. Mr Rae complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the programme contained highly offensive language and behaviour. TVNZ did not consider that it had breached any broadcasting standard. It noted the language was used in the context of a short film broadcast at 10. 25pm, carrying an AO certificate, and preceded by a warning. It did not consider the language would have exceeded the expectations of most viewers watching at that time of night. It also observed that the language was used for comedic effect. Dissatisfied with TVNZ’s decision, Mr Rae referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989....

Warning: This decision contains language that some readers may find offensive. The Authority has not upheld a complaint that the language used in two episodes of The Hotel Inspector, breached the good taste and decency and children’s interests standards. In this context, the language used would not have caused audiences undue offence or harm and it was not beyond what viewers would reasonably expect from the programme. The programme was adequately signposted to enable audiences to protect children. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency and Children’s Interests...

The Authority has declined to determine a complaint about the comments something was ‘hated with the passion of a thousand Christs’ and ‘for the love of God’. The Authority has found on numerous occasions the use of ‘Jesus Christ’ or similar terms as an exclamation does not amount to a breach of standards. Declined to Determine: Good Taste and Decency (section 11(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989)...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 5/95 Dated the 13th day of February 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by Dr GRAEME BISHOP of Picton Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson J R Morris L M Loates W J Fraser...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1997-047 Dated the 21st day of April 1997 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by ALAN LUCY of Havelock North Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

SummaryA segment on National Radio’s Nine to Noon which featured a review of a book entitled "Four to Score" was broadcast on 1 October 1998. The broadcast had included the host of the programme referring to a character in the book whose surname was "Kuntz". Mr Lord complained to Radio New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the character’s surname was pronounced by the host in a manner which was deliberately offensive and demonstrated a reckless disregard for the sensibilities of her audience. In his view, the host should have used the softer Germanic pronunciation instead of what he described as the most distasteful pronunciation possible. RNZ advised that as the word was used once only in the context of a literary review, it had not been used gratuitously....

Summary A documentary about the naturist movement in New Zealand, entitled Inside New Zealand: Nude Zealand, was broadcast on TV3 on 16 June 1999, commencing at 8. 30 pm. It contained footage of naked men and women, including breasts and male genitalia. Kristian Harang complained to TV3 Network Services Limited, the broadcaster, that the broadcast portrayed nudity as normal, whereas very few people in New Zealand were nudists and many would object to nudity being screened in their homes. The numerous scenes of naked men and women, and male genitals, in family viewing time would have a detrimental effect on children and young people, he wrote. TV3 responded that the documentary was preceded by a written and verbal warning, and screened in AO time. The programme’s depiction of nudity was innocent and non-sexual, it wrote, and portrayed the naturists’ bodies matter-of-factly....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Amazon with Bruce Parry – during the programme the presenter said “fuck” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and children’s interests standardsFindings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – broadcast prior to 8. 30pm watershed – research suggests that the word “fuck” would be unacceptable to majority of New Zealanders in this context – upheldStandard 9 (children’s interests) – broadcaster did not adequately consider the interests of child viewers – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] The programme Amazon with Bruce Parry was broadcast on Prime TV at 7. 30pm on Friday 26 June 2009. It was part of a series that examined the area around the Amazon River, its people, their culture, resource extraction and environmental issues....

Complaint under section 8(1)(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989South Park – picture of a statue of Jesus Christ – voice said “Look at me, I’m Jesus. Would you like me to crap on you Mr Bush?...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Campbell Live – item about the forthcoming South Park “Bloody Mary” episode – item’s introduction included references to religious and cultural beliefs and to media freedom, and showed the alcoholic drink called a “Bloody Mary” – allegedly compared menstrual blood with a cocktail in breach of good taste and decencyFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – introduction simply a play on words – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The debate about the forthcoming screening of the South Park “Bloody Mary” episode was dealt with in an item broadcast on TV3’s Campbell Live at 7. 00pm on 20 February 2006. The introduction began: "Tonight the Catholic Church, media freedom, South Park¸ and the episode that dare not speak its name. For our adult viewers, here's a clue. What's this vodka-based drink called?...