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Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Family Guy – cartoon comedy – male character injected with “gay gene” – went to “Straight Camp” where he was encouraged to drink, play full contact football, and “find loose women to have sex with” – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, discrimination and denigration, children’s interests, and liquor standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – scene had clear humorous and satirical intent – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – scene was not unsuitable for supervised child viewers – broadcaster adequately considered children’s interests – not upheld Standard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – broadcast did not encourage denigration of, or discrimination against, a section of the community – not upheld Standard 11 (liquor) – broadcast did not amount to “liquor promotion” – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 3 News – reported on the purchase of a bluefin tuna at auction for nearly one million dollars – item contained footage of fish’s head being removed and a number of tuna being sliced and filleted – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and violence standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – killing animals for food is a fact of life – images were not gratuitous and would not have offended most viewers in the context of a news item – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – filleting fish did not amount to “violence” for the purposes of the standard – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]Turning Point featured a Christian sermon about the second coming of Jesus Christ. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the programme should have been classified PGR instead of G, and breached various other broadcasting standards. The programme did not contain any material which exceeded its G classification or which threatened broadcasting standards. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Controversial Issues, Accuracy, Fairness, Responsible Programming, Children’s Interests, ViolenceIntroduction[1] Turning Point featured a Christian sermon about the second coming of Jesus Christ. [2] Scott McLoon complained that the programme should have been classified PGR instead of G, as any child viewers should be subject to parental guidance. He also complained the programme breached various other standards....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint a news item about sex workers and escorts opening up about their work on social media breached the good taste and decency, children’s interests and programme information standards. The Authority noted the public interest in the broadcast and considered the content was within audience expectations for the news. In this context, the Authority found the item was unlikely to cause widespread offence or undermine community standards. The Authority also found the introduction to the item was sufficient to inform viewers of the nature of the coverage, enabling them to adequately protect themselves and their children from the content by choosing not to watch. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Children’s Interests, Programme Information...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint under several standards in relation to a segment on The Project. In the broadcast, comedian Justine Smith joked about throwing a half-eaten apple at anti-abortion protesters. The complainants alleged the segment was offensive, promoted violence and criminal activity, and discriminated against anti-abortion protesters. The Authority found that while the statements may have been offensive to some – in the context of the broadcast as a whole, taking into account audience expectations of the show, and the lack of any specific call to act – the alleged harm caused by the broadcast did not reach the thresholds required to restrict the broadcaster’s right to freedom of expression under any of the nominated standards. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Children’s Interests, Violence, Law and Order, and Discrimination and Denigration...

Following an interview with a COVID-19 vaccine advocate on the AM Show, the host noted Medsafe gave the vaccine the ‘same approval as everyday medicines like Panadol and Nurofen’. The complaint stated this was misleading and in breach of five standards, including the accuracy standard. The Authority did not uphold the complaint as the accuracy standard is concerned with material inaccuracy. To the extent there was any inaccuracy, it was unlikely to significantly affect the audience’s understanding of the programme. The Authority considered the other standards raised either did not apply or were not breached. Not Upheld: Accuracy, Good Taste and Decency, Programme Information, Balance, Fairness...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 26/94 Dated the 9th day of May 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by ADOLF SOETEMAN of Auckland Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I. W. Gallaway Chairperson J. R. Morris R. A. Barraclough L. M. Dawson...

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: 1996-069 Decision No: 1996-070 Dated the 27th day of June 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by GRAHAM BENNETT of Auckland Broadcaster TV3 NETWORK SERVICES LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1997-016 Dated the 27th of February 1997 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by PIRIPI WHAANGA of Wellington Broadcaster AOTEAROA NATIONAL MAORI RADIO J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1998-004 Dated the 29th day of January 1998 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by KRISTIAN HARANG of Auckland Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED S R Maling Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod J Withers...

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...

SummaryDuring an interview on Nine to Noon on Radio New Zealand’s National Programme on 4 September 1998, the word "fuck" was used on several occasions by both the host of the programme and the interviewee when they quoted a poem which had been translated and backtranslated into both French and German. Mr Crouch of Marton complained to RNZ Ltd and received no reply to his complaint. He therefore referred it to the Authority under s. 8(1)(b) of the Broadcasting Act 1989. When the matter was referred to Radio New Zealand Ltd for response, it advised that it had considered the complaint under standard R2 of the Radio Code of Broadcasting Practice, which requires broadcasters to observe standards of good taste and decency....

Summary The film Heat was broadcast on TV2 at 8. 30pm on 3 January 1999. Mr Nicholls complained to Television New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, about the standard of language used in the film. He objected to the excessive use of "fuck", "fucking", and associated words, he wrote, because it led to their normalisation. He argued that the offending words could have been beeped out. The film was shown in holiday time, he said, and swear words should not be accepted on prime family time television. TVNZ responded that the film started at 8. 30pm which was adult programming time, it was clearly rated AO, indicating that it was unsuitable for children, and it was preceded by a specific warning about its violence and language. It said the warning was delivered visually and verbally....

Summary An American documentary entitled Scared Straight – 20 Years On was broadcast by TV3 on 12 July 1999 at 8. 30pm. It examined a rehabilitation programme for youthful offenders which was based on behaviour modification. The programme was trialled in the 1970s, and 20 years later some of those participants were asked about their experiences on the course and how they had lived their lives since then. James Whitham complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd, the broadcaster, that the programme condoned violence and encouraged intimidating and threatening behaviour. He contended that it had breached a number of broadcasting standards. TV3 responded by noting that the behaviour modification programme had been used successfully in America to help teenage offenders. In the context of an AO programme, which had been preceded by a verbal and written warning relating to language, TV3 maintained that no standards had been breached....

Summary A documentary entitled The London Connection was broadcast on TV One on 16 August 1999 beginning at 8. 30pm. Host Gary McCormick interviewed New Zealanders living and working in London. He also visited a club frequented by young New Zealanders where they were shown drinking heavily and where young women were seen dancing topless. Mr Boyce complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the footage showing "several inebriated, albeit buxom" women dancing topless breached the good taste standard. TVNZ responded first that the sequence to which Mr Boyce objected was broadcast near the end of the hour-long programme, well after the widely-recognised watershed. It agreed that the behaviour of the young women was coarse and vulgar, but did not consider that it exceeded the good taste standard in the context in which it was shown. It declined to uphold the complaint....

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"....

ComplaintStar Trek: Deep Space 9 – "lesbian kiss" – bad taste FindingsStandard G2 – context – no upholdThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] An episode of Star Trek: Deep Space 9 was broadcast on TV4 at 8. 30pm on 24 August 2001. The episode included a scene where two of the female characters kiss. [2] Michael Hooker complained to TV4 Network Ltd, the broadcaster, about a "lesbian kiss" which was included in the broadcast, and which he considered to be "far outside the accepted norms of taste and decency, given the context in which the behaviour occurred". [3] TV4 declined to uphold the complaint. It maintained that the kiss was acceptable in the context of a PGR programme, explaining that it was brief, important to the storyline, not AO in nature and screened after the AO watershed....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – two items broadcast one after the other – first item reported on the re-opening of the euthanasia debate in the United Kingdom following the screening of a television documentary which showed a terminally ill man taking a lethal dose of drugs in Switzerland – second item reported on a voluntary euthanasia campaigner who had the words "DO NOT RESUSCITATE" tattooed on her chest – both items allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, law and order and children’s interests standards FindingsItem on assisted suicide Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – report was tasteful – did not endorse either position – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 2 (law and order) – did not encourage viewers to break the law or promote, condone or glamorise criminal activity – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – item preceded by warning –…...