BSA orders broadcast statement and $3000 costs against Magic Talk Afternoons with Sean Plunket
The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) has found a Magic Talk Afternoons with Sean Plunket interview about the legal basis for iwi roadblocks under Covid-19 restrictions, amplified negative stereotypes about Maori and had the potential to cause widespread harm.
It has upheld two complaints about the interview of Te Whānau ā Apanui spokesperson Louis Rapihana.
He was questioned about roadblocks in the eastern Bay of Plenty under Covid-19 Alert Level 4 and what the iwi intended to do if anyone refused to comply with the travel permit requirement established under Alert Level 3.
“The broadcaster felt the segment did not contain a ‘high level of vitriol’. We disagree,” said the Authority.
It said Mr Plunket’s comments and approach had the effect of reflecting and amplifying casual racism towards Māori.
“We consider Mr Plunket’s tone, dismissiveness, repeated interruptions of Mr Rapihana and the comments he made following the interview, were either intended to encourage harmful tropes and views, or reflected ignorance at a level that is offensive and harmful to Māori.”
Given the high level of harm, it determined a broadcast statement and $3000 in costs to the Crown were appropriate.
Ko te whakahau a te BSA me tutuki he whakapāhotanga tauākī whakapāha me te utunga $3000 hei whakawhiu i a Magic Talk Afternoons with Sean Plunket
I kitea e te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho (BSA) i whākahatia ngā kiritoka kino mō te Māori, ā, tērā pea ka hua mai ngā tūkinotanga whānui i tētahi uiui a Magic Talk Afternoons with Sean Plunket mō te take ture o ngā aukati huarahi ā-iwi i raro i ngā rāhuitanga Kowheori-19.
I whakaūtia ngā amuamu e rua mō te uiui i a Louis Rapihana te kaikōrero o Te Whānau-a-Apanui.
I uiuitia ia mō ngā aukati huarahi i Te Moana-o-Toi i raro i te Pae Mataara 4 o te Kowheori-19, me ngā whāinga a te iwi ki te kore tētahi e whai i ngā whakaritenga hāereere i whakapūmautia i raro i te Pae Mataara 3.
"I pōhēhē te kaiwhakapāho kāore noa i 'nui te mauāhara' i roto i taua wāhanga. E whakahē ana mātou," te kī a te Mana Whanonga.
Ko tā rātou kī, ko te pānga o ngā kōrero me te whāinga a Mr Plunket e whakaata ana, e whākaha ana hoki i te āhua kaikiri ki te Māori.
"Ko tā mātou, ko te reo o Mr Plunket, tōna wairua kawa me ngā tini haukotitanga i a Mr Rapihana, me āna kōrero hoki i muri o te uiui, he takunetanga e akiaki ana i ngā tōaitanga me ngā tirohanga kino, e whakaata ana rānei i te kūaretanga i tētahi taumata e rihariha ana, e kino ana ki te Māori."
Nā te tiketike o te kino, i whakatauhia e te mana whanonga he tika kia whakapāhotia he tauākī whakapāha me te utunga i te $3000 ki te Karauna.
ENDS
FURTHER INFORMATION
The item was broadcast on 6 May 2020 on Magic Talk. The full decision is available at https://www.bsa.govt.nz/decisions/all-decisions/tualamalii-and-whittaker The decision was made under the Free-to-Air Television Code of Broadcasting Practice which is available to view on our website: https://bsa.govt.nz/broadcasting-standards/broadcasting-code-book/.
ABOUT THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY
The BSA is an independent Crown entity that oversees the broadcasting standards regime in New Zealand. The BSA determines complaints that broadcasts have breached standards, undertakes research and oversees the development of broadcasting standards in consultation with broadcasters.
The Authority members who determined this complaint were Judge Bill Hastings (Chair), Paula Rose QSO and Susie Staley MNZM. The Chief Executive of the BSA is Glen Scanlon.
For more information see our website: www.bsa.govt.nz