Latest Decisions »
28 October 2009
Today the BSA released 15 new decisions.
Five complaints were lodged with the Authority about a Close Up item which followed a group of duck hunters for a day on a farm in the Wairarapa. The duck hunters were shown drinking alcohol before shooting ducks, and one hunter was shown naked from behind jumping onto a blow-up doll.
The Authority upheld the complaints that the programme breached the good taste and decency, children’s interests, and liquor standards.
The Authority found that the Close Up item promoted beer and the Tui brand, and advocated liquor consumption. The Authority noted that one hunter said, “In the first three hours it’s all about the shooting and then it’s just about having a good day, getting on the booze...” and that another hunter acknowledged, “A few guys get a bit carried away, maybe a few lagers. Probably the shooting goes downhill.” The Authority said that it would have been obvious to viewers that the men were consuming alcohol while using firearms, and concluded that the liquor promotion in the item was not socially responsible.
With respect to good taste and decency and children’s interests, the Authority considered that the combination of socially irresponsible liquor promotion and the scene including the blow-up doll breached both standards in the context of a current affairs programme broadcast at 7pm.
The Authority ordered TVNZ to broadcast a statement, and to pay $3500 costs to the Crown and $1500 towards one complainant’s legal costs.
Read full decision: 2009-069
A complaint that an item on Sunday was in breach of the fairness standard was upheld. The programme investigated the state of New Zealand’s pedigree dog breeds and breeding ethics, and included comments from a dog owner who believed that his bulldog had serious health concerns that had been dismissed by the breeder. The reporter was shown driving to the breeder’s house and being asked to leave by the breeder’s husband.
The Authority upheld the breeder’s complaint that the item was unfair to her. It noted that TVNZ had approached the breeder for general comments about breeding ethics, but had not advised her that it intended to broadcast the dog owner’s specific complaints about her. It considered that this made Sunday’s decision to “door-step” the breeder unfair as she was not given a fair and reasonable opportunity to respond to the concerns raised by the dog owner.
The Authority ordered TVNZ to broadcast a statement summarising the decision.
Read full decision: 2009-056
For more details please go to http://www.bsa.govt.nz/latestdecisions.php.
For more information, please see the full decisions or contact Dominic Sheehan on dominics@bsa.govt.nz or 04 382 9508
Recent publications »
Statement of Intent 2009-2010
July 2009
Quarterly Newsletter
June 2009, no. 42
This edition of the BSA Quarterly features articles about two new publications - a journalist's review of BSA decisions and a thinkpiece on the relationship between Maori worldview and broadcasting standards... a farewell to departing BSA member Diane Musgrave and hello to incoming member Mary-Anne Shanahan... details about a new, online BSA newsletter.
Download newsletter pdf (861KB)
Download decision summary pdf (42KB)
Principles and Pragmatism
Today the Broadcasting Standards Authority released a new report entitled Principles and Pragmatism.
Authored by Colin Peacock, host of Radio New Zealand's Mediawatch programme, the report is an assessment of BSA decisions from a journalist's perspective.
The report addresses the following questions:
- Where is the tension between the 'bottom-line standards' for the Authority and the 'bottom-line standards' for journalists?
- What is the Authority getting right from journalists' perspective - and what is it getting wrong?
Download Journalist's Assessment of BSA Decisions - Full (967kb PDF)
Download Journalist's Assessment of BSA Decisions - Exec Summary (832kb PDF)
Please note: these documents are designed to be printed doubled sided.
A limited number of printed copies of the report are available. Please contact Trish: trishc@bsa.govt.nz
Maori Worldviews and Broadcasting Standards: What Should be the Relationship?
The BSA has released new paper entitled Maori Worldviews and Broadcasting Standards: What Should be the Relationship? in order to provide a platform for discussion of the relationship between broadcasting standards and Maori worldviews and interests.
This paper follows up some questions raised by the BSA's 2005 publication The Portrayal of Maori and Te Ao Maori in Broadcasting: the foreshore and seabed issue, including
whether the standards as currently framed adequately reflect Maori realities, concerns and interests.
By setting out the present context for the BSA's work and outlining the decisions the BSA has made on issues of particular concern to Maori, the BSA hopes to provide a ready resource for everyone who is interested in that discussion.
Quarterly Newsletter
December 2008, no. 40
This edition of BSA Quarterly features an article about new research on viewing violence; an overview of the Election Programme Complaints process and information about our new bus advertising campaign.
Download newsletter pdf (1.52MB) Download decision summary pdf (51KB)
Viewing Violence: Audience Perceptions of Violent Content in Audio Visual Entertainment.
November 2008
The Office of Film and Literature Classification and the Broadcasting Standards Authority have jointly issued a research report, Viewing Violence: Audience Perceptions of Violent Content in Audio Visual Entertainment.
The research adds to knowledge gained over the years updating our agencies with New Zealanders' thoughts and feelings about violent content in audio-visual entertainment on TV, in films and DVDs, and on internet and mobile platforms.
Read the Report
Statement of Intent 2008-2011
July 2008
Quarterly Newsletter
September 2008, no. 39
This edition of BSA Quarterly features an article about The Election Programmes
Code; information about the revised Radio Programmes Code; and an article about
the inclusion of an expanded Bill of Rights explanation in BSA decisions, as
well as summarizing the 46 decisions released in the second quarter of 2008.
Download newsletter pdf (235KB) Download decision summary pdf (55KB)
New BSA research "Seen and Heard: Children’s Media Use, Exposure, and Response"
The BSA has released a major new study of New Zealand children’s media use. The large quantitative survey was carried out by Colmar Brunton. It involved interviewing more than 600 children aged between six and 13 and their primary caregivers. The focus of the research was how children use and respond to media, including television, radio, the internet, and cell phones.
Read press release. Go to the report.
New Practice Notes - violence and liquor promotion standards
Practice Notes are designed to help complainants and broadcasters understand the approach the BSA is likely to take in considering issues about standards. The latest practice notes discuss the liquor promotion and violence standards. Read more.