Complaints about Broadcasting Standards
The BSA provides the public with a free, independent complaints service. Our principal job is to determine complaints that allege that a broadcaster has breached one of the Codes of Broadcasting Practice. We deal with complaints about programmes on 'broadcast' media - television (including free-to-air, pay and mobile television) and radio.
We only handle complaints about 'programmes' - but this includes general programming and promos for programmes. We do not handle complaints about advertisements (apart from election ads on radio and TV) or print media.
There are three ways we can receive a complaint:
- complaints referred by complainants following a decision made by broadcasters - in most cases complaints must be determined by the broadcaster first
- complaints about privacy directly referred to us by complaintants
- complaints about election programmes (which automatically must come to us directly)
A detailed explanation of the complaints process can be found in Our Process and Powers.
In most cases if you want to make a formal complaint about a programme broadcast in New Zealand you need to complain first to the relevant broadcaster within 20 working days of the broadcast. The broadcaster has 20 working days to reply to your complaint. If you are unsatisfied with the broadcaster's response you can then refer the complaint to the BSA for review. You can do this even if the broadcaster has upheld your complaint if you are unhappy with the action they took or didn't take. Complaints about breaches of privacy or election programmes can be made directly to the BSA.
The BSA will consider your referral and issue a decision to either uphold or not uphold your complaint. If we uphold the complaint we may issue an order that requires the broadcaster to take some form of action.
You or the broadcaster have the right to appeal any BSA decision to the High Court. You must give notice of that appeal within one calendar month of the decision.
For a full explanation of the complaints process see Making a Complaint.
Other Functions
We also do the following things:
- Encourage the development and observation of codes of broadcasting practice
- Approve the codes of broadcasting practice
- Issue advisory opinions on broadcasting standards and ethical conduct in broadcasting
- Publicise procedures in relation to complaints
- Conduct and publish research on matters relating to broadcasting standards.
