BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

All BSA's decisions on complaints 1990-present
All Decisions
Rossiter and MediaWorks TV Ltd - 2015-022

The 3 News political editor reported on proposed legislative changes to pay rises for Members of Parliament. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the item was unbalanced and inaccurate in that the editor ‘presented… opinion as fact’ and used ‘highly emotive language’. The report provided sufficient balance, and the statements complained of were clearly the editor’s opinion and analysis rather than statements of fact to which the accuracy standard applied.

Not Upheld: Controversial Issues, Accuracy

Parlane & Wilson and Mediaworks Radio Ltd - 2015-009

Talkback radio host Sean Plunket reacted to author Eleanor Catton’s comments at a literary festival in India, which were negative about the New Zealand government. He was highly critical of Ms Catton, saying that she was a ‘traitor’ and an ‘ungrateful hua’ among other things. The Authority did not uphold complaints that Mr Plunket’s comments breached broadcasting standards. The nature of Ms Catton’s remarks was such that it was reasonable for them to attract some strong views in response. The host’s comments were within the bounds of audience expectations of talkback radio and within the right to freedom of expression.

Not Upheld: Fairness, Good Taste and Decency, Discrimination and Denigration, Controversial Issues, Accuracy

Gregory and Television New Zealand Ltd - 2014-154

An episode of the British police drama series Happy Valley depicted the murder of a police officer by one of the main characters. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the incident and aftermath constituted ‘over the top’ graphic violence. The visual depiction of the violence was not gratuitous and was mostly implied or occurred off-screen. The level of violence was not unacceptable or unexpected in an AO-rated police drama series, and was justified by the narrative context.

Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Violence

Golden and Radio New Zealand Ltd - 2015-010

Mediawatch included an interview with a senior member of New Zealand’s media community. The Authority declined to determine the complaint that the interviewee was ‘corrupt’ and therefore the interview constituted inaccurate, unfair and irresponsible broadcasting. The complainant has previously made a number of similar complaints which did not raise matters of broadcasting standards, and has been warned that further similar complaints would be unlikely to be determined in the future. Accordingly the Authority considered the complaint to be vexatious.

Declined to Determine: Good Taste and Decency, Accuracy, Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration, Responsible Programming

Golden and Radio New Zealand Ltd - 2015-017

An item on Morning Report discussed Mark Lundy’s retrial for the murder of his wife and daughter. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the item incorrectly inferred that Mr Lundy had actively been seeking increased life insurance on the day the murders occurred, and that this was unfair. The item was a straightforward report of the latest evidence given at trial and the item as a whole clarified the meaning of its opening statements.

Not Upheld: Accuracy, Fairness, Law and Order, Responsible Programming

Williams and New Zealand Media and Entertainment - 2015-019

During a discussion on Radio Sport’s Crowd Goes Wild Breakfast show about the Black Caps’ recent win over Bangladesh, one of the hosts said that anyone who criticised cricketer Martin Guptill could ‘take your criticism and ram it up your arse’. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that this comment was irresponsible and inappropriate for broadcast at a time when children were likely to be listening. The language used would not have unduly surprised or offended regular listeners taking into account audience expectations of the hosts’ well-known style, and of Radio Sport. The segment was otherwise innocuous and was not targeted at children.

Not Upheld: Responsible Programming

Wallbank and Television New Zealand Ltd - 2015-015

A ONE News bulletin included an item on politicians’ attendance at the Big Gay Out festival. The newsreader said, ‘The community makes up to 10 percent of New Zealand’s population and MPs were keen to show their support’. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that this statement and in particular the figure of 10 percent was inaccurate and misleading. It was expressed as an approximate figure only. There is no data available showing the exact size of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LBGT) community against which to assess the accuracy of the statement.

Not Upheld: Accuracy 

McDonald and Television New Zealand Ltd - 2015-016

ONE News reported that Cadbury chocolate bars were set to ‘shrink by 10 percent’, from 220 grams to 200 grams. The Authority declined to determine the complaint that the item was inaccurate because it was wrong to use the word ‘shrink’ to refer to a weight measurement and because the difference in grams was 9.1 percent, not 10 percent. The Authority found the complaint to be trivial as the complainant did not outline why the difference was material or why it would have impacted viewers’ understanding of the item as a whole.

Declined to Determine: Accuracy

Elborn and Television New Zealand Ltd - 2015-014

Seven Sharp featured a brief segment about a Christchurch couple who had been recorded by members of the public having sex after hours at their workplace. The segment was presented as a humorous ‘lessons learned’ skit, featuring comments such as, ‘apparently you can see through glass’, and still photos of the incident were shown. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the broadcast breached the couple’s privacy as the information was already in the public domain at the time of broadcast.

Not Upheld: Privacy

Olsen-Reeder and Television New Zealand Ltd - 2015-018

A Breakfast bulletin reported that Auckland’s Okahu Bay would be closed to the public for one day due to a private event held by local iwi Ngāti Whātua Orākei. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the item was inaccurate, unfair and encouraged discrimination by omitting the views of Ngāti Whātua and implying their actions were ‘wrong’. It would have been preferable to include comment from Ngāti Whātua in the initial broadcast, and by failing to fully explain why Okahu Bay was closed, viewers could have been left with an ill-informed, negative view of Ngāti Whātua. However comment was included in later TVNZ broadcasts the same day which mitigated any potential unfairness. Nothing in the item encouraged the denigration of, or discrimination against, Ngāti Whātua and/or Māori.

Not Upheld: Accuracy, Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration

1 ... 114 115 116 ... 445