A One News item reported on recently released statistics for domestic violence in New Zealand that showed an increase in the number of deaths caused by family violence. It contained interviews with the Labour Party spokesperson for Women’s Affairs and with a Christchurch Women’s Refuge representative. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the item breached standards because it did not explicitly acknowledge that women can be perpetrators of domestic violence and men the victims: the item focused on the statistics and did not comment on the gender of perpetrators and victims, and did not specify that the increase in deaths was among women only.
Not Upheld: Controversial Issues, Accuracy, Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration, Responsible Programming
In an investigation spanning two separate broadcasts, Fair Go dealt with a complaint against The Battery Clinic and its manager, the complainant, relating to a system developed to extend the life of batteries in hybrid vehicles. Three experts expressed concerns about the safety of the system. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the programme breached the balance, accuracy and fairness standards: Fair Go had a sufficient basis for presenting the view that the system developed by the complainant was potentially dangerous, and the complainant was provided with a reasonable opportunity to respond to the claims and defend his invention; and there is a very high public interest in reporting on matters that have the potential to impact on public safety.
Not Upheld: Controversial Issues, Accuracy, Fairness
During the Farming Show, broadcast on NewstalkZB, the host told a short anecdote about his recent experience at a bar in Queenstown, claiming he was refused service after having a “couple of beers” and commenting that it was “poor form” on the part of the bar. The Authority upheld the complaint that this breached the fairness standard: the host’s comments were inappropriate, and he abused his position by airing a personal grievance and naming the bar on air in retaliation, which had the potential to detrimentally affect the complainant’s business and commercial interests. The Authority made no order.
Upheld: Fairness
No Order
An item on Fair Go, broadcast on TV One, included an interview with a group of Christchurch women who wanted to cancel their gym contracts due to temporary closure or relocation of premises following the February 2011 earthquake. The item’s focus was on two gyms in Christchurch and whether they were within their rights to enforce the contracts or were being unreasonable. The Authority upheld the complaint that the item breached the fairness and accuracy standards: it contained comments from two women which suggested their issues related solely to relocation, that the complainant’s gym refused to refund them and that they would be significantly out of pocket, but it omitted important information about the women’s individual circumstances relating to the contracts, creating a misleading impression which was not mitigated by the opportunity given to the complainant to respond. The Authority made no order.
Upheld: Accuracy, Fairness
No Order
During the movie The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, characters made two brief references to smoking “weed” and “leaf”. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the references breached the law and order standard: they did not necessarily relate to marijuana or glamorise its use and did not encourage viewers to break the law or otherwise promote or condone criminal activity, when taken in the context of a fantasy film.
Not Upheld: Law and Order
A promo for TV One's Friday Night of Comedy contained footage from episodes that had already screened. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that this breached the responsible programming and accuracy standards: a comedy promo is not a factual programme to which the accuracy standard applies; and the promo was generic and promoted the programme series, as opposed to specific upcoming episodes.
Not Upheld: Accuracy, Responsible Programming
A One News item reported on funding cuts to the telephone support service for victims of rape and sexual assault. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the item breached the controversial issues and discrimination and denigration standards because it allegedly portrayed only women as victims and not men: the focus was on funding cuts to the service not the gender of perpetrators and victims of sexual violence, so was not required to present alternative viewpoints on that issue; and it did not encourage discrimination against, or the denigration of, men as a section of the community.
Not Upheld: Controversial Issues, Discrimination and Denigration
An item on Close Up on TV One reported on the controversy around the establishment of an abortion clinic in Invercargill, and the strong opposition from 'pro-life' group Southlanders For Life. The item included interviews with a 'pro-life' representative and a 'pro-choice' representative. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the item breached standards relating to accuracy, fairness, and discrimination and denigration. The item did not suggest that all 'pro-life' groups were violent; the perspective of Southlanders For Life, including its position on violence, was reflected fairly and its representative treated impartially. The reporter's general statement about violence committed by a 'pro-life' group in America was accurate, and the item was not required to define abortion or to include images of aborted babies. The item did not encourage discrimination against, or the denigration of, any section of the community.
Not Upheld: Accuracy, Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration
An item on Close Up reported on vandalism at Horowhenua Rowing Club and included cell phone footage of the complainant verbally abusing a kayaker. The complainant was interviewed about his views on public access to Lake Horowhenua and about his behaviour in the footage. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the item breached the fairness and accuracy standards: while it was suggested that the complainant might have been responsible for the vandalism, the complainant was given a fair and reasonable opportunity to rebut that suggestion, and the reporter made it clear that no one had been charged with the vandalism; the complainant explained his behaviour; the reference to an assault conviction was correct at the time of broadcast and the item was accurate on all points of fact; and the focus of the item was vandalism at the rowing club in the context of a wider dispute over public access. The complainant was provided with sufficient opportunity to comment on the issues and to provide balance.
Not Upheld: Controversial Issues, Accuracy, Fairness
An item on Close Up on TV One reported on a man who faced losing two of his fingers if he chose to continue smoking cigarettes. The presenter jokingly asked the man if he wanted a cigarette. The Authority did not uphold the complaint that the presenter's comments breached standards relating to good taste and decency, fairness and responsible programming: the man was a willing participant and took the comments with good humour, and the comments would not have offended or distressed most viewers.
Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Fairness, Responsible Programming