Radio Live News and The Breeze News. News items reported that British woman was bitten by a lion cub at a tourist park. Not upheld (accuracy and fairness).
One News. Stated that supernova was “240 light years from Earth”. Declined to determine (accuracy) on grounds that complaint frivolous and trivial. Order ($50 costs awarded to broadcaster, complainant previously warned about lodging complaints of this nature).
One News reported on legal aid lawyer Charl Hirschfeld’s resignation, with the statements that his “resignation comes within days of the Law Society launching an investigation into his legal aid work”, that he “topped the legal aid rich list”, that the LSA had “completed an investigation into payments to Mr Hirschfeld” and that “in the last year Charl Hirschfeld netted $3.2 million in legal aid money”. The Authority declined to uphold the complaint that the item breached the accuracy and fairness standards. Mr Hirschfeld’s arguments were primarily issues of semantics and the statements were not inaccurate or misleading; the broadcaster had treated him fairly since the item simply reported the facts and did not make any allegations of wrongdoing; and One News had also gone to his offices but he had been unavailable for comment.
Not Upheld: Accuracy, Fairness
Apna 990 “radio-thon”. Allegedly broadcast statement that eight Fijian nationals had died in Christchurch earthquake. Not upheld (accuracy, responsible programming, and good taste and decency).
Waitangi: What Really Happened. Docu-drama about events leading up to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Decline to determine on the grounds that the complaint related to matters of personal preference and editorial discretion (controversial issues, accuracy, fairness, discrimination and denigration, responsible programming).
One News. Item about arming police officers referred to police “force”. Declined to determine on the grounds that the complaint was frivolous (accuracy).
Not Going Out. Scene showed character dancing with baby and moving him from side to side. Not upheld (good taste and decency, violence, children’s interests, fairness, and discrimination and denigration).
7 Days. Comedy programme contained racial comments, coarse language and sexual connotations. Not upheld (good taste and decency, and responsible programming).
3 News. News reader stated “What is wrong with these people, I ask”, with reference to people declining invitations to Royal wedding. Declined to determine (discrimination and denigration).
Closer. Movie contained potentially offensive language. Not upheld (responsible programming and discrimination and denigration).