Holmes. In 1997 a Judge was found not guilty of dishonesty charges. Almost a year later a news item on One Network News revealed the contents of a High Court ruling made before the 1997 trial, in which the judge had ruled a report by a QC in the early stages of the investigation inadmissible. The news item reported that the judgment disclosed the QC’s opinion that the Judge was guilty of fraud. Complaint that the QC’s opinion about the judge’s behaviour was "utterly irrelevant", and that the disclosure was a breach of broadcasting standards and also privacy. (While the complainant referred to a news item in his complaint, TVNZ advised that the matter was discussed during an item on Holmes and the issue was not dealt with on One Network News.) Not upheld (law and order, balance, privacy, fairness).
Super Liquor Sportsnight. Complaint that number of times the Super Liquor logo was screened breached the standard. Not upheld: action taken sufficient (liquor).
Real TV. Item focused on an accident at Western Springs Speedway when parts of a racing car broke away, flew among the spectators and injured a number of people. The item included footage of an injured child being assisted after the accident, and an interview with the child’s mother. The mother complained about the continued use of the footage which had been filmed for news coverage. Not upheld (fairness, violence).
Radio Pacific talkback. Host abruptly cut off a caller, saying that he had used a four letter word. A few minutes earlier, he had referred to a woman caller as a person who lived her life in abject misery. The caller who had been cut off complained that it was an absolute lie to state that he had used a four letter word as could be verified by a copy of the tape, and in both incidents the host’s manner was appalling. Not upheld: action taken sufficient (fairness).
Newsflash. Episode contained, among other things, skits with a religious theme. Not upheld (good taste and decency, discrimination and denigration, children's interests).
Nine to Noon. During an interview an obscenity was used on several occasions by both the host and the interviewee when they quoted a poem which had been translated and backtranslated into both French and German. Not upheld (good taste and decency).
The Human Body promo. Promo showed a naked pregnant woman. Not upheld (good taste and decency, denigration and discrimination, violence).
3 National News. A prison officer who was accused of impregnating a prison inmate was the subject of a news item. Complainant's family's privacy breached, as footage of their family home was included in the item. Upheld (privacy). Order ($500 compensation to complainant, $500 costs to Crown).
One Network News. Item reported on increased cannabis use among young people in Northland and referred to the suspension of students from several schools. It included an interview with a student from Kaitaia College who, when asked how long it would take to get drugs, replied "about half an hour". Complaint by the principal that the interviewer had broken their promise that the item would not reflect badly on the college. Not upheld (accuracy, fairness).
One Network News commencing at 6pm broadcast a lengthy item on the findings of the Starr Report and the possible impeachment proceedings against President Clinton of the United States. Complaint that it was highly offensive for explicit sexual material to be discussed during children’s normal viewing time. Not upheld (good taste and decency, programme classifications, children's interests).