20/20. Item examined the response by the Wellington Free Ambulance to the fatal collapse of a woman in Wainuiomata and raised serious questions about the competence of some aspects of the Wellington Free Ambulance service. Not upheld (privacy).
Summer Playhouse: Desperate Remedies. Complaint that film pornographic. Not upheld (good taste and decency, children's interests).
3 National News. Item dealt with death of a toddler in a house fire. A distraught woman, possibly a relative of the child, was shown being comforted outside the house at the end of the item. Not upheld (privacy).
In Cold Blood. Documentary exploring the similarities between three recent mass murderers referred to the use of a semi-automatic military style rifle by two of the murderers, and showed shots of a person using a fully automatic weapon. Upheld (accuracy). Not upheld (law and order, balance, discrimination and denigration). No order.
20/20: "Top Gun". Item profiled an Inspector on his retirement, whose service had included being head of the Armed Offenders Squad. The item referred to the Schlaepfer family tragedy and showed some footage, including an aerial shot of some bodies near the house and a shot of the child who survived. TV3 upheld the complaint about the aerial shot and the footage was replaced when the item was re-screened; the appropriate staff were also reminded of the standards. Not upheld (fairness: unnecessary intrusion into grief, action taken sufficient).
The Simpsons. The episode, which screened at 6.00pm, featured an unlikeable character who had manipulated the results of a local government election, and described the good characters as "You smarmy little bastards". Not upheld (good taste and decency, children's interests).
Newstalk ZB talkback. Discussion of the reasons behind a journalist's request to the Attorney General to reopen the Christchurch Civic Creche case. Complaint by the mother of one of the child witnesses. Not upheld (privacy).
Soundwave FM. Personal remarks were made about a rival broadcaster and related to a personnel matter. Upheld (good taste and decency, fairness, privacy; subsequent action taken by the station, having upheld the standards complaint, was inappropriate). Orders ($250 costs to Crown, $250 compensation to complainant).
92.2XS Palmerston North. Station broadcast an obscene phone call referring to the complainant. Upheld (privacy; inadequacy of action taken by broadcaster in relation to the complaints re good taste and decency, fairness, deceptive programme practice). Orders ($750 costs to Crown, $250 compensation to complainant).
This is Your Life: Billy T Awards promo. The promo referred to masturbation. Not upheld: action taken sufficient (good taste and decency, children's interests).