Xtreme 100FM. Caller to request session said the request was for a named person at a named school who was described as a "friendless bitch" who was "hated by everyone". The mother complained that this was breached her daughter's privacy, and she also complained to the broadcaster that the comment was in bad taste and unfair to her daughter and that her daughter had been taunted about it subsequently. Upheld (good taste and decency, privacy, fairness). Orders ($250 compensation to complainant's daughter, $250 costs to Crown).
One Network News: "Close-Up". Subject of item was One Network News/Colmar Brunton poll which showed a move by voters back to the major parties in Parliament. Not upheld (balance).
Off the Planet. Joke segment included reference to being schizophrenic. Not upheld (good taste and decency, children's interests).
Holmes. Programme profiled successful rugby team comprising mature-aged men and its unorthodox approach. Complaint that focus on the consumption of alcohol suggested that drug-taking led to success. Not upheld (liquor).
Air New Zealand Holiday. Item presented by Australian comedienne depicted some of the tourist features on Matakana Island off the coast from Tauranga and included a visit to its marae. Complaint that presenter's attitude on the marae was discourteous and disrespectful of Maori traditions. The item was also inaccurate on some points, and the presenter's driving at times showed disrespect for the law. Not upheld (good taste and decency, law and order,accuracy, fairness, discrimination and denigration, children's interests).
20/20. Item examined response by the Wellington Free Ambulance service to the fatal collapse of a woman in Wainuiomata and played extracts from an audio tape of the incident recorded at the time in the Wellington Free Ambulance control room. Upheld (privacy). Order ($500 compensation to complainant).
20/20. Item examined response by the Wellington Free Ambulance service to the fatal collapse of a woman in Wainuiomata and played extracts from an audio tape of the incident recorded at the time in the Wellington Free Ambulance control room. Upheld (privacy). Order ($500 compensation to complainant).
National Radio. Excerpt from actor's lines used in trailer for a forthcoming broadcast of a radio play; broadcast on a number of occasions. Broadcaster upheld complaint under good taste and decency because of lack of context. Not upheld (good taste and decency): action taken sufficient.
Holmes. Broadcast of studio debate between a presenter and Pam Corkery MP and Muriel Newman MP, in which Dr Newman was asked to defend the contents of her new cookbook. Complainants both maintained that the debate amounted to a malicious attack on Dr Newman and that the presenter had acted unprofessionally. Upheld (fairness). Subsumed (balance). No order.
One Network News. Item reported on a Labour Party campaign to show the impact of the reintroduction of market rents for Housing New Zealand tenants. Not upheld (balance, fairness).