20/20: "Satanic Panic". Item reported the story of four women who worked in a child-care centre and who had been accused but later cleared of child abuse; it also reported that a man at the centre had been convicted and imprisoned for that behaviour. Complaint that linking Satanism with child abuse encouraged discrimination against Satanists. Not upheld (discrimination and denigration).
All Decisions
3 National News. News item on what was described as the growing housing crisis in New Zealand. Upheld: majority (balance, fairness). No order.
Holmes. Item discussed a 10-year-old girl's anxieties about the activities of a neighbourhood gang and included comments from some gang members, including the 11-year-old son of the complainants. Not upheld (privacy).
Top of the Morning. Interview with actress. Allegatioin that host's comments were sexist and defamatory. Not upheld (good taste and decency, balance, fairness, discrimination and denigration).
Newstalk ZB. Presenter's remarks about the Pope. Not upheld (good taste and decency, accuracy, fairness, discrimination and denigration): action taken sufficient.
Henry and June promo. Promo for AO classified film broadcast during Star Trek. Not upheld (good taste and decency, responsible programming, children's interests): action taken sufficient (though the referral of the matter to the Authority amounted to dissatisfaction with the G22 standard rather than with TV3's decision or action).
93 ROX. A newspaper story dealing with a family in China which was decimated because an infant son was mutilated by his siblings was dealt with in a light-hearted broadcast. Not upheld (good taste and decency).
X-Files. Programme dealing with events based on the paranormal and screened at 8.30pm showed a malevolent force set free in a small American town with a number of murders ensuing. Not upheld (violence).
The Accused. Film about rape victim in which she challenged the "she asked for it" attitude to rape. Not upheld (violence).
Murder in the Heartland. Two-part mini-series dramatisation of the story of a mass murderer in Nebraska. Upheld (violence). No order.