BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

All BSA's decisions on complaints 1990-present
BSA Decisions
Grieve & Ryburn and Television New Zealand Ltd - 2023-104 (5 March 2024)

The Authority has not upheld two complaints that it was inaccurate and/or unbalanced for an item on 1News to describe land in central Auckland as being ‘gifted’ by Ngāti Whātua to the Crown in 1840. The Authority found it was not materially inaccurate to describe the land in this way in the context of an item focused on Ngāti Whātua’s call to change Auckland Anniversary Day. Further, any harm caused by not including a detailed explanation of the land transfer did not outweigh the broadcaster’s right to freedom of expression. The balance standard did not apply.

Not Upheld: Accuracy, Balance

Carter and Television New Zealand Ltd - 2023-113 (20 February 2024)

The Authority has not upheld a complaint regarding an item on 1News covering a Hobson’s Pledge campaign against bilingual road signage. The complaint was that the coverage was biased and unfair by suggesting feedback using the Hobson’s Pledge template was ‘bad’, trying to influence how people gave feedback, and only interviewing members of the public in support of bilingual signage. The Authority found the broadcaster provided sufficient balance and the item was not unfair, as Hobson’s Pledge was given an opportunity to comment, and its position was adequately presented in the item. The complaint did not identify any inaccurate statement or reasons why the item was inaccurate, and the discrimination and denigration standard did not apply.

Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy, Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration

Roughan and Television New Zealand Ltd - 2023-112 (20 February 2024)

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that two 1News segments on the Israel and Hamas war breached the promotion of illegal or antisocial behaviour standard. The segments included images of covered bodies, as well as clips of Hamas militants. The Authority found the segments to be straightforward news reports. It did not consider the segments encouraged viewers to break the law or promoted illegal or criminal activity.

Not Upheld: Promotion of Illegal or Antisocial Behaviour

Stamilla and Discovery NZ Ltd - 2024-107 (20 February 2024)

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that comments made by the Political Editor on Newshub Live at 6pm referring to ‘New Zealand Loyal conspiracy candidate Liz Gunn’s party of two” breached broadcasting standards. The Authority found that the balance standard did not apply. It also found the comment was not unfair noting the party could reasonably expect such robust commentary in the lead up to an election and the party leader had previously described it as a ‘compliment’ to be referred to as a conspiracy theorist.

Not Upheld: Balance, Fairness

Bennett and Sky Network Television Ltd - 2023-111 (20 February 2024)

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that it was inaccurate for a news item to include footage which allegedly featured a ‘crisis actor’. The Authority found that whether or not the footage was propaganda as claimed by the complainant, its inclusion would not have materially affected the audience’s understanding of the item overall.

Not Upheld: Accuracy

GE Free NZ in Food & Environment Inc and Discovery NZ Ltd - 2023-115 (20 February 2024)

The Authority has not upheld a complaint a segment on Paddy Gower Has Issues breached the accuracy, balance and fairness standards of the Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand. The segment included Gower stating he had ‘no issues’ with genetically modified corn, and that the effective ban on GE should be removed. The Authority did not uphold the complaint, finding the statements amounted to Gower’s opinion and that the alleged inaccuracy was not materially misleading and would not have impacted the audience’s understanding of the broadcast as a whole. The Authority also found under balance that the segment was clearly intended to provide a particular perspective (Gower’s) on the topic.  While the segment did include a brief image of GE-Free NZ’s logo, the Authority found in the context of the broadcast, the complainant’s participation was minor, and therefore there was no obligation to notify the complainant or provide an opportunity for the complainant to comment.

Not Upheld: Accuracy, Balance, Fairness

Lafraie and Discovery NZ Ltd - 2023-114 (20 February 2024)

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that a series of interviews broadcast on Newshub Nation were unbalanced. The complainant alleged that an Israel Defence Force (IDF) spokesperson was given free rein to repeat propaganda, and while other perspectives were included, none of these were the perspectives of Hamas or a Palestinian spokesperson. The Authority found while the issue of the Israel-Hamas conflict is a controversial issue of public importance, the broadcast included sufficient perspectives on the matter for the purposes of the standard. It also noted that the large volume of news concerning the conflict meant audiences were likely to be aware of alternate perspectives.

Not Upheld: Balance

Carson and Discovery NZ Ltd - 2024-001 (20 February 2024)

The Authority has declined to determine a complaint about comments made by the Political Editor on Newshub Live at 6pm, reporting on the first day of the new Parliament. Comments included that the Speech from the Throne sometimes sounded ‘like a National Party social media video’ and putting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon ‘that’s National Party spin.’ The complaint alleged this should have been identified as an opinion piece, and the Political Editor should be ‘unbiased’ and stick to news, not adding opinions.

Declined to Determine: Balance, Accuracy, Fairness

Kirkland and Sky Television Network Ltd - 2023-095 (31 January 2024)

The Authority1 has not upheld a complaint an item on Prime News, reporting on reactions to comments made by ACT Party Leader David Seymour on the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, as well as an incident where two men went to the Ministry and filmed staff while asking about expenditure, breached the accuracy standard. The complainant considered the broadcast breached the standard as it gave the misleading impression that two men had threatened staff at the Ministry as a result of Seymour’s statements, and it was inaccurate to suggest the men ‘threatened’ staff when ‘they only filmed staff while asking about spending’. The Authority agreed the broadcast’s introduction could have given the impression the two men went to the Ministry as a direct result of Seymour’s comments (when this occurred prior). While finely balanced, ultimately it considered any inaccuracy was corrected by a clarification of the sequence of events later in the broadcast. It further found while the description the men ‘threatened’ staff may have been technically inaccurate, it was not materially misleading in the context.

Not Upheld: Accuracy

Greyhound Racing New Zealand and Discovery NZ Ltd - 2023-073 (31 January 2024)

The Authority has partially upheld a complaint in relation to the accuracy of a Newshub Live at 6pm item about a person alleged to have harmed greyhounds. It alleged details about the accused were inaccurate and images of an unrelated dog accompanying the report were misleading. The Authority found the relevant details regarding the accused were not materially inaccurate. It found the broadcaster was correct in upholding the complaint initially in relation to the images used, but action taken in response was not sufficient to remedy the likely reputational damage to the handler and industry. The Authority held publication of this decision was sufficient remedy for the breach in all the circumstances.

Upheld: Accuracy (Action Taken)

No Orders

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