BSA Decisions Ngā Whakatau a te Mana Whanonga Kaipāho

Summary  

[This summary does not form part of the decision.] 

The Authority has not upheld a complaint alleging a clarification broadcast by 1News, stating ‘Israel says it does not target civilians in any of its actions’, breached the accuracy standard because the statement was a ‘blatant inaccuracy’. The Authority found the broadcast did not state as fact that Israel does not target civilians. It accurately reported Israel’s official position and clearly attributed the statement to Israel.

Not Upheld: Accuracy

The broadcast

[1]  An item during the 16 January 2025 broadcast of 1News reported on an upcoming ceasefire in Gaza, discussing details of the agreement and highlighting reactions to the ceasefire and Israel-Hamas conflict from Palestinians, Israelis, and world leaders.

[2]  Following the report, the 1News presenter spoke to an Associated Press (AP) reporter live in Gaza. When asked how people in Gaza have responded to news of the ceasefire, the reporter said:

Yes, so, the reaction in Gaza is absolutely amazing and, you know, it was amazing yesterday. But unfortunately, Israel has been ramping up its attacks over the past few hours, killing at least 30 people. And as now... we can hear the intense artillery shelling across the northwestern coastline of central Gaza, namely Al-Nuseirat camp, and at the same time, overnight attacks here on Deir al-Balah have caused several casualties. 

So, Israel is trying to kill as many people as possible before the ceasefire takes into effect, which is absolutely harrowing and devastating because some of those who celebrated yesterday, the ceasefire news, are now in graves inside Deir al-Balah's graveyard and different graveyards all across the Strip. 

But yes, there is a sense of euphoria all across the Gaza Strip. People were so happy yesterday. People cannot wait until Sunday because they really want to go outside, celebrate with each other, meet their families, gather with them, and hopefully that they can return to their houses as fast as possible because that's what they have been always craving since the outbreak of Israel's assault, as a genocidal assault in Gaza, which has wreaked havoc in every single inch inside the Gaza Strip and caused many, like thousands of casualties. 

So, it was a very, very amazing feeling for me, for everyone, particularly for children who were traumatised, who were marginalised, ostracised, and brutalised during that time. So, we hope that everything… will restore its normality in Gaza, and we hope that Gaza will be rebuilt and we will stick together just one more time. And just everyone here too hopes for a permanent ceasefire, not just the 42 days and then a resume of fighting and hostilities between the two sides because it's enough after 14 months. 

[3]  Later in the 1News broadcast, the presenter said:

Just returning to our top story and some comments made by the Associated Press reporter in his live cross from Gaza. We want to clarify that Israel says it does not target civilians in any of its actions.

The complaint

[4]  Jan Farr complained the clarification ‘from an unknown source’ breached the accuracy standard of the Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand. It is a ‘laughable lie’ and ‘with 46,600 Palestinians dead’, the statement is ‘remarkable’ and ‘needs either correction or explanation’.

The broadcaster’s response

[5]  Television New Zealand Ltd (TVNZ) did not uphold the complaint for the following reasons:

• ‘It is important that viewers are aware of a broad range of perspectives on the conflict, and perspectives from within Gaza are a vital part of this. The statement by [the AP reporter] carried significant public interest value and served viewer understanding of the conflict.’
• ‘Allegations that Israel targets civilians in Gaza and that its actions constitute genocide are of the utmost gravity. They warrant sober reflection and the unblinkered attention of the global news media.’ While these are ‘important issues’ that are in the public interest to discuss, the reporter ‘made two statements that departed from the editorial standard 1News would usually expect from reporting by a representative of one of its agency partners. These were:
  • So, Israel is trying to kill as many people as possible before the ceasefire takes into effect; and
  • People cannot wait until Sunday because they really want to go outside and celebrate with each other, meet their families, gather with them and hopefully that they can return to their houses as fast as possible because that's what they have been always craving since the outbreak of Israel's assault as a genocide assault in Gaza, which has wreaked havoc in every single inch inside the Gaza Strip and caused many like thousands of casualties’.
• ‘The claims that Israel was committing genocide and trying to kill as many people as possible could not be endorsed as accurate in material point of fact, and if they were opinion they were not sufficiently framed as such.’ A clarification was deemed necessary by 1News to meet its obligations under the accuracy standard. 
• The clarification was ‘clearly framed as Israel’s perspective (“Israel says…”), not the perspective of 1News’.

The standard

[6]  The purpose of the accuracy standard (Standard 6) is to protect the public from being significantly misinformed.¹ The standard states:²

•  Broadcasters should make reasonable efforts to ensure news, current affairs or factual content:
  • is accurate in relation to all material points of fact
  • does not materially mislead the audience (give a wrong idea or impression of the facts).
• Further, where a material error of fact has occurred, broadcasters should correct it within a reasonable period after they have been put on notice.

Our analysis

[7]  In considering this complaint, we have watched the broadcast and read the correspondence listed in the Appendix.

[8]  We have considered the right to freedom of expression, which is our starting point when determining a complaint that broadcasting standards have been breached. We must weigh the right to freedom of expression, including the value and public interest in the broadcast, against any harm potentially caused by the broadcast. We may only intervene where the level of harm means placing a limit on the right to freedom of expression is reasonable and justified.³

[9]  The requirement for factual accuracy applies to statements of fact.⁴ The item did not state as fact that Israel does not target civilians, and we do not consider viewers would have interpreted the relevant statement in this way. Rather, the clarification accurately reported Israel’s official position. It was clearly attributed to Israel, stating ‘Israel says it does not target civilians’, and did not comment on the veracity of Israel’s position.

[10]  Regarding the clarification coming ‘from an unknown source’, the Israel Defense Forces’ official position is widely and consistently reported as targeting military objectives, not civilians.⁵

[11]  Finally, we note the statement was included in response to the prior unqualified statements of the AP reporter. In our view, the choice to include it was a proactive, and appropriate, approach to addressing what might otherwise have resulted in a breach of broadcasting standards.

[12]  Accordingly, we do not uphold this complaint under the accuracy standard.

For the above reasons the Authority does not uphold the complaint.
Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Aroha Beck
Acting Chair
26 May 2025    

Appendix

The correspondence listed below was received and considered by the Authority when it determined this complaint:

1  Farr’s original complaint – 17 January 2025

2  TVNZ’s decision – 17 February 2025

3  Farr’s referral to the Authority – 17 February 2025

4  Farr’s further comments – 21 February 2025

5  TVNZ’s confirmation of no further comment – 19 March 2025

¹ Commentary, Standard 6, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand, page 16
² Standard 6, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand
³ Introduction, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand, page 4
⁴ Guideline 6.1
⁵ Orly Goldscmidt “Israel never targets innocents intentionally” The Guardian (online ed, 4 July 2024); Jeremy Diamond, Muhammad Darwish, Gianluca Mezzofiore, and Mohammad al-Sawalhi “Israeli soldiers reveal systematic destruction of Palestinian property to create Gaza buffer zone” CNN (online ed, 9 April 2025); Megan Fisher “Gaza is a ‘killing field’, says UN chief, as agencies urge world to act on Israel’s blockade” BBC (online ed, 9 April 2025); Emanuel Fabian “After newborn Gaza twins allegedly killed in strike, IDF says it does not target civilians” The Times of Israel (online ed, 14 August 2024); Dan Sabbagh “Nearly 3,000 Palestinians killed in first days of Gaza war named by conflict monitor” The Guardian (online ed, 29 July 2024); Harry Davies, Bethan McKernan, and Dan Sabbagh “‘The Gospel’: how Israel uses AI to select bombing targets in Gaza” The Guardian (online ed, 1 December 2023); Yuval Abraham “‘A mass assassination factory’: Inside Israel’s calculated bombing of Gaza” +972 Magazine (online ed, 30 November 2023)