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 about a 1News item on 6 July 2025 reporting ‘Israel has continued attacks in the occupied Gaza Strip amid steps towards a possible ceasefire. At least 35 Palestinians have been killed in the latest strikes, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence Agency…’ The complaint was that this story ‘further compounded’ TVNZ’s earlier ‘unbalanced and inaccurate reporting’, including by referring to the ‘Hamas-run Civil Defence Agency’ (leading viewers to question the veracity of reported Palestinian deaths) and by stating ‘[t]he war began when Hamas attacked Israel’ (showing footage of 7 October 2023), which repeated ‘Israeli narrative’ and ‘decontextualised’ the history of the conflict and Israeli attacks prior to that date. The Authority found viewers were unlikely to be materially misled or left uninformed by this item. The story led with highlighting Israel’s ‘continued attacks’; TVNZ attributed the source for the number of resulting deaths, which viewers would expect; and viewers would appreciate that the Israel-Palestine conflict has a long history, while this item was recapping the current phase of the conflict in Gaza in the context of working towards a ceasefire agreement.

Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy

The broadcast

[1]  A 1News item broadcast on 6 July 2025 reported, in its entirety:

1News Presenter:                 Israel has continued attacks in the occupied Gaza Strip amid steps towards a possible ceasefire. At least 35 Palestinians have been killed in the latest strikes, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence Agency. Israel, though, has accepted an invitation to Qatar for further negotiations about a hostages-for-prisoners swap. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s described some terms as unacceptable. This comes ahead of his visit to the White House this week, where US President Donald Trump’s expected to push hard for a deal. [Name] reports.

1News Reporter:                   As smoke rose above the Gaza Strip, below, word was spreading of a potential ceasefire. The thousands who have been displaced, offered a glimmer of hope.

Displaced interviewee #1:    [Translated voiceover] We want the war to end eventually. It is not possible that people remain living this way. We want to see the last episode of this story of torture that we’ve been living.

1News Reporter:                   The US President remains hopeful of a truce after saying last week Israel would commit to a 60-day halt in fighting. Since then, Hamas says it’s ready to start talks.

President Trump:                  I think they’re gonna be positive about it. We’[re going to get– we have to get it over with. Hamas is asking– we have to get it over with. We have to do something about Gaza.

1News Reporter:                   Sealing a deal, though, could be tricky, as previous negotiations have stalled. Now there are reports that Hamas wants a guarantee that hostilities would not resume if talks fail, while Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out ending the war until all of the hostages are released and the Hamas military is destroyed.

Displaced interviewee #2:    We hope that they accept the conditions that were put forward and that this war ends and we live in peace.

1News Reporter:                   Gathering in Tel Aviv, hundreds called on the government to do a deal and bring their loved ones back.

Interviewee, teacher:            I have students of mine who were murdered, students of mine who were taken hostage, friends of mine who are hostages.

1News Reporter:                   The war began when Hamas attacked Israel. [brief footage shown]

Interviewee, protestor:         Start with this deal and don’t stop ‘til you get all of them home.

1News Reporter:                   The US proposal is believed to include phased Israeli pullouts from parts of Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, as well as the immediate and sufficient release of aid to Gaza.

Displaced interviewee #3:    [Translated voiceover] God willing it will be good and we are hoping for God’s sake that this war will end.

1News Reporter:                   Israel has sent a delegation to Qatar to talk with Hamas and this week Benjamin Netanyahu will head to the White House to restart negotiations. [Reporter], 1News.

The complaint

[2]  John Minto, on behalf of Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA), complained this broadcast (along with two other 1News items on 28 June¹ and 2 July 2025²) breached the balance and accuracy standards of the Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand. PSNA submitted this broadcast breached the standards for the following reasons:

a)  This story ‘further compounded [1News’s] unbalanced and inaccurate reporting’ (referring to PSNA’s other complaints about 1News’s coverage between late May and early July).

b)  1News again referred to the ‘Hamas-run Civil Defence Agency’. ‘1News has told us many times that it expects its viewers to be informed about issues and thus obviate the need for 1News to report those details. It seems this rule does not apply to having to mention Hamas every time 1News refers to casualty numbers.’

c)  The reporter’s statement, ‘The war began when Hamas attacked Israel’, while showing footage of 7 October 2023, is ‘a classic reframing Israeli narrative and should have no place in 1News reports’. It might be correct to state that the Israeli assault on Gaza began after a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, but even that would ‘decontextualise the years-long Israeli blockade on Gaza, the immediately prior frequent bombing attacks by Israel, the escalating land confiscations on the Occupied West Bank and house demolitions in Occupied East Jerusalem’. ‘The actual war began when Israeli forces expelled at least 750,000 Palestinians from Palestine in 1948. It has not stopped since. Instead 1News misleads its viewers into believing that a ‘war’ only exists when Israel is attacked and the history of the conflict began in 2023.’ On referring this point to the Authority, Minto added:

i)  ‘1News adopted the Israeli position that peace existed along the border fence between Gaza and Israel prior to 7 October 2023 when Hamas chose to upset the status quo and attack Israel, causing Israel to retaliate with perhaps admittedly devastating consequences. But it follows that it is a conflict for which Hamas is to blame. Even if the context of Palestinian exile, dispossession and occupation is removed, there remains the context of frequent Israeli attacks on Gaza preceding 7 October. Only on the single day in more than 70 years, when Palestinians were capable of inflicting more casualties on Israel, than Israel has been frequently inflicting on Palestinians, did western news think that something had occurred which was so significant to need to assign it a date (comparable to September 11 for the US) and sympathetically frame and report Israel’s response ever since.’

The broadcaster’s response

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

a)  It accepted ‘the Middle East conflict’ is a controversial issue of public importance to which the balance standard applied but was ‘confident that the story met the Standard by including a range of significant viewpoints’ including from ‘both Palestinians and Israel’. Further, ‘this tranche of the conflict has been covered comprehensively by 1News since October 2023, during which significant viewpoints have been presented to the viewer. It is impossible that a regular viewer of 1News would be unaware of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.’

b)  There is ‘nothing wrong’ with using the term ‘Hamas-run Civil Defence Agency’. It is not pejorative or misleading, ‘it simply avoids confusion’ and ‘provides viewers with information about the source of the information just as referencing Israel or the IDF in statements allows the viewer to understand that this is Israel’s viewpoint’. TVNZ considered the complainant’s concern in this regard was ‘essentially… a matter of editorial style and [PSNA’s] preference’, which cannot be resolved by this complaints procedure.³

c)  ‘It is correct to state that the current phase of the long-running hostility between Israel and Gaza began in October 2023, after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel, and this was the conflict, or “war”, that was being focussed on in the story.’ It is not unreasonable or a breach of standards for 1News to state that ‘the war began when Hamas attacked Israel’; this is how the conflict is commonly referred to.⁴ The historic background of the Israel-Gaza conflict is well-known and has been previously reported by 1News (including on 1News on 16 October 2023 and online on 20 October 2023⁵), as well as by numerous media outlets in New Zealand and overseas. ‘It need not be reported or explained in all reporting about the present conflict in order for viewers to be properly informed.’ TVNZ did not agree viewers would have been confused or misled by the brief statement in this item.

The standards

[4]  The purpose of the balance standard (standard 5) is to ensure competing viewpoints about significant issues are available, to enable the audience to arrive at an informed and reasoned opinion.⁶ The standard states:⁷

When controversial issues of public importance are discussed in news, current affairs or factual programmes, broadcasters should make reasonable efforts, or give reasonable opportunities, to present significant viewpoints either in the same broadcast or in other broadcasts within the period of current interest unless the audience can reasonably be expected to be aware of significant viewpoints from other media coverage.

[5]  The purpose of the accuracy standard (standard 6) is to protect the public from being significantly misinformed.⁸ The standard states:⁹

• 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

[6]  We have watched the broadcast and read the correspondence listed in the Appendix.

[7]  As a starting point, we considered the right to freedom of expression. It is our role to weigh up the right to freedom of expression and 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 that placing a limit on the right to freedom of expression is reasonable and justified.¹⁰

[8]  As we have previously recognised, the Israel-Palestine conflict and reporting on significant developments in the conflict, including in relation to any possible ceasefire agreement, carries high public interest.¹¹

[9]  The complaint expressed concerns alleging TVNZ’s reporting on this topic demonstrates ‘systematic bias’ – which is not within our mandate to consider, since we are limited to considering formal complaints about specific broadcasts, and the standards alleged to have been breached are also not directed at preventing bias. We have, however, carefully considered each of the 1News broadcasts raised in PSNA’s complaint (28 June, 2 July and 6 July 2025). For clarity, each broadcast is addressed in a separate decision,¹² but in each case we have identified no actual or potential harm arising from the aspects complained about, at a level that justifies our intervention or restricting the broadcaster’s freedom of expression. Our reasons in relation to the 6 July 2025 broadcast are outlined below.

Balance

[10]  Consistent with our previous decisions,¹³ we agree the broadcast discussed a controversial issue of public importance – namely, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and negotiations working towards a ceasefire agreement. Accordingly, the standard applies.

[11]  However, we do not find any breach of the balance standard.

[12]  The crux of the complaint appears to be that PSNA objects to describing ‘the war’ as having started on 7 October 2023 ‘when Hamas attacked Israel’, which ‘decontextualises’ the long history of the conflict and preceding Israeli attacks, and puts the blame for the conflict on Hamas, and objects to 1News’ practice of referring to agencies as ‘Hamas-run’ when citing casualty numbers (although it does not appear to dispute the accuracy of the figures).

[13]  While we note these objections, we do not consider either of these brief references meant the item as a whole was unbalanced or would have impacted viewers’ understanding of the thrust of the item.

[14]  The balance standard is focused on the failure to present alternative perspectives on significant issues.¹⁴ The item adequately presented a range of perspectives, including Palestinian perspectives and the respective positions of Hamas and Israel in relation to restarting ceasefire negotiations. The presenter led the item by highlighting, ‘Israel has continued attacks in the occupied Gaza Strip amid steps towards a possible ceasefire. At least 35 Palestinians have been killed in the latest strikes…’ The remainder was focused on the pleas of those interviewed for Hamas and Israel to reach an agreement for ceasefire and the return of hostages, and Trump’s view he remained ‘hopeful’ and ‘[w]e have to get it over with’.

[15]  We also reiterate, the balance standard requires significant alternative perspectives to be presented ‘unless the audience can reasonably be expected to be aware of significant viewpoints from other media coverage’.¹⁵ The standard is reflective of New Zealand’s current broadcasting environment, including the proliferation of information available from sources on a vast range of topics. As we have previously recognised,¹⁶ the Israel-Palestine conflict has been and continues to be covered extensively in a range of media, reducing the likelihood that any one item will misinform the audience.

[16]  Accordingly, we do not uphold the balance complaint.

Accuracy

[17]  Determination of a complaint under the accuracy standard occurs in two steps. The first step is to consider whether the programme was materially inaccurate or misleading. If it was, the second step is to consider whether reasonable efforts were made by the broadcaster to ensure the programme was accurate and did not mislead.

[18]  The accuracy standard is concerned only with material points. It is not concerned with technical or other points unlikely to significantly affect the audience’s understanding of the content as a whole.¹⁷

[19]  Viewing the item as a whole, and in line with the reasons discussed above under balance, we do not consider the two aspects identified resulted in the item being materially inaccurate or misleading or that they would have significantly affected the audience’s understanding of the broadcast.

[20]  PSNA stated, on referring the matter to us, the complaint centres on 1News attributing when ‘[t]he war began’ to the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, implying ‘it is a conflict for which Hamas is to blame’ and ignoring the context (prior to 7 October 2023) of Israel’s attacks on and blockade of Gaza, and land expropriation in the occupied West Bank. While we acknowledge the complainant’s concerns, in the context of this item, the single brief statement about when ‘the war began’ was unlikely to materially mislead viewers. This item, lasting almost three minutes, was clearly framed as focusing on current developments and ceasefire negotiations as at the time of broadcast. Viewers can reasonably be expected to be aware of the long history of the broader conflict, without the need for that to be acknowledged in every item as developments come to light.

[21]  Regarding the remaining aspect complained about, we noted, in our decision on the 2 July 2025 1News broadcast, the concerns of PSNA and some others regarding use of the phrase ‘Hamas-run’ – including because, in PSNA’s view, it invites viewers to question the veracity of casualty figures.¹⁸

[22]  However, to the extent the complaint suggests that use of the phrase displays bias (as PSNA does not appear to dispute the accuracy of the figures), that is not the focus of the accuracy standard, which requires reasonable efforts by the broadcaster to ensure accuracy of material points. We do not consider it materially misleading or a breach of the standard for TVNZ to attribute the source of casualty figures in the item’s introduction (as well as other information and viewpoints) – which viewers would reasonably expect from its reporting. The single use of the phrase would not have impacted viewers’ understanding of the item as a whole.

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

For the above reasons the Authority does not uphold the complaint. 

Signed for and on behalf of the Authority

Susie Staley
Chair
17 December 2025    

Appendix

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

1  Minto’s original complaint – 10 July 2025

2  TVNZ’s decision – 6 August 2025

3  Minto’s referral to the Authority – 1 September 2025

4  TVNZ’s response to the referral – 18 September 2025

5  Minto’s further comments – 29 September 2025

6  TVNZ’s further comments – 7 October 2025

¹ See Minto and Television New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2025-053
² See Minto and Television New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2025-081
³ Citing section 5(c), Broadcasting Act 1989
⁴ Citing Wikipedia, “Timeline of the Gaza war” <en.wikipedia.org>: ‘The Gaza war began on 7 October 2023 when Hamas launched coordinated armed incursions on Israel from the Gaza Strip…’; and Wikipedia, “Gaza war” <en.wikipedia.org>: ‘The Gaza war is an armed conflict in the Gaza Strip and Israel, fought as part of the unresolved Israeli–Palestinian and Gaza–Israel conflicts. The war began on 7 October 2023, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas led a surprise attack on Israel, in which 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 815 civilians, were killed…’ It also pointed to numerous sources indicating the varying names given to the ‘Gaza war’, some of which were associated with the significance of the October 2023 date.
⁵ Caitlin McGee “How to make sense of what’s going on in Gaza” 1News (online ed, 20 October 2023)
⁶ Commentary, Standard 5, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand, page 14
⁷ Standard 5, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand
⁸ Commentary, Standard 6, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand, page 16
⁹ Standard 6, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand
¹⁰ Introduction, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand, page 4
¹¹ See, for example, Minto and Television New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2025-027 at [8]; Pack-Baldry et al and Television New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2024-040 at [12]; Zaky and Radio New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2024-004 at [25]; Maasland and Radio New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2018-065 at [13]
¹² See also Minto and Television New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2025-053 and Minto and Television New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2025-081
¹³ For example, Minto and Television New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2025-017 at [21]; Lancaster and Radio New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2024-097 at [11]; Kee and Television New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2024-088 at [11]
¹⁴ Commentary, Standard 5, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand and, for a similar finding, see Kee and Television New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2024-088 at [13]
¹⁵ Standard 5, Code of Broadcasting Standards in New Zealand
¹⁶ See Lancaster and Radio New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2024-097 at [12]; Lancaster and Radio New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2024-096 at [15]; Pack-Baldry et al and Television New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2024-040 at [39]; Zaky and Radio New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2024-004 at [26]; Lafraie and Discovery NZ Ltd, Decision No. 2023-114 at [14]
¹⁷ Guideline 6.2
¹⁸ Minto and Television New Zealand Ltd, Decision No. 2025-081 at [33]], citing Noora Said, “Western media’s reference to the ‘Hamas-run’ Health Ministry is another dehumanizing tactic enabling Israel’s genocide” Mondoweiss (December 29, 2023); Letter from Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to Global News Regina, “Stop calling it ‘Hamas-Run’; it’s the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza” The Media Accountability Project (June 16, 2025)