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The Authority has not upheld a complaint about a 1News item on Mother’s Day profiling a women’s duck shooting group in the Hawke’s Bay. The complaint alleged the tone of the item was disrespectful to wildlife including native wildlife, through irreverent comments such as describing duck shooting as ‘fun’ and good for ‘mental health’, which was ‘deeply offensive’; and it lacked balance and accuracy by not telling the other side of the story from the growing number of people who oppose duck shooting, or providing broader context about wildlife decline including among the four native species that are ‘allowed to be shot’. The Authority found the item was clearly framed as a light-hearted human-interest story rather than an in-depth exploration of a controversial issue requiring balancing viewpoints. Its tone and content were unlikely to disproportionately disturb or offend most viewers, in the context....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 71/95 Dated the 27th day of July 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by GROUP OPPOSED TO ADVERTISING OF LIQUOR Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates W J Fraser R McLeod...

SummaryA special Assignment programme broadcast on TV One on 31 May 1998 at 6. 30pm focused on the trial of Malcolm Rewa, accused and found guilty of a large number of sexual attacks on women. It replaced the advertised Our World programme. Mrs Mitchell complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, about the time of the broadcast, which she said breached standards of good taste and decency, and the fact that it replaced a programme watched unsupervised by many children. She noted that no warning had been given about the change to the schedule, but even if it had, she observed, many families would not have been aware of the warning. In its response, TVNZ noted that Rewa’s trial, which had concluded the previous day, had elicited a great deal of public interest....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Ugly Betty promo – classified G – contained sexual themes – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, programme classification and children’s interests standards Findings Standard 7 (programme classification) – content of promo required a higher classification of PGR – promo should not have screened during a G-rated programme – upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – content of promo was more suitable for a mature audience – should not have been broadcast during a G programme children were likely to be watching – upheld Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – subsumed into consideration of Standards 7 and 9 No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A promo for the comedy programme Ugly Betty was broadcast on TV2 at 7....

Summary Twenty four references to liquor were included in Super Liquor Sportsnight which was broadcast on TVOne between 10. 30–11. 30pm on 5 July 1999. On behalf of the Group Against Liquor Advertising (GALA), the Complaints Secretary (Cliff Turner) complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the broadcast contravened the guideline which set a limit of references to liquor in an hour long programme to 20. Accordingly, he wrote, the broadcast breached the standard which required that the saturation of liquor promotions be avoided. Acknowledging that 24 liquor promotions had been broadcast, at least in some regions, TVNZ upheld the complaint. Nevertheless as some of the references were brief and would not have given the impression that liquor promotions were preponderant, TVNZ declined to take any further action....

Summary An episode of Hollywood Sex, a two-part series dealing with the sex industry in Hollywood, was broadcast on TV2 on 2 September 1999 beginning at 9. 30pm. Rosemary McElroy, on behalf of Women Against Pornography, complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that in spite of the warning preceding the programme, the average adult viewer would not have expected what she described as the degree of "pornographic" content which it contained. She contended that the programme breached accepted norms of good taste and decency, and cited several examples of what she considered to be objectionable material. TVNZ noted that various aspects of the sex industry had been depicted, and that the emphasis had been on the curious and grotesque. While the nature of the sexual activity discussed had been indicated, there had been no scenes of sexual intercourse or any full frontal nudity, it observed....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1997-037 Dated the 17th day of April 1997 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by WELLINGTON PALESTINE GROUP Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Breakfast – host made comments about "virtually blind" producer – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – host's comments were light-hearted and intended to be humorous – directed at one individual rather than blind people in general – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] During Breakfast, broadcast on TV One between 6. 30am and 9am on 17 April 2009, the hosts apologised for a noise that had occurred in the background while the news was being read. One host explained that the noise was caused by the executive producer "who's virtually blind". The host elaborated, mimicking the producer trying to read viewers' faxes, and also making a lot of noise taking a plate to the hosts as he could not see the table....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-031 Dated the 21st day of March 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by ROBERT TERRY of Reefton Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Item on Close Up looking at the nudist lifestyle – reporter visited a nudist camp – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decency and children’s interestsFindings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – item not harmful to children – contextual factors – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item broadcast on Close Up on TV One at 7pm on 1 February 2005 used the occasion of the “nude Olympics” to look into the nudist lifestyle....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989A Thing Called Love – promo – AO rated programme – promo screened at 7. 10pm – PGR time band – host programme rated G – allegedly offensive, contrary to children’s interests and incorrectly classifiedFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – context – not upheld Standard 7 (programme classification) – PGR-rated promo broadcast during G-rated host programme in breach regardless of time band – upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – majority – PGR rating acknowledged children’s interests – minority – promo should have been rated AO – not upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A promo for the AO-classified programme, A Thing Called Love, was screened on Prime Television around 7. 10pm on 19 August 2005, during the PGR time band....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News: Midday – item reported on an American survey that found women are attracted to men with anti-social traits – included footage from the movie Ghost Rider that showed a figure standing in a leather jacket with a burning skull for a head while the song “Bad to the Bone” played in the background – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and violence Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – subsumed under Standard 1 This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News: Midday, broadcast on TV One at 12pm on Thursday 19 June 2008, reported on the findings of an American university survey that women found men with anti-social personality traits more attractive....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Close Up – included estimates of Iraqi civilian and military deaths since 2003 invasion – figures said to be difficult to verify – conservatively put at 49,642 but said most estimates suggested well over 100,000 – allegedly inaccurate FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – wide ranging estimate was not inaccurate – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast 1] The estimated number of Iraqi deaths since the US-led invasion on 20 March 2003 was given in an item on Close Up, broadcast on TV One on 7 December 2006 beginning at 7. 00pm. After giving the number of American and other coalition soldiers killed, the item reported: When it comes to tallying the number of Iraqi deaths, figures are difficult to verify....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 The ComplaintA viewer complained that a sex scene in Nip/Tuck in which one of the lead characters had sex with a patient after asking her to place a paper bag over her head was offensive, and should not have been shown at 10pm during the school holidays. The Broadcaster’s ResponseTVNZ said the sex scene was relatively discreet, and had showed a side view with no nudity. The broadcaster noted that Nip/Tuckwas rated Adults Only and had been restricted to a 9. 30pm showing because it contained a greater degree of sexual activity, potentially offensive language and realistic violence. The broadcaster argued that 9. 30pm was adults only time even during the school holidays. The Authority’s DecisionThe Authority said the scene was important to the storyline as it illustrated the central character's decline into sexual dysfunction....

Chair Joanne Morris declared a possible conflict of interest because of knowing one of the complainants and also as a member of the Waitangi Tribunal that was to hear the foreshore and seabed claims, so did not participate in the determination of these complaints....

ComplaintHolmes – interview with Probation Services Manager – conduct of the interviewer – biased – unfair Findings Standards 4 and 6 – live interview – not unbalanced – interviewee presented viewpoint – dealt with fairly – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] An interview with the Manager of the Probation Service was broadcast on Holmes on TV One at 7. 00pm on 13 February 2003. The interview centred around the release of a report by the Probation Service regarding its management of an offender while on parole. [2] John Blackaby complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the item was unbalanced and that the interviewee had been dealt with unfairly, because of the "bully-boy" conduct of the presenter....

ComplaintHolmes Leaders’ Debate – Christian Heritage Party not invited – unbalanced – partial – unfair FindingsStandards 4 and 6 – editorial discretion exercised in balanced and fair way – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The leaders of eight political parties participated in the Holmes Leaders’ Debate broadcast on TV One at 7. 00pm on 15 July 2002. The participants were chosen on the basis that the parties were represented in the outgoing Parliament. The leaders were questioned about aspects of their party’s policies. [2] The Christian Heritage Party (CHP) complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, about its exclusion from the Leaders’ Debate and the following Minor Leaders’ Debate. It said that the broadcaster had acted unfairly in not treating all political parties in the same way....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that a promo for comedy series Colin from Accounts which included a brief reference to one character’s ‘move,’ ‘the nipple flash,’ breached the children’s interests standard. The Authority found nothing in the promo was inappropriate for, or likely to adversely affect, children; it was broadcast during an unclassified news programme that routinely includes content potentially unsuitable for children, meaning adult supervision was expected; there was no explicit nudity or sexual content in the promo; and the reference was fleeting and not outside audience expectations. Not Upheld: Children’s Interests...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 One News – item reported on Australian Open Tennis Championships – reporter commented with regard to Serena Williams’ performance, “The American was almost schizophrenic – she hit four double faults in one game, as well as an ace” – allegedly in breach of discrimination and denigration, and accuracy standards Findings Standard 7 (discrimination and denigration) – term “schizophrenic” was used colloquially as an adjective to describe Ms Williams’ sporting performance – comment did not carry any invective or malice – use of the term did not encourage discrimination against, or the denigration of, people with mental illness as a section of the community – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – use of term “schizophrenic” was not a statement of fact – amounted to commentary and was therefore exempt from standards of accuracy under guideline 5a – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the…...