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Diane Musgrave declared a conflict of interest and did not participate in the determination of this complaint. Complaint under section 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Skin Doctors – footage of woman undergoing breast augmentation surgery and her consultations with her plastic surgeon – allegedly in breach of privacy Findings Standard 3 (privacy) – programme disclosed private facts about complainant – disclosure highly offensive – complainant did not give informed consent – no public interest – upheld Orders Section 13(1)(a) – broadcast of a statement Section 13(1)(d) – payment to the complainant for breach of privacy $5,000 Section 16(1) – payment of costs to the complainant $10,000 Section 16(4) – payment of costs to the Crown $3,000 This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Dancing with the Stars – remarks made by hosts considered offensive and blasphemous – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decencyFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – comments mild and light hearted – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] TV One broadcast Dancing with the Stars on 19 June 2005 at 8. 30pm. The two hour special was the finale of an ongoing ballroom dancing competition which partnered New Zealand celebrities with professional dancers. The show was hosted by a female dancer and a well known male television personality. [2] At one point in the show, the male host made a remark about a performance, commenting “on a Sunday too! ”, followed by “Hail Mary!...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Agenda – discussion about the use of mobile devices in Parliament – brief interview with Act Party leader Rodney Hide – Mr Hide alleged he was treated unfairly in the preparation of the programme – said the reporter had obtained information through misrepresentation and deception – allegedly unfairFindingsStandard 6 (fairness) – alleged unfairness in preparation of programme not reflected in what was broadcast – programme not unfair – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on Agenda, broadcast on TV One at 8. 30am on 8 April 2006, discussed the use of mobile devices in Parliament. It noted that Standing Orders did not allow the use of mobile devices and laptops during Question Time....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item about the 211 Helpline – said Opposition MPs were questioning whether service was too expensive and duplicated the service run by the Citizens Advice Bureau – allegedly unbalanced, inaccurate and unfairFindingsStandard 4 (balance) – controversial issue discussed – item did not need to include details about what the 211 service might cost if rolled out nationally – majority considers item should have explained that 211 service was operating more extensive hours than the CAB – majority uphold Standard 5 (accuracy) – subsumed under Standard 4 Standard 6 (fairness) – subsumed under Standard 4No OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] On TV One at 6pm on 23 May 2006, an item on One News discussed the 211 Helpline, a community helpline run by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD)....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Agenda – item dealt with interview of the Hon John Tamihere MP published in Investigate magazine – Mr Tamihere had later claimed that he did not know the interview was being recorded – item included extracts of interview with complainant, Ian Wishart, editor of Investigate, who spoke about recording process – item also discussed journalistic ethics as to when interviews are “on” or “off the record”, and the specific expectations of interviews with politicians – allegedly unbalanced and inaccurateFindingsStandard 4 (balance) – credibility of serving Member of Parliament and former Cabinet Minister is controversial issue of public importance – credibility issues raised and viewers left to decide – competing accounts presented – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – no inaccuracies – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Holmes – item on a strip club package for supporters of Lions rugby tour – naked women shown playing pool – demonstration of lap dancing – bedroom with mirrors shown – allegedly offensive, inappropriately classified and unsuitable for children – presenter said “stuff you bitch” at end of programme about another matter – allegedly offensiveFindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – context – not upheld Standard 7 (programme classification) – not applicable to news and current affairs – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – sufficient earlier indications of focus of item – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The package offered by a strip club for Lions rugby supporters was covered in an item on Holmes broadcast on Prime at 7. 00pm on 24 May 2005....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item about an audio tape purporting to carry the voice of Osama Bin Laden – reporter said that “Bin Laden threatened to again take revenge on America as he did on 9/11” – allegedly inaccurateFindingsDecline to determine complaint under s. 11(b) of Broadcasting Act 1989This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News at 6pm on 20 January 2006 reported that an audio tape, purporting to carry the voice of Osama Bin Laden, had been broadcast by a television network in the Middle East. The tape had warned of new terrorist actions against the United States. The reporter said: In the tape that aired on Al Jazeera, Bin Laden threatened to again take revenge on America as he did on 9/11....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item about prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq – included pictures of tortured and humiliated prisoners – allegedly excessively violent and unsuitable for childrenFindingsStandard 9 and guidelines 9a, 9e, 9f (children’s interests) – major news item – sombre introduction included warning – children’s interests considered – not upheld Standard 10 and guideline 10g (violence) – care and discretion exercised – warning included – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Previously unseen pictures of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq were screened in an item on One News broadcast on TV One beginning at 6. 00pm on 16 February 2006. The item reported the way the American guards had allegedly tortured and humiliated the Iraqi prisoners....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Ghost Squad – scene showing a gang of teenage girls beating an off-duty police officer until he was unconscious – one of the girls was seen to urinate over the man’s head as he lay on the ground – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of Ghost Squad, a British drama series about a crime unit in which police officers policed their colleagues, was broadcast on TV One at 9. 30pm on 15 August 2006. The programme featured a scene in which a gang of teenage girls beat an off-duty police officer until he was unconscious....

Complaint under sections 8(1)(a) and 8(1)(c) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item about the Teachers Council registering people with convictions – referred to the case of a high school teacher who had been “convicted of supplying P to four students” – allegedly in breach of privacy, inaccurate and unfair Findings Standard 3 (privacy) and privacy principle 2 – insufficient time had passed for public fact to become private – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – while item was ambiguous as to whether Mr Arthur supplied P to his own students, it was inaccurate to state that he supplied P to students – upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – unfair to state that Mr Arthur supplied P to students – upheld No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item reporting on an iceberg close to colliding with an ice-shelf in Antarctica – size of the iceberg incorrectly reported as 2000 cubic metres, rather than kilometres – broadcaster upheld breach of Standard 5 but declined to broadcast a correction – complainant dissatisfied with action takenFindings Standard 5 (accuracy) – minor error – other descriptions in the item clarified magnitude of iceberg – action taken by broadcaster sufficient – future similar referrals by complainant potentially vexatious. This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item broadcast on One News at 6pm on 14 January 2005 reported that a huge iceberg was close to colliding with the ice-shelf on the coast of Antarctica. The item reported that the iceberg contained 2000 cubic metres of water....

INTERLOCUTORY DECISION Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Interlocutory applications for production of field tapes – documentary entitled Monster of Berhampore about alleged child abuse in Berhampore Children’s Home – complainant alleging programme unbalanced – seeking disclosure of additional material not broadcast by TVNZDecision on interlocutory applicationField tapes not required to determine relevant issues – applications declined – Authority will seek submissions on substantive issuesThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Background[1] At 7:30 pm on 1 May 2005, during Sunday, Television New Zealand Ltd broadcast an item entitled The Monster of Berhampore. The subject of the item was Walter Lake, who during the 1950s and 1960s had run the Berhampore Children’s Home in Wellington. [2] The documentary interviewed a number of former residents of the home who alleged that Mr Lake had sexually abused them....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News, Marae and Te Karere – One News newsreader referred to Prince William as the popular choice for the next “King of England” – Marae discussion on constitutional change – presenter and guests referred to “Queen of England” – Te Karere item referred to Princes Charles as the “monarch of England” – all items allegedly inaccurate, and in breach of law and order standardFindingsStandard 2 – no basis for complaint – not upheld Standard 5 – not inaccurate – use of phrase “Queen/King of England” acceptable description – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] Television New Zealand Ltd broadcast items on Marae on 14 November 2004, One News on 11 February 2005 and Te Karere on 8 March 2005, all of which referred in some way to the British Royal Family....

Complaint One News – war in Iraq – weapons of mass destruction described as cause of the war – inaccurate FindingsStandard 5 – expression of opinion – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] Weapons of mass destruction were described as the "whole cause" of the war in Iraq in a news item reporting on the day’s events in Basra, broadcast on One News at 6. 00pm on 8 April 2003. [2] Bill Leonard complained to Television New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that the statement was inaccurate and should have been introduced with the words, "The US claims that …". [3] In response, TVNZ contended that the true causes of any war required an historical perspective. It also argued that the reporter advanced the claim with some scepticism....

Complaint Choppers – rescue series – intrusion into grief – breach of privacy – complainant said consent to broadcast withheld FindingsPrivacy – conflict as to whether consent given – decline to determine Standard 5 – item not news, current affairs or documentary – no uphold Standard 6 – majority – footage indistinct and fleeting – similar to that which would be used in news item – informational content – no uphold – minority – complainant identifiable and clearly in shock – friend obscured – unfair This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The series Choppers followed the activities of a helicopter rescue service. The rescue of a young woman who had fallen down a cliff was shown in the episode broadcast at 7. 30pm on TV2 on 8 August 2002. [2] Christine Diamond, the woman rescued, complained to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s....

ComplaintDestiny Television: Homosexuality, Religion and God – series of six programmes delivering religious sermons – denigration of and discrimination against homosexual and transsexual people – offensive – inconsistent with legislation – errors of fact – not impartial – TVNZ upheld complaint in part – apologised – removed series from repeat broadcast – dissatisfied with action taken on aspect upheld – dissatisfied with aspects not upheld Findings(1) Action taken on Standard 6 – insufficient – uphold (2) Standard 2 Guideline 2a – did not involve principle of law – no uphold (3) Standard 4, Standard 5 – not relevant – not a news, current affairs or other factual programme – no uphold OrderComplaints referred back to broadcaster under s. 13(1)(c) for further consideration of action to be taken This headnote does not form part of the decision....

SummaryRadio Wha Waho was the name of a light-entertainment series set in a Maori radio station produced by TVNZ and broadcast weekly on Channel Two on Friday evenings starting on 15 October 1993. The directors of AKO Ltd complained to Television New Zealand Ltd that the first four programmes in the series misused the Maori language and invited viewers to laugh at rather than with the Maori characters. As a result, the series had had a negative impact on Maori business and, they argued, should be withdrawn. While acknowledging two language errors which it described as minor, TVNZ said the scripts were re-worked by members of its Maori Department to ensure that the programmes dealt sensitively with Maori humour and were not denigratory. It maintained that the broadcasts did not breach the standards. Dissatisfied with TVNZ's response, the complainants referred their complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s....

ComplaintLoud overreaching advertisements in religious programmes broadcast on Christmas Eve – breach of good taste Findings in Decision No: 2001-023 Standard G2 – presence and type of advertising not an issue of broadcasting standards – decline to determine Appeal against No: 2001-023 Upheld – complaint remitted to Authority to rehearFindings on Reconsideration Conjunction between programming and advertising did not breach standards of good taste – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] The programmes screened on TV One between 10:15pm and midnight on Christmas Eve 2000 included carols, Christmas music and Bible readings. [2] John Watson complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that it was offensive for the commercial breaks during these programmes to feature Boxing Day bargains and an exhortation to end prostitution....

Complaint Breakfast – item on increased ACC levy for motorcycles – biased against motorcyclists FindingsStandard G4 – motorcyclists not dealt with unfairly – no uphold Standard G14 – item dealt with levy increase fairly – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] Increases in ACC levies were dealt with in an item broadcast on Breakfast between 7. 00–9. 00am on 5 December 2001. It was reported that the levy to be paid on the annual registration of motorcycles was to increase by nearly 60 percent because of the high number of accidents involving motorbikes. [2] Miss K Latimer complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the item was biased and misleading because of the negative attitude she considered had been taken towards motorcyclists....