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BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-036 Dated the 28th day of March 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by ARCHIE DIXON of Whangarei Broadcaster TV3 NETWORK SERVICES LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Build a New Life in the Country – contained coarse language – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, programme classification and children’s interests standards Findings Action Taken – broadcaster upheld the complaint, apologised and took steps to prevent future mistakes – action taken sufficient – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of Build a New Life in the Country (rated G) was broadcast on TV One at 7. 30pm on Saturday 7 June 2008. The series followed British couples as they pursued their dream homes and lifestyles. In the 7 June episode, Jason and Phillipa had bought a chateau in France and planned to renovate it and open it as a bed and breakfast. The episode tracked their progress over nine months. [2] At approximately 7....

Summary A news item on Midday reported on increasing lawlessness and the use of vigilante justice amongst black communities in South Africa. It focussed on a group of vigilantes avenging the alleged pack rape of a young woman, and included footage of the accused men being beaten by the woman and some vigilantes. The item was broadcast on TV One on 29 April 1999, and repeated in One Network News at 6. 00 pm. Mrs Ripley complained to Television New Zealand Limited, the broadcaster, that graphic footage of defenceless people being beaten and kicked, preceded only by what she said was a "quiet warning from the news-reader", should only be shown in the late news, if at all. Such violent scenes should not be shown at a time when children and young teenagers were able to watch, she wrote....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 198960 Minutes – item about a 15-year-old girl who had run away from her home in Auckland – showed the girl in security camera footage in a shop with two young companions – included footage of the house she was found in – allegedly in breach of privacy, fairness and children’s interestsFindings Standard 3 (privacy) – no breach of privacy – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – boys not portrayed as being at fault – not unfair – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – subsumed under Standard 6This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A 60 Minutes item broadcast on TV3 at 7. 30pm on 21 February 2005 told the story of a 15-year-old Auckland girl, Emma, who had run away from home to a family in Te Awamutu....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Desperate Housewives – promo – shown at 8. 00pm during G-rated NZ Idol – sexual images and dialogue – promo allegedly unsuitable for screening during G-rated host programme and allegedly in breach of children’s interestsFindingsStandard 7 (programme classification) – majority of view that promo’s rating should have been PGR – AO according to minority – screened during G-rated host programme – upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – majority – material in promo discreet – sufficiently acknowledged children’s interests – minority – promo should have been rated AO – unsuitable for children – not upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A promo for Desperate Housewives was broadcast on TV2 at about 8. 00pm on 22 August 2005. It was screened during the G-rated programme NZ Idol. The promo was rated G by the broadcaster....

An appeal against this decision was dismissed in the High Court: AP90-SW02 PDF980. 81 KBComplaintScream – movie – breach of good taste – glamorised criminal activity – inappropriately classified AO – broadcaster not mindful of effect on child viewers – broadcaster did not exercise care and discretion regarding violenceFindings(1) Standard 9, Guideline 9b – gruesome and horrific violence – scene at 8. 45pm – uphold Standard 9, Guidelines 9a, 9c, 9e and 9f – subsumed(2) Standard 1 – no uphold(3) Standard 2 – no uphold(4) Standard 7, Guideline 7a – no uphold(5) Standard 10, Guidelines 10a, 10b and 10f – horror film – included elements of parody – violence highly unrealistic – no upholdNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary[1] Scream is a teen horror movie which parodies the horror movie genre. The movie was broadcast on TV3 at 8. 30pm on 18 January 2002....

Complaints under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item about latest season of local drama series Outrageous Fortune – contained clips of sex scenes from the series – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, responsible programming, and children’s interests standards FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – inclusion of sex scenes was gratuitous in a news item – warning did not excuse that level of sexual material – upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – broadcaster did not adequately consider the interests of child viewers by including sexual material in a news item broadcast during children’s normally accepted viewing times – upheld Standard 8 (responsible programming) – guidelines relating to promos and advertisements not applicable to news item – not upheld OrdersSection 13(1)(a) – broadcast statement Section 16(4) – payment of $4,000 costs to the Crown This headnote does not form part of the decision....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 198960 Minutes – item on girl gangs in Hawke’s Bay – interviewed current and former gang members – contained footage of four young teenage girls who were shown wearing gang-style clothing and spray-painting graffiti on a public basketball court – included a re-enactment involving two young girls breaking into a house – gang members shown drinking alcohol and talking about fighting – allegedly in breach of law and order, privacy, balance, accuracy, fairness and children’s interests standards Findings Standard 3 (privacy) – four young girls identifiable – disclosed private facts – children under 16 could not consent – item not in the best interests of the children – girl aged 16 agreed to participate on condition her identity would be secret – identities not sufficiently protected – disclosed private facts about the girls – highly offensive disclosure – upheld Standard…...

Summary The programme Video Hits-Chart Show was broadcast on TV2 at 10. 00am on 15 August 1999. This programme featured "top twenty" music videos. Ms Watkins complained to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, that the programme was incorrectly classified PGR, and that three video tracks played on the programme contained sexually explicit images and language likely to offend. She said that TVNZ had failed to protect fully very young children, and that it was "blatantly obvious that standard G12 of the Codes had been breached". She also commented that the programme exploited and objectified young women. TVNZ responded that the programme was, in its view, correctly classified and, by attaching a PGR certificate to the programme, it had demonstrated that it was mindful of the programme’s effect on children....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Sticky TV – contained episode of Wizards of Waverly Place – involved teenage characters talking about dating and kissing as well as two characters kissing – Sticky TValso contained a segment called “What Would You Do? ” in which a panel of young teenagers gave advice about kissing – allegedly in breach of responsible programming and children’s interests standards FindingsStandard 8 (responsible programming) – Sticky TV correctly classified G – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – programmes addressed contemporary issues facing teens – broadcaster adequately considered the interests of child viewers – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of Sticky TV was broadcast on TV3 between 3. 30pm and 5pm on Tuesday 15 June 2010. Another programme called Wizards of Waverley Place was broadcast in segments as part of Sticky TV....

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]The Authority declined to uphold the complaint that an episode of Jeremy Kyle, a talk show dealing with relationship breakdowns between guests, breached broadcasting standards. The complainant’s objections related to the nature of the series in general, rather than specific content in this episode. While elements could have caused discomfort or distress for viewers, the episode was consistent with audience expectations of the talk show genre, was rated PGR and was broadcast at a time when AO programmes are permitted, during the school term, so children were unlikely to be watching....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An episode of Shortland Street showed the death of a 14-year-old character, Pixie. Pixie had apparently been undergoing chemotherapy and was hospitalised for pneumonia. At the end of the episode, Pixie’s condition rapidly deteriorated and she died. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the item should have been preceded by a warning because children could have been disturbed and upset by the content. Shortland Street is rated PGR and frequently features adult themes. While the fictional depiction of a child’s death was potentially upsetting, it was not outside audience expectations and parents had an opportunity to exercise discretion. Not Upheld: Responsible Programming, Children’s InterestsIntroduction[1] An episode of Shortland Street showed the death of 14-year-old character Pixie. Pixie had apparently been undergoing chemotherapy and had contracted pneumonia....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]A promo for Aquarius, shown during Seven Sharp, included a brief shot of a partially clothed injured male character surrounded by female characters tending his wounds. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that the ‘sexualised’ promo was inappropriate for a time when children could be watching television. The promo did not depict any sexual activity or full nudity, and the shot complained about was fleeting and indistinct. The content was consistent with expectations of a PGR classification and the host news and current affairs programme, and any child viewers would have likely been supervised by adults. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Responsible Programming, Children’s InterestsIntroduction[1] A promo for Aquarius, shown during Seven Sharp, included a brief two-second shot of a partially clothed injured male character surrounded by female characters tending his wounds....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Promo for Go Girls – included brief shot of two men kissing – allegedly in breach of children’s interests and controversial issues standardsFindingsStandard 9 (children’s interests) – kiss was brief and innocuous – broadcaster adequately considered children’s interests – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] A promo for the comedy-drama series Go Girls included a brief shot of two men kissing. The promo screened during the host programme Masterchef: The Professionals – Australia which was classified G (General), and was broadcast at about 5. 15pm on 4 June 2013 on TV One. [2] Katherine Hindson made a formal complaint to Television New Zealand Ltd, the broadcaster, alleging the footage of two men kissing was inappropriate to screen during children’s viewing times. [3] Ms Hindson raised the controversial issues and children’s interests standards....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-126:Sharp and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1993-126 PDF420. 11 KB...

Summary An episode of Shortland Street, broadcast by Television New Zealand Limited, between 7. 00 and 7. 30pm on 15 May 1998, included a scene which depicted a male and a female character in bed together after sexual activity. Mr Stanton complained that as the scene portrayed an extra-marital sexual relationship, it should not have screened in peak family viewing time where it would have been watched by many younger viewers. He also claimed that Shortland Street in general contained too many storylines which involved extra-marital sexual relationships. TVNZ declined to uphold the complaint that the broadcast was offensive, unbalanced or inappropriate for its PGR timeslot. Dissatisfied with the broadcaster’s decision, Mr Stanton referred the complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority under s. 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989. For the reasons below, the Authority declines to uphold the complaint....