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The Authority has not upheld a complaint about a 1 News item recapping the match between champion heavyweight boxers Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. The broadcast was within audience expectations of sports reporting and footage of the knockout punch was justified in the context of a boxing match. The Authority did not consider the broadcast of this sporting event promoted, glamorised or condoned criminal or serious antisocial activity. Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Violence, Law and Order...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 116/94 Dated the 24th day of November 1994 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by PHILLIP SMITS of Auckland Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson J R Morris L M Loates W J Fraser...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 19893 News – item reported on death of Osama Bin Laden – included image of bruised and bloodied face – allegedly in breach of standards relating to good taste and decency, controversial issues, responsible programming, children’s interests and violence FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – image related to major international event – clear warning given – contextual factors – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – contextual factors – image preceded by prolonged and detailed warning – broadcaster exercised adequate care and discretion when dealing with the issue of violence – not upheld Standard 9 (children’s interests) – 3 News was an unclassified news programme targeted at adults – news often deals with unpleasant material – clear warning – broadcaster adequately considered children’s interests – not upheld Standard 8 (responsible programming) – 3 News was an unclassified news programme – standard not applicable – not…...

Warning: This decision contains content that some readers may find distressing. During coverage of the 15 March 2019 attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, SKY Network Television channel 085, Sky News New Zealand, included a number of edited clips taken from the alleged attacker’s 17‑minute livestream video. The Authority upheld a complaint that the broadcast was in breach of the violence and law and order standards. While the broadcast as a whole was newsworthy and had a high level of public interest, the clips themselves contained disturbing violent content, which had the potential to cause significant distress to members of the public, and particularly to the family and friends of victims and the wider Muslim community in New Zealand. In the context of the attacks, the content of these clips also risked glorifying the alleged attacker and promoting his messages....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item about massacre of about 80 people in northern Kenya including 22 children – allegedly unnecessarily graphic and excessively violent, and breached children’s interestsFindingsStandard 9 and guidelines 9a, 9e, and 9f (children’s interests) – introduction provided signpost and themes handled with discretion – not upheld Standard 10 and guideline 10g (violence) – discretion shown to exclude graphic material – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A massacre in northern Kenya in which about 80 people were killed, including 22 children, was covered in a news item broadcast on One News on TV One beginning at 6. 00pm on 16 July 2005. Complaint [2] On behalf of Viewers for Television Excellence Inc....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Dexter – fictional drama about a forensic expert leading a double life as a serial killer – allegedly in breach of law and order and violence standards Findings Standard 2 (law and order) – programme did not promote, glamorise or condone criminal activity – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – broadcaster exercised sufficient care and discretion with violent scenes and themes – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The first episode of a programme called Dexter was broadcast at 9. 30pm on TV3 on Monday 28 April 2008. The series revolved around a Miami Metro Police Department forensic expert in blood patterns, Dexter Morgan....

An appeal against this decision by Bishop Denis Browne was dismissed in the High Court: CIV 2006-485-1611 PDF109....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – sports news "Best of 2006" reviewed rugby league – allegedly unfair in view of the issues covered, allegedly inaccurate in reporting a comment from the Kiwis' coach, and the violence shown was gratuitous FindingsStandard 5 (accuracy) – no inaccuracies – not upheld Standard 6 (fairness) – review explained its approach and fairly reflected the 2006 season – not upheld Standard 10 (violence) – no gratuitous violence screened – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] The 2006 year in rugby league was reviewed in a sports news series entitled "Best of 2006". The item was broadcast on 29 December 2006 during One News at 6. 00pm on TV One and began: The 2006 rugby league season will probably be remembered more for all the off-field dramas than any playing action....

During a segment of The AM Show, which discussed how different sections of the community had united in the wake of the Christchurch mosque attacks, host Duncan Garner said he’d like ‘the gangs’ to nominate a person to ‘look after’ the alleged attacker. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that Mr Garner’s comment breached broadcasting standards. The Authority found, upon consideration of contextual factors, including the glib nature of the comment, that while it was discordant with the tone of the broadcast and may have caused offence to some, it did not go beyond audience expectations of Mr Garner or The AM Show. The Authority concluded that any restriction of the broadcaster’s right to freedom of expression on this occasion would be unreasonable.   Not Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Violence, Law and Order...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989 Ip Man – movie about a martial arts legend, based on historical events, was broadcast in various timeslots during children’s viewing times – contained violence – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency, controversial issues, discrimination and denigration, responsible programming, children’s interests and violence standards Findings Standard 8 (responsible programming) – broadcaster accepted that the movie was incorrectly classified ‘M’ when it should have been AO, and that it should have been broadcast in the AO time-band, not during children’s viewing times – upheld  Standard 9 (children’s interests) – broadcaster did not adequately consider children’s interests by incorrectly classifying the movie and screening it outside of AO time – upheld Standard 10 (violence) – while there was some violent behaviour it was not excessive and was consistent with expectations of a martial arts film – however inappropriate classification and timeslots meant broadcaster did not exercise…...

Summary [This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An item on 3 News which reported on a shooting massacre in a Kenyan Mall included footage of a man trying to hide, and then being shot at point blank range. The newsreader warned that the story contained ‘disturbing images’. The Authority upheld the complaint that this warning was inadequate to prepare viewers for witnessing a horrific execution. While recognising the very high public interest in the story and in the footage, viewers were not given a reasonable opportunity to exercise discretion or make a different viewing choice. The Authority did not make any order, as the decision provides sufficient guidance to broadcasters....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1991-048:Rout and TV3 Network Services Ltd - 1991-048 PDF287. 06 KB...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]An item on Newshub reported on the rescue of an American woman who had been held captive as a sex slave by a serial killer for two months in South Carolina. The item featured newly-released footage of the woman’s rescue, and showed her chained to the wall of a shipping container by her throat. The item also featured footage of the woman’s appearance on the American talk show, Dr Phil, during which she discussed her kidnapping. The item was preceded by the following verbal audience advisory: ‘A warning: some viewers may find our next story disturbing’. The Authority did not uphold a complaint that this audience advisory was inadequate given the nature of the footage, which was violent, inappropriate for children and further breached the featured woman’s privacy....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-168 Decision No: 1996-169 Dated the 12th day of December 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by DR JOHN READ of Auckland and NEW ZEALAND PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY INC. Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

The Authority has not upheld four complaints about a segment on The AM Show, which featured host Duncan Garner criticising parents who do not vaccinate their children, using terms such as ‘murderers’ and ‘bloody idiots’, and stating they should be ‘stripped of their right to spread their message and their viruses’. The Authority found that, taking into account audience expectations of Mr Garner and The AM Show, alongside other contextual factors, Mr Garner’s comments did not breach broadcasting standards. With regard to the balance standard, the Authority found that, while the anti-vaccination movement was a controversial issue of public importance, Mr Garner’s comments did not amount to a ‘discussion’ for the purposes of the standard, but reflected his own personal views on the issue....

This decision was successfully appealed in the High Court: AP 147-01 PDF 1. 5 MB Complaint3 News – bottle store robbery – footage from security camera showed man being stabbed – gratuitous – violentFindingsV12 – use of footage twice was gratuitous – footage graphic and distressing – warning required – upholdOrderBroadcast of statementThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary[1] The attempted robbery of an Auckland liquor store was dealt with in an item on 3 News broadcast on TV3 at 6. 00pm on 5 August 2001. The item included footage from a security camera which showed a man being stabbed twice. The footage was screened twice. [2] Rebekah Holt complained to TV3 Network Services Ltd, the broadcaster, that the footage was gratuitous, and inappropriate before 8. 30pm....

Warning: This decision contains content that some readers may find distressing. On 15 March 2019 a special 1 News broadcast covered the terrorist attacks on two Christchurch mosques. The broadcast featured footage of victims being taken into hospital, many of whom had visibly sustained gunshot injuries and/or were identifiable. The Authority did not uphold two complaints that the coverage breached the privacy standard. The Authority found that media coverage of this event had high public interest in light of the unprecedented nature of extreme violence that occurred. The media had an important role to play in informing the public of events as they unfolded, including the nature and scope of injuries suffered and the action of first responders, including medical personnel. The Authority acknowledged that the repeated use of footage of identifiable victims amounted to a breach of privacy but found that the public interest defence applied....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 76/95 Dated the 31st day of July 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by P R PARRY of Auckland Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates W J Fraser R McLeod...

Complaint3 News – item on initiation ceremony at girl’s school – violence – offensive – not in public interest – unsuitable for children FindingsStandard 1 and Guideline 1a – context – no uphold Standard 2 and Guideline 2d – lawful standard maintained – no uphold Standard 9 and Guideline 9a – interests of children considered – no uphold Standard 10 and Guideline10a – violence justified in context of item – no uphold This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] An item on 3 News broadcast by TV3 between 6. 00–7. 00pm on 8 May 2003, depicted a violent initiation ceremony, referred to as "hazing", at a girls’ school in the United States....