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Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Morning Report – item reported on the Australian Government's proposal to legislate for the mandatory blocking of particular websites – contained comment from a representative of the internet civil liberties group Electronic Frontiers Australia – allegedly unbalanced and inaccurate Findings Standard 4 (controversial issues – viewpoints) – item did not discuss a controversial issue of public importance to New Zealand – not upheld Standard 5 (accuracy) – interviewee qualified his statements – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item broadcast during Radio New Zealand National's Morning Report programme on Tuesday 28 October 2008 reported on the Australian Government’s plan to legislate for the blocking of websites it deemed to be illegal or inappropriate....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that an interview with Simon Bridges, National Party leader and Leader of the Opposition, was in breach of the accuracy, balance and fairness standards. The complainant submitted that the interviewer’s description of a tweet from National MP Chris Penk regarding the Abortion Legislation Bill as ‘fake news’, ‘misinformation’, and ‘wrong’ was inaccurate. The Authority found that this description amounted to comment and analysis, to which the accuracy standard does not apply. The Authority also found that the interview was balanced, as it was reasonable for the interviewer to take a position opposing that of Mr Bridges, and Mr Bridges was given ample opportunities to present his perspective on issues discussed....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]A complaint about an interview between Kim Hill and Rt Hon Winston Peters regarding the relationship between New Zealand First and the Labour Party was not upheld. The complainant submitted the interview was unbalanced because Kim Hill’s interviewing of Mr Peters was ‘biased, rude and condescending’. The Authority found that, while Ms Hill asked Mr Peters challenging and critical questions, Mr Peters had a reasonable opportunity to put forward his competing point of view. Given the level of public interest in the interview, Mr Peter’s position and his experience with the media, the Authority also found Ms Hill’s interview style did not result in Mr Peters being treated unfairly....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Morning Report – interview with South African Rugby Union President about the possibility of a rugby game between the New Zealand Māori team and the South African team – allegedly in breach of fairness Findings Standard 6 (fairness) – interviewee had sufficient opportunity to respond and clearly expressed his views – not unfair – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] During Morning Report, broadcast on Radio New Zealand National between 6am and 9am on 20 February 2009, the host spent approximately six minutes interviewing the President of the South African Rugby Union. They discussed the possibility of revising the Union’s rules against playing racially selected sports teams, to allow a rugby game between the New Zealand Māori team and the South African team. The interviewee expressed the following views on the subject: . ....

ComplaintMorning Report – item about benefits of replacing sugar with artificial sugar – public health researcher referred to sugar and butter as “natural poisons” – implied butter more harmful than margarine – stated New Zealanders’ shift to margarine had had substantial effect on heart disease rates – item allegedly unbalanced and inaccurate – butter not a poison – studies link margarine with increased risk of death/disability Findings Principle 4 – item not about butter – no requirement for balance – Principle 4 not applicable Principle 6 – not Authority’s role to decide whether butter is more or less harmful than margarine – decline to determine; “natural poison” the expression of opinion – not upheldThis headnote does not form part of the decision Summary [1] Senior public health researcher Professor Rod Jackson was interviewed on Morning Report on National Radio on 24 October 2003 in relation to his call for hospitals and schools to replace…...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]Seven items on Morning Report contained references to greenhouse gas emissions, specifically agricultural emissions and the outcomes of discussions at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP 21). The Authority did not uphold a complaint alleging it was inaccurate and unbalanced to state or infer that livestock emissions amount to half of New Zealand’s total emissions. The Authority found that references to the amount of livestock emissions in several of the items were not material points of fact to which the accuracy standard applied. In relation to the other items the Authority was satisfied that the broadcaster made reasonable efforts to ensure accuracy as it drew on a range of reputable sources and scientific evidence in support of the statements made....

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about an interview with a delegate of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. The complainant alleged that the interview was unfair, unbalanced and inaccurate as the host was rude, offensive, underprepared and did not allow her to read from a prepared statement. The Authority did not uphold the complaint under the fairness standard as, among other reasons, the interviewee was a delegate from a large union, who can be expected to handle robust questioning. The other standards raised either did not apply or were not breached. Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy, Fairness...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 141/95 Dated the 14th day of December 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by DEAN KOCH of Eastbourne Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod...

The Authority has not upheld an accuracy complaint about a statement by RNZ’s Morning Report host, ‘Māori have a clearly proven proprietary right over water… the Supreme Court has acknowledged that’, during an interview regarding the National Party’s Local Water Done Well policy. The complaint alleged there was no case in which the Supreme Court had made such a statement. The Authority found the statement was not materially inaccurate or misleading in the context of the broader discussion: most audience members would not have interpreted the statement in a strictly legal sense or appreciated the technical legal distinctions drawn in the complaint. The key point being made by the host was that National would need to ensure Māori interests in water were adequately dealt with – or risk facing further litigation – since its policy removed co-governance as a feature. Not Upheld: Accuracy...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about a Radio New Zealand report which indicated a run of hot days in Hamilton was probably unprecedented. The complainant provided records from the 1930s, suggesting Hamilton had previously experienced a heatwave of greater duration and intensity. He argued the broadcast was inaccurate and, when notified of the previous heatwave, RNZ had taken insufficient actions to correct any misleading impressions. The Authority found the statements complained about were analysis, comment or opinion to which the standard does not apply and, in any event, did not result in the broadcast being misleading. Not Upheld: Accuracy...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint alleging an item on Morning Report misrepresented the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s views responding to iwi concerns about groundwater issues, including why local streams were drying up, and did not properly examine the complexity of the issues. The Authority found no breach of the balance standard as the item focused on one aspect of the issue and was clearly presented from the iwi’s perspective, and there is ongoing coverage of various viewpoints on the topic. Not Upheld: Balance...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint about a Morning Report interview with Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer concerning the Israel/Gaza war. The complaint alleged the interview was unbalanced because no alternative perspective was presented to counter Ngarewa-Packer’s comments that Israel’s actions in Palestine amounted to genocide and apartheid, among other things, and that those statements were also inaccurate. The Authority acknowledged people may not agree with the terms used by Ngarewa-Packer during the interview and some would find them inflammatory, but ultimately found restricting the broadcaster’s and Ngarewa-Packer’s right to freedom of expression would be unjustified....

The Authority did not uphold a complaint that two interviews on Morning Report with contributors to the recent report ‘He Waka Roimata: Transforming our Criminal Justice System’, published by the Te Uepū Hāpai i te Ora: Safe and Effective Justice Advisory Group, breached the balance and accuracy standards. The Authority found that the clear perspective and focus of the interviews, combined with the public interest and ongoing nature of the issue discussed, resulted in a balanced broadcast that would assist listeners in arriving at informed and reasoned opinions. The Authority also found that statements made by a host and an interviewee regarding the ‘three strikes’ law were not statements of fact to which the accuracy standard applied. Finally, the Authority found the interviews were unlikely to mislead viewers through these statements or by omission of certain information. Not Upheld: Balance, Accuracy...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that an interview on Morning Report following the US Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade (regarding rights to abortion) breached the balance standard. The complainant alleged the broadcast was unbalanced as both interviewees chosen were from the ‘pro-choice’ perspective, and the ‘pro-life’ point of view was not mentioned, nor a ‘pro-life’ interviewee included. The Authority found that while abortion access and related laws constitute a controversial issue of public importance, the full broadcast (in particular the news report immediately prior covering reactions in the US) included viewpoints from both sides of the issue. Further, the nature of the issue is such that the public can reasonably be expected to be aware of the major perspectives in the debate through ongoing media coverage. Not Upheld: Balance...

The Authority has not upheld a complaint that a statement on RNZ National that the new Government ‘plans to repeal Smokefree legislation to fund tax cuts’ breached the accuracy and balance standards. The Authority found the accuracy standard was not breached noting other content within the broadcast and interviews with National Party members before the programme meant audience members were unlikely to be misled. The balance standard did not apply. Not Upheld: Accuracy, Balance...

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Morning Report – news item reported investigation into allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour by police officers – said woman claimed that serving police officers would arrive while on duty, use handcuffs and batons on her and that she was often strangled to the point of blacking out – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency and inappropriate for child listeners Findings Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – contextual factors – not upheld Principle 7 (social responsibility) and guideline 7b (child listeners) – contextual factors – broadcaster was mindful of child listeners – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] A news item on Radio New Zealand National’s Morning Report programme, broadcast at approximately 7....

Summary An item on Morning Report dealt with genetically modified plants. In some parts of the item, the commentary and opinions were accompanied by music. The item was broadcast on National Radio on 5 May 1999 at about 7. 50 am. Mr Purvis complained to Radio New Zealand Limited that the "mood music" which was played was designed to engender a sense of foreboding. He questioned whether similar music would follow a report about an out-of-favour politician. RNZ responded that the music drew attention to some of the opinions expressed in the item. The item itself did not pass judgment on whether those opinions were correct or not, it wrote. Some public alarm already existed about the issue of genetic modification of plants, it submitted, and the music highlighted parts of the item but it did not create alarm....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 8/95 Decision No: 9/95 Dated the 23rd day of February 1995 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by WELLINGTON PALESTINE GROUP Broadcaster RADIO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED I W Gallaway Chairperson J R Morris L M Loates W J Fraser...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]In its Morning Report programme RNZ replaced the Pacific and Te Manu Korihi bulletins with ‘feature or lead stories’, including those with a Māori focus. The Authority declined to determine a complaint about this scheduling change, finding it raised matters of editorial discretion and personal preference rather than broadcasting standards. Declined to Determine: Fairness, Discrimination and Denigration, Responsible ProgrammingIntroduction[1] In its Morning Report programme, RNZ replaced the Pacific and Te Manu Korihi bulletins with ‘feature or lead stories’, including those with a Māori focus. [2] John Malcolm complained that this change ‘discriminate[d] against those of us in provincial [New Zealand] who need to be abreast of Māori and rural issues’, because rural New Zealanders listen to the radio at a much earlier time of day and will not necessarily be able to listen to the full Morning Report programme....