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Warning: This decision contains language that some readers may find offensive. The Authority upheld a complaint that the use of the word ‘fuck’ in an episode of the programme Eating Fried Chicken in the Shower breached the good taste and decency and children’s interests standards. While the Authority recognised the value and nature of the programme, it was not preceded by any offensive language warning which the Authority considered necessary as the language used was outside audience expectations for the programme, and the programme was aired at 7:30pm, at a time when children may be listening. Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Children’s Interests No Order...

Summary A song entitled Closer by the group Nine Inch Nails which was broadcast by 9inety6ixdot1 on 2 February 1999 at around 5pm contained the lyrics "I want to fuck you like an animal". Mr Calver of Auckland complained to 9inety6ixdot1, the broadcaster, that the lyrics were inappropriate to be broadcast, as they offended against the observance of good taste and decency. He also complained that the lyrics had "connotations of a certain level of violence" which was inappropriate for the time of the day the song was broadcast. 9inety6ixdot1 denied that the lyric "I want to fuck you like an animal" encouraged violence. It contended that the lyric "must be read – and heard – in relation to the station’s intended audience" and, therefore, that it complied with the good taste standard in the context of its audience....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-084:Sharp and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1993-084 PDF500. 47 KB...

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1992-046–051:Whyte and 5 Others and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1992-046–051 PDF1. 94 MB...

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Shortland Street – episode contained violent scenes – man hit another’s head on a rock – man hit with baseball bat – unconscious man put in car and car set alight – allegedly in breach of standards of good taste and decency Findings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – programme contained disturbing adult themes and violence – unsuitable for children even when supervised by an adult – upheld by majority No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An episode of Shortland Street was broadcast on TV2 at 7pm on Tuesday 2 September 2008. It began with a car chase involving one of the central characters, Dr Craig Valentine, who was eventually forced off the road and down a bank....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Rome – two episodes contained offensive language – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindings Standard 1 (good taste and decency) – language was gratuitous and could have been edited without affecting the storyline – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] Two episodes of the historical drama Rome were broadcast on TV One at 10. 25pm on 13 January and at 11. 10pm on 3 February 2008. The 13 January episode contained the following lines: Caesar would’ve fucked Medusa if she’d had a crown. Nice manners, for a whore. Your son will eat shit and die before I make him legal. [I swear] on Juno’s cunt. I am a son of Hades! I fuck Concord in her arse! You can tell your lawyer to shove a taper up his arse and set himself alight....

Complaints under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989Book reading: Eggs – story contained mature themes and coarse language – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency standard FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – artistic work – language and themes acceptable in context – not upheld This headnote does not form part of the decision. Introduction [1] A book reading of Eggs, written by New Zealand author Maxine Alterio, was broadcast on Radio New Zealand National on 6 April 2012 (Good Friday) at 6. 50am. The story was told from the perspective of an “at risk youth” who attended a Polytechnic course where she and her classmates looked after eggs in order to learn parenting skills. The story contained mature themes including references to drug taking and sex, as well as some coarse language, for example, the words “shit”, “piss” and “bastard”....

Warning: This decision contains language that some readers may find offensive The Authority has upheld a complaint about the classification and scheduling of an episode of SAS Australia which was classified ‘M’ and screened at 7. 30pm. The episode featured aggression, potentially distressing psychological elements and frequent coarse language (more than 35 instances or variations of ‘fuck’). The Authority found this content warranted a higher classification of ‘16’ rather than ‘M’, a stronger warning for frequent language and a later time of broadcast outside of children’s normally accepted viewing times (after 8. 30pm). It therefore upheld the complaint under the good taste and decency and children’s interests standards, as viewers were not given sufficient reliable information to make an informed viewing choice or exercise discretion. Upheld: Good Taste and Decency, Children’s Interests Not Upheld: Violence No order...

Complaint The Edge – caller to station advised that she had unwittingly committed incest and sought assistance with advising half-brother – caller telephoned her half-brother on-air advising him of their relationship – highly sensitive material – breach of privacy – releasing information offensive – no tape FindingsPrinciple 1 Guideline 1a – despite time for reflection, broadcaster proceeded with the broadcast of very sensitive information for entertainment purposes – upholdPrinciple 3 – privacy – consent from one party Privacy Principle (vii) – no uphold – no identification of the other – no uphold OrderBroadcast of statement This headnote does not form part of the decision Summary [1] "Cleaning Out Your Closet" was the name of a competition run by The Edge, a radio station, in which callers speak about something they want to get off their chest. At about 5....

An Explanatory Note on these decisions can be found after the Appendices. ComplaintThe Rock – a number of complaints – offensive language – breach of good taste and decency – broadcasts inconsistent with maintenance of law and order – denigration of women, children, homosexuals, elderly – discrimination against women, children, homosexuals, elderly – broadcaster not mindful of effects of broadcasts on children in the listening audience Findings(1) 17 October broadcast – decline to determine (2) 18 October broadcast – no uphold (3) 19 October broadcast – poem about necrophilia – Principle 1 – uphold – Principle 7 – unsuitable for children – uphold (4) 14 November broadcast - 6. 28am – no uphold (5) 14 November broadcast – 7. 10am – decline to determine (6) 14 November broadcast – 7. 29am – no uphold (7) 14 November broadcast – 8....

Download a PDF of Decision No. 1993-096–097:Sharp and Leonard-Taylor and Television New Zealand Ltd - 1993-096, 1993-097987. 7 KB...

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ]In June, October and November 2016, Sikh radio station Radio Virsa broadcast four programmes in Punjabi on 107FM. The programmes included host and talkback commentary about a wide range of issues. The Authority received a complaint that these broadcasts contained threatening and coarse language and themes, and offensive statements were made in relation to a number of named individuals in the Sikh community, including the complainant. The Authority found that aspects of these broadcasts were in breach of broadcasting standards. The Authority was particularly concerned that offensive comments were made about named individuals in the local community, which resulted in the individuals’ unfair treatment and, in one instance, a breach of privacy....

Complaint under section 8(1B)(b)(i) of the Broadcasting Act 1989One News – item covering the murder trial of Clayton Weatherston – contained footage of Mr Weatherston in court describing his attack – allegedly in breach of good taste and decency FindingsStandard 1 (good taste and decency) – viewers would not have expected the level of explicit detail provided – item required a warning – upheld No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast [1] An item on One News, broadcast at 6pm on Monday 13 July 2009, covered the day’s events at the trial of Clayton Weatherston, who was accused of murdering Sophie Elliott. The presenters introduced the item by saying: The university tutor who killed his former student and girlfriend has given his version of what happened in her bedroom that day....

ComplaintInside New Zealand: "Piercing – The Hole Story" – documentary – pierced genitalia displayed – offensive – inappropriate for children FindingsStandard G2 – piercing for body suspension – images beyond community standards – uphold; piercing of genitalia – majority – matter of fact – minority – gratuitous – no uphold; other aspects – context – no uphold Standard G12 – body suspension segment at start of programme – waterfall after 8. 30pm – uphold No Order This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary [1] "Piercing – The Hole Story" was the title of a documentary broadcast on the Inside New Zealand series on TV3 at 8. 30pm on 1 August 2001. It examined the practice of piercing navels and tongues among youth, and showed some more unusual piercings, including genital piercing and suspending by hooks through the flesh....

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1996-019 Dated the 29th day of February 1996 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of a complaint by D R CAMPBELL of Papamoa Broadcaster TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND LIMITED J M Potter Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod A Martin...

BEFORE THE BROADCASTING STANDARDS AUTHORITY Decision No: 1997-138 Decision No: 1997-139 Dated the 13th day of November 1997 IN THE MATTER of the Broadcasting Act 1989 AND IN THE MATTER of complaints by Mrs B of Napier Broadcaster H B MEDIA GROUP LTD of Hastings S R Maling Chairperson L M Loates R McLeod J Withers...

ComplaintCOW AM – offensive behaviour – offensive language – questions about sex life FindingsStandard G2 – AO – 10. 00pm – explicit questions – context – uphold Cross-referenceDecision Nos: 2000-100–101 Order$250 costs to the Crown This headnote does not form part of the decision. Summary An episode of COW AM was broadcast on Channel 9 Dunedin on 29 May 2000. The programme included a sequence during which two young women and a man were questioned by the programme’s presenter about their recent sexual exploits. The programme was broadcast at around 10. 00pm. Mr J G Donaldson complained to Channel 9 Dunedin, the broadcaster, that he was "appalled" by the broadcast of what he called the "indecent interviews"....

Complaint under section 8(1)(a) of the Broadcasting Act 1989The Morning Madhouse – The Edge – hosts commented on the name “Chris Peacock” – references to an item on KFC menu called “crispy cock” – mock advertisement containing references to oral sex – allegedly in breach of good taste and decencyFindings Principle 1 (good taste and decency) – sustained and repetitive sexual references – likely that young people would have been listening – upheldNo OrderThis headnote does not form part of the decision. Broadcast[1] At around 7. 55am on 26 October 2004 the hosts of The Morning Madhouse on the radio station The Edge joked about a complaint they had received from a person by the name of Chris Peacock....

Summary[This summary does not form part of the decision. ] Three episodes of a British dating game show, Naked Attraction, were broadcast on TVNZ 2 at 9. 30pm on Friday 10, 17 and 24 November 2017. During each episode, a clothed individual selected a date from six naked individuals, who were gradually revealed in stages from the feet up, with no blurring or pixelation of nudity. Six complainants referred their complaints about these episodes of Naked Attraction to the Authority, complaining that the programme contained a high level of full frontal nudity and sexual discussion, which was offensive and contrary to standards of good taste and decency. The complainants also submitted that the programme denigrated, or was discriminatory towards, both participants and viewers, and was broadcast at a time on a weekend night when children were likely to be watching....