In this section
The written decision will be sent to you and the broadcaster first. You’ll be asked to keep it confidential for a short time until it’s publicly released.
The decision is then published on the BSA website, and reported in the BSA Pānui/newsletter. Sometimes we issue a media release but we never release the contact details of complainants.
All decisions on complaints can be seen on our website hereopen_in_new.
You can find out more about the number and types of complaints in our Annual Reportsopen_in_new.
We don’t generally comment on whether we’ve received a complaint about a particular broadcast.
In most cases, complaints must go to the broadcaster first. You could ask the broadcaster if a programme has been complained about.
Once complaints are determined, we publish the decisions on our website.
The broadcaster must decide the language in a warning or audience advisory under the broadcasting standards. We don’t review these or provide examples, as the wording required will be context-specific.
If you think a warning wasn’t adequate, you can make a formal complaintopen_in_new to the broadcasteropen_in_new in the first instance.
The BSA has no such powers. We become involved only when formal complaints come to us about specific programmes.
The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) is an independent Crown entity that oversees the broadcasting standards regime on behalf of New Zealanders. We determine complaints, oversee and develop broadcasting standards, and engage with broadcasters and the public to help people understand and apply the broadcasting standards system, our decisions and our research.
For more information see What we do.