BSA Releases 5 Decisions
The Authority has not upheld a complaint from the Brewers Association of New Zealand (BANZ) that two RNZ broadcasts about NZ’s low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines were unbalanced and inaccurate.
It found any inaccuracies in comments about Canada’s alcohol guidelines were not material in the context of the overall broadcasts, which aired a week apart on Morning Report and The Detail. With respect to balance, the Authority found the Morning Report item was clearly signalled as focussing on one aspect of the much larger, complex debate on alcohol policy. Although BANZ was mentioned once during Morning Report, in the context the audience would not have expected a countering viewpoint to be presented from the complainant or the industry. The Detail carried significant public interest and sufficiently alerted listeners to alternative perspectives through a comment from the Executive Director of the New Zealand Alcohol Beverages Council and the host’s use of ‘devil’s advocate’ questioning.
This and other recent decisions can be seen here.