BSA Pānui - Drawing a line
Number 107
Kia ora koutou,

I hope everyone is very well. 

Since June last year a trend has emerged: the BSA has received 27 enquiries about the use of te reo Māori in broadcasts – five times as many in the same period the year before. Two of these have resulted in formal complaints. 

In a recent decision (KS and TVNZ) about te reo featuring in news and current affairs programmesopen_in_new, the Authority found there were no standards issues to consider and it declined to determine the complaint.

The Authority said te reo Māori was an official New Zealand language and noted its use was protected and promoted by existing law.

“A complaint about the use of te reo Māori does not raise an issue of harm as envisaged by the standards. The use of te reo Māori is an editorial decision for broadcasters.”

The BSA encourages broadcasters to respond to such complaints indicating that it is not a breach of standards to broadcast in te reo Māori.

Meanwhile, our work on the code review is progressing well and we expect to have the first big step, a survey for broadcasters and stakeholders, out in the next month or so. We have had good input from people across the industry to help shape the survey.

We encourage everyone who receives it to take the time to contribute your thoughts and ideas.

Ngā mihi nui
Glen
Chief Executive

FEATURED DECISIONS

RADIO
Downes, Penning, Maltby, Massie & Tang and NZME Radio Ltd - 2020-123 (24 February 2021)open_in_new

In a segment on the Mike Hosking Breakfast programme, the host interviewed the Prime Minister about the Government’s decision to extend the Level 3 lockdown restrictions on Auckland in August 2020. The Authority did not uphold the complaints. It recognised the value of robust political discourse in the media and the role of media in holding to account those in positions of power. Overall, it found no harm at a level justifying regulatory intervention. While some may have found Mr Hosking’s approach and comments distasteful, they did not go beyond what could be expected of an interview of this nature.

Not Upheld: Fairness, Good Taste and Decency, Balance, Accuracy, Discrimination and Denigration, Children’s Interests

LATEST DECISIONS

NEWS AND RESEARCH

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