Welcome to the first edition of the BSA Bulletin!  The Bulletin is designed to give you updates on what we have been doing and highlight recently released decisions. It replaces our former quarterly publication – we wanted to give you more regular updates about what we’re doing and also migrate to an electronic newsletter which is kinder to the environment.

Feel free to forward the Bulletin to anyone you think might be interested.  Email us if you would like to subscribe to our mailing list.

We welcome any feedback and suggestions to the look and content of the Bulletin.

Revised Free-to-Air TV Code now in effect

The revised Free-to-Air Television Code of Practice came into effect on 1 July. The full code is available on the BSA website. If you would like printed copies of the Code, please request them from our receptionist Trish. We would like to thank all the broadcasters and other interested parties who contributed to the review of the Code.

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Broadcasters and the BSA discuss standards

Around thirty people attended a BSA-hosted symposium which took place in Auckland in July. The symposium was held with broadcasters, journalists and other stakeholders to discuss issues arising from the Principles and Pragmatism report which we published in June. The report examined the tensions between journalist’s ethics and broadcasting standards and was authored by Colin Peacock, host of Radio NZ’s Mediawatch.

BSA Chair Jo Morris kicked off the morning and Colin gave an opening address highlighting the key points from the report. Four panels were then convened, each based around a standard from the Codes: Privacy, Balance, Fairness and Accuracy. Panellists discussed the topic for half an hour and then the conversation was opened up for general debate. Those taking part on panels were Vincent Burke (Top Shelf), Cliff Joiner (TVNZ), Rosemary Tobin (University of Auckland), Don Rood (Radio NZ), Keith Slater (TV3), Glyn Jones (TVNZ), Trish Carter (formerly of TVNZ and Al Jazeera), Mark Jennings (TV3), Clare Bradley (MediaWorks) and Colin McCrae (Maori TV) and Colin Peacock.

The object of the report and the symposium was to further the dialogue around specific issues relating to broadcasting standards and to ensure that the BSA and broadcasters continue to communicate directly and openly. We are grateful to all those who generously gave their time to speak on a panel or to attend the symposium and, of course, to Colin Peacock for all his work in writing the report itself. The BSA will be looking at holding other similar symposiums in the future.

Copies of Principles and Pragmatism are available to download from the BSA’s website.

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Recent decisions

Clicking on the names below will take you directly to the decisions.

Brown and TVNZ – Breakfast
An "action taken" complaint in respect of an item on Breakfast was not upheld. Following an interview with a Greenpeace representative, one of the Breakfast hosts made a number of comments about the interviewee, including that she was "a lady with a moustache".  TVNZ upheld a complaint from Tony Brown under the fairness standard, agreeing that the host's "personal comments about her appearance were inappropriate and unfair". It apologised to Mr Brown and counselled senior staff of Breakfast and the host involved.  The Authority considered that the action taken by TVNZ was appropriate and sufficient and it agreed with the broadcaster it would be difficult to readdress the issue on air without further victimising the interviewee.

Harrison and TVNZ – Criminal Minds promo

Parata and TVWorks – NZ’s Next Top Model

Egg Producers Federation and TVWorks – Sunrise 

Young and TVWorks – South Park 

Bell and TVNZ – Beyond the Darklands 

Harrison and TVNZ – Scrubs promo 

Discount House Ltd and APNA – Talkback 

Institute of Directors and TVNZ – One News

Bragg and TVNZ – Breakfast 

Martin and TVNZ – Breakfast 

Nicholson and TVNZ – Breakfast

Paranjape and TVNZ – One News 

McLean and RNZ – Checkpoint 

Harrap and TelstraClear – Sex and the City 

Williams and TVNZ – One News 

Lotriet and TVWorks Ltd – Back of the Y 

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Decision on Let Us Spray released

On 10 August the BSA released four decisions relating to a programme called Let Us Spray, which was broadcast on 23 October 2006. This one and a half hour ‘special investigation’ examined the effects of the chemical 2,4,5-T (dioxin) on New Plymouth residents who believed the chemical was responsible for illnesses, birth defects and death in their families.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR) complained that the programme was unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair. Both also complained about a 3 News item on 24 October 2006 which discussed the findings in Let Us Spray, and MOH complained about another 3 News item on 1 November 2006 which discussed MOH’s actions subsequent to the programme.

Due to various delays which are outlined in the decisions, the BSA was unable to begin its consideration of these complaints until February 2009, and once it could begin deliberations it scheduled special meetings in order to process the complaints as quickly as possible.

The Authority upheld the complaints that Let Us Spray was unbalanced and unfair to MOH and ESR. It found that the broadcaster did not make reasonable efforts to present significant perspectives on criticisms of a study conducted by ESR, or the Ministry’s view about the current state of scientific knowledge surrounding dioxin.

It also upheld the complaints that the 24 October 3 News item was inaccurate and unfair to ESR, and upheld MOH’s complaint that the 1 November 3 News item was inaccurate and unfair to MOH.

The Authority ordered TVWorks Ltd to broadcast summaries of its decisions in relation to Let Us Spray and the 24 October 3 News item. It also ordered TVWorks to pay a portion of ESR’s legal costs, and to pay $2,500 costs to the Crown in relation to the 24 October 3 News item. It did not make an order in relation to the 1 November 3 News item.

All four Let Us Spray decisions can be found at these links:

CanWest TVWorks and MOH 
CanWest TV Works and MOH and ESR
CanWest TV Works and MOH
CanWest TV Works and ESR

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