The BSA Bulletin provides news from the Broadcasting Standards Authority. It replaces our former quarterly publication – we wanted to give you more regular updates and also migrate to an electronic newsletter which is kinder to the environment.

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Recent decisions

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

NZ Chiropractors' Association and TVNZ - Breakfast

A complaint that an interview was in breach of the accuracy standard was upheld. One of the Breakfast hosts interviewed a medical researcher who discussed the effectiveness of chiropractic therapy.

The Authority found that the medical researcher was presented as an expert, and therefore viewers would have expected he was giving an objective, accurate account of medical research. It considered that the interviewee made a number of strong, unqualified statements about what scientific research says about chiropractic therapy.

The Authority found that four of the statements made by the interviewee were in breach of the accuracy standard. It did not impose an order, saying that the publication of the decision was sufficient to remind broadcasters to ensure that “expert” interviewees were aware of their obligations to comply with broadcasting standards.

Butler, Dunleavy and Prior and TVNZ - Sunday

Three complaints were lodged about an item which discussed Gareth Morgan’s research into global warming. The programme included footage of Takuu, a tiny West Pacific atoll, which the reporter said was “the ugly face of global warming” because it was being flooded by seawater.  The complainants argued that the item was unbalanced and inaccurate.

The Authority upheld one aspect of the accuracy complaints relating to the item’s portrayal of Takuu. It found that the programme was inaccurate because it implied unequivocally that the flooding in Takuu was caused by global warming, when tectonic plate movement was also a contributing factor.  The Authority did not uphold the balance complaints.

Noting that it had only upheld one aspect of the complaints, the Authority did not impose an order. It said the decision would serve as a reminder that the subject of global warming required careful treatment by broadcasters.

Nugent and TVWorks - 60 Minutes

Green Cabs and TVWorks - Target

Harrison and TVNZ - The Erin Simpson Show

Bladen and TVNZ - Breakfast

Walter and TVNZ - Close Up

Sime and TVWorks - 3 News

Thomas and TVWorks - Blender

Easton and Radio NZ - Nine to Noon

Rickard and Radio NZ - Morning Report

Brown and TVNZ - Q+A

Garlick and TVNZ - Close Up

Singh and Radio Tarana - Zindagi Forever

Denham and TVWorks - Futurama

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Notice to broadcasters: BSA to audit complaints procedure ads

The Broadcasting Act requires all broadcasters in New Zealand to publicise procedures for making complaints, including broadcasting notices about the process on each of their channels.  As noted in our current Statement of Intent, this year we intend to audit broadcasters to ensure they are complying with this requirement.  The purpose of the audit is to support broadcasters in fulfilling their obligations.  If the BSA finds that broadcasters are not meeting the expectations of the Act it will work with them to achieve compliance.

During October we will be writing to all broadcasters asking them when and where they are playing these notices and what the notices contain.

If you have any questions concerning your complaints procedure ads or the audit then please contact Dominic Sheehan.

Requirements in the Broadcasting Act 1989

The Act states that broadcasters must "broadcast on each channel or broadcasting station operated by the broadcaster notices (each of which shall be of at least 15 seconds' duration) publicising the procedure for making complaints with the equivalent in each year of one notice per day for each day of broadcasting on the channel or broadcasting station".  The Act also says the notices should be "broadcast at different programming times but in such a manner that the notices are broadcast in the course of a year at all programming times, including prime time and children's programming times". 

In plain English this means that the notice must tell viewers how to make a formal complaint.  The notice must be at least 15 seconds long and play on each separate channel - on average once a day over the course of a year.  The notices should be moved around the schedule to ensure that all audiences have a chance to see it.

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How to complain - in thirteen languages

Earlier this year the Human Rights Commission commended the BSA for being one of only a small number of local and central government agencies providing information in the Samoan language.

In fact, the BSA website contains details on how to make a formal broadcasting standards complaint  in thirteen different languages.  Along with Samoan, English and te Reo Maori the 'How to complain' information can be found in Arabic, Chinese, Cook Island Maori, Khmer, Korean, Niuean, Punjabi, Somali, Tongan and Vietnamese.

If you think it would be useful for us to translate this information into other languages then please, let us know.

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