BSA Annual Report 1998

ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JCINE 1998 CONTENTS Foreword 2 Members 5 ,f Formal Complaints 6 Code Reviews 8 , Research and Consultation 10 International Relations II , Staff 12 :'. Statements of Objectives & Service Performance 13 Financial Statements 17: Appendices 28 - Analysis of decisions 28 - Complaints determined by theAuthority 29 „ MISSION STATEMENT To establish and maintain acceptable standards of broadcasting on all New Zealand radio and television, within the context of current social values, research and the principle of self-regulation, in a changing and deregulated industry. Submitted to the Minister of Broadcasting for presentation to the House of Representatives pursuant to clause 14 of the First Schedule of the Broadcasting Act 1989. ^ FOREWORD I have now completed thirteen months awareness was higher than average the introduction of the levy and some as Chair of the Broadcasting Standards among older people and among those continue to object to being required to Authority. It has been a time of who occupy a higher socio-economic help finance a legislative watchdog. considerable learning, particularly about position in society. The results indicated The income from the levy has allowed the codes of broadcasting practice and overall a high level of public awareness the Authority to comply more fully with their place within the broadcasting of the Authority. industry in New Zealand. In the total its legislative role. Previously, the bulk broadcasting environment in New Questions about the Authority's of the Authority's resources, I'm told, Zealand, the Authority's role is small, purpose revealed some ambiguity were focused on the determination of but not, I believe, insignificant. All however. While many respondents complaints. While complaints, broadcasters are required to maintain a referred to "standards", a number understandably, receive the highest number of broadcasting standards in mentioned "censorship" and the control priority, the Broadcasting Act lists some their programmes. There are four of "content and quality". other core functions relating to the statutory standards: the observance of The results showed that many people development and approval of codes of good taste and decency; the indeed had an accurate understanding broadcasting practice, carrying out maintenance of law and order; privacy of the Authority's role, but significant research on matters of broadcasting of the individual; and balance. There are numbers had a mistaken impression standards, and issuing advisory opinions also the standards set out in a number and, possibly, expected proactive on standards issues and the ethical of codes of broadcasting practice censorship from the Authority. conduct of broadcasting. dealing with such matters as the The overall awareness level for the The levy income has allowed the protection of children, the portrayal of Broadcasting Standards Authority is Authority to pursue these other violence, and safeguards against very encouraging, as is the widespread functions. encouraging discrimination. The understanding of the Authority's role. Authority's functions are essentially The survey noted that television was by complaint driven and it is not involved in Complaints far the principal source of the monitoring or censorship. respondents' information. The number of decisions issued by the Authority in the past year, I am pleased Awareness of The lack of knowledge and the mistaken to report, was 177 - a drop of 22 from impressions are a matter of some the previous year. However, the the Authority concern. Because of its central role in number of complex complaints is approving codes of broadcasting increasing. This is apparent in the The Broadcasting Standards Authority is practice, and in determining complaints statistics in Appendix I which show that the avenue by which viewers and about specific programmes, the the proportion of complaints raising the listeners are able to air a grievance Authority's plans include a strategy to difficult issues of balance, fairness, about a broadcast which has not been improve public awareness of it accuracy, and privacy in the past year satisfactorily answered by the (especially among the young) and was 65%. Last year, it was 59%, broadcaster. But its value as a of its roles. and two years earlier, 44%. The watchdog depends significantly on complexity is also reflected in Output I knowledge of its existence. Levy where the percentage of complaints Since 1996, broadcasters have been determined within 40 working days required to screen or air daily a notice Since the enactment in 1996 of an after all the information has been publicising the procedure for Amendment to the Broadcasting Act, gathered has dropped from complaints. In May this year, the the Authority has been partly funded by 91% to 85%. Authority commissioned a market a levy on broadcasters. Broadcasters The Authority has to date determined research company to measure the with a total operating annual revenue in complaints "on the papers". Given the public's awareness of the Broadcasting excess of $500,000 are required to pay challenging issues dealt with in some Standards Authority, and the public's an annual levy of 0.00051 percent of current affairs items, the Authority familiarity with the complaints process. operating revenue. anticipates that hearings might become The results recorded that 81 % of the The legislative procedure devised to necessary on occasions in the future to respondents knew of the "Broadcasting collect the levy was designed to ensure that it is fully informed of the Standards Authority". They also minimise compliance costs on issues which the broadcast has disclosed that the level of name broadcasters. Broadcasters opposed examined. position in March this year. In view of from a number of fronts, including Code Reviews the requirement on the Authority to becoming better informed about In the past year, the Authority reflect the values held by New children's programming, and examining completed its research for the review Zealanders in its decisions, he has issues relating to watersheds. The of the Pay Television Code of developed a major research project Authority also acknowledges that the Broadcasting Practice. The report which will allow the Authority to current generation of parents with "Review of the Pay Television Code of establish a benchmark recording public young children is the first generation of Broadcasting Practice", and the attitudes to broadcasting standards parents in New Zealand who accompanying research "Community issues. This base will be used to themselves have been reared in an Attitudes to Adult Material on Pay compare results with earlier research, environment where television was Television", were published in October. and to monitor trends. It is hoped that reasonably widespread. Now the The research showed that a majority of it will also allow the Authority to television set is even more ubiquitous, the respondents believed that R18 compare attitudes in New Zealand to as many homes have two or three, if material should be available on pay those in some overseas countries which not more, sets. television, but almost everybody have conducted similar research. thought R18 material had an adverse effect on children. Television and Consultations Privacy Taking the submissions into account as The Authority is acutely conscious of its well as the research, the Authority's The Authority's core functions are the responsibilities to broadcasters and, recommendations included the implementation of codes of after rather sporadic efforts in past proposal for a single code of broadcasting practice, and the handling years, it has decided as a formal strategy broadcasting practice for television. of complaints. The research to consult regularly with broadcasters consultation programmes are throughout the country. Consultation is an integral part of undertaken to provide knowledge to developing codes of broadcasting The Authority has participated in media assist in these areas. The Authority practice, and the concept of a single and journalism courses taught by remains acutely conscious of the code was discussed at length in the various universities and polytechnics. broadcasting environment in which it meetings the Authority held with As part of its consultation programme, operates, and the impact that broadcasters, and in the subsequent it is visiting a range of such institutions environment has on these roles. submissions received by the Authority. to advise them of the Authority's After considering this material and In the past year, protocols relating to willingness to be involved as a resource noting the recent and ongoing the coverage of criminal trials by in relevant courses. developments in technology, the television have been developed by a Authority has recently advised Courts Consultative Committee television broadcasters that it accepts Children's comprising representatives of the justice the case for separate codes for pay and system and the media. Some matters free-to-air television. Television arising from media coverage of trials have been referred to the Authority. While the Review of the Pay Code has and Children's been the focus of the code review Media Practices Privacy is increasingly the issue raised in activities in the past year, the Authority complaints referred to the Authority has also initiated a review of the entire The Authority is continually reminded dealing with the coverage of trials. radio code. This review will include

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