A segment on ZM’s Fletch, Vaughan and Hayley show irresponsibly promoted alcohol and the broadcaster failed to take adequate action over the breach, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found.

The decision relates to a complaint over an on-air discussion by the show’s hosts about a Reddit post titled “Highest alcohol percentage for least amount of bucks, what’s the best from any liquor store?”.

The BSA agreed the item, aired on the morning of 15 March 2024, amounted to alcohol promotion that was socially irresponsible. It found broadcaster NZME was correct to have upheld the complaint by Communities Against Alcohol Harm (CAAH) that the segment breached the promotion of illegal or antisocial behaviour standard.*

CAAH referred the complaint to the BSA on the basis it was dissatisfied with the action taken by the broadcaster.

NZME removed the segment from their online podcast and counselled the content directors and ZM hosts on their obligations around alcohol promotion. However, the Authority found this was insufficient to remedy the harm caused by the broadcast – noting, in particular, there had not yet been any public acknowledgement of the breach for the audience.

The BSA has ordered NZME to broadcast a statement acknowledging the standards breach and summarising upheld aspects of the decision.

The Authority noted the hosts spoke about deliberately looking for the cheapest alcohol with the highest alcohol by volume, and referred to wanting “bang for buck” and “I’m not going to drink if it’s not going to get me drunk”.

While the hosts made some mitigating comments, including endorsing “drinking responsibly”, these were undermined by the remainder of the segment and therefore ineffective, the BSA found.

It said the segment did not adequately acknowledge the negative effects of alcohol consumption.

“We have found the overall impact of the broadcast – notwithstanding some mitigations by the hosts – was that alcohol promotion dominated the segment, at a time when children could be listening.

“This places the breach at the higher end of the spectrum. There was a clear potential for harm through the promotion of excessive alcohol consumption, including to younger listeners,” the BSA said.

FURTHER INFORMATION 

This and other decisions published today can be seen on the BSA website here. 

* The promotion of illegal or antisocial behaviour standard seeks to prevent broadcasts that encourage audiences to  break the law or are otherwise likely to promote criminal or serious antisocial activity.  

Any alcohol promotion in a broadcast should be socially responsible including that it: 

• Must not encourage consumption by people who are under the legal age to purchase alcohol.

• Must not occur in programmes specifically directed at children. 

• Must not dominate a broadcast. 

• Must avoid advocacy of excessive alcohol consumption and portraying it as positive or desirable. This is one of eight standards in the Code of Broadcasting Standards. The standards can be seen on the BSA website here. 

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