LATEST DECISION – 3 May 2007

A TV3 Campbell Live item examining the proposed amendment to section 59 of the Crimes Act 1961 featured an interview with a woman and her 14-year-old son.

One aspect of a complaint made by The Children’s Commissioner, Dr Cindy Kiro, was that the interview with the boy was unfair to him.

In its decision, the Authority noted that the broadcaster was aware that the boy, who had been removed from his mother’s care by CYFS due to ongoing concerns for his safety, was in a vulnerable situation.

The Authority considered that reasonable research by the broadcaster would have also revealed that the mother was facing assault charges against another son, as this information had been reported in other media and was thus in the public domain.

Further, the broadcaster had made no effort to contact CYFS, the boy’s legal guardian, prior to interviewing him. Had the broadcaster done so, it could have discovered that the mother had secured her son’s presence at the interview using deception.

In the Authority’s view, gathering this information was critical to the broadcaster’s assessment of whether it was suitable to involve the boy in the programme. In failing to do so, the broadcaster breached the fairness standard requirement to recognise the rights of individuals, and particularly children and young people, not to be exploited, humiliated or unnecessarily identified.

Link to full decision: http://www.bsa.govt.nz/decisions/2006/2006-105.htm

ENDS

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