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Triangle apologises for 'death to gays'

Sat 6 Mar 2004 In: New Zealand Daily News

Auckland's Triangle Television, a public access channel, has broadcast a formal apology after airing a programme which said that homosexuals should be put to death. Triangle initially rejected a viewer's complaint about a Voice of Islam programme last year on the grounds that the comments contained within the programme were in accordance with broadcasting codes that allow for the “the expression of genuinely held opinion in news, current affairs, or other factual programmes”. The BSA disagreed, ruling that the comments were "hate speech" and would encourage discrimination and denigration of the gay community. Triangle TV broadcast the following apology required by the BSA: "The Broadcasting Standards Authority has upheld a viewer complaint that the episode of the programme series "Voice of Islam TV", broadcast on 29 September 2003, breached the Free-to-Air Television Code of Broadcasting Practice. The BSA considered that comments made in the programme about homosexuality and AIDS were ‘hate speech' against and encouraged discrimination and denigration of the gay community. Triangle Television unreservedly apologises for the offence and hurt caused by the remarks in the particular Voice of Islam TV programme. The BSA has ordered Triangle Television to broadcast this statement in compliance with the Broadcasting Act." Voice of Islam continues to be broadcast at 11.30am Saturdays, and Triangle's director of programming Hans Versluys says there have been no further incidents.    

Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff

First published: Saturday, 6th March 2004 - 12:00pm

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