The Broadcasting Standards Authority says Radio Live is “wrong” in claiming that balance is not required for talkback radio, whereas it is for the news. Jane Wrightson, Chief Executive of the BSA has contradicted Mitch Harris, Programming Director for CanWest Talk Radio, saying, “The BSA draws no distinction between different forms of radio, although there can be differences between genres, for example, news and current affairs and other types of programming.” When asked about John Tamihere's recent anti-gay diatribe, Harris told GayNZ.com that “the news is expected to strike a balance, but talkback is not because it is made up of opinions.” Harris' statement has already been circulating in legal circles, says Wrightson, and he is “wrong.” “Talkback radio is not exempt from the balance requirement per se,” says Wrightson. “Balance is required for discussions about a ‘controversial issue of public importance'.” In forming a decision on the standard of balance, the BSA would first decide whether the topic discussed on air was indeed a ‘controversial issue of public importance' (CIPI), says Wrightson. If it is a CIPI and balance is thus required, it is “desirable within the same programme” although may be considered over the “period of current interest, for example if it concerns breaking news,” says Wrightson. “Even if the topic is not [a CIPI], then the social responsibility (denigration) or accuracy standards might still be applicable.” ”For radio, the social responsibility standard provides protection against comments denigrating of homosexuals,” although, in the interests of free speech, the “threshold is high,” says Wrightson, amounting to a “blackening of the reputation of a class of people,” such as homosexuals, Maori or women. “Unpleasant or offensive comments, by themselves, rarely reach the threshold. They will usually need to amount to hate speech,” she added. The BSA might also take into consideration the “demeanour” of the talkback host, and the extent to which they encouraged denigrating comments from their callers, says Wrightson. Tamihere had noted that more research needs to be done on “how many babies are put to death by gay couples” before considering extending adoption rights, as proposed by Green MP Metiria Turei's Adoption (Equity) Amendment Bill. His comments are “nicely worded” says Wrightson, in that, should he have stated definitively that homosexual parents “are known to” put babies to death, a complaint might well be successful on the grounds of denigration. The BSA considers all complaints in light of the Bill of Rights Act 1990, which provides protection for free speech, but make no comment on the likelihood, or otherwise, of a complaint against Radio Live being successful. “That's the job of the BSA,” says Wrightson. “The board considers each complaint against the individual facts of the case and also considers the context of the broadcast.” Ref: GayNZ.com (d)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Thursday, 17th August 2006 - 12:00pm