SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS INC.
The Broadcasting Standards Authority didn’t pay proper attention to context and its own previous judgments in ruling two scenes in television programmes breached standards, a High Court judge has been told.
TVNZ and TV3 are appealing last year’s BSA rulings which said scenes in TVNZ’s Hung and TV3’s soap Home And Away breached standards.
For full NZPA story see: http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv/4801344/Networks-appeal-sex-scene-rulings
Media Release by Family First NZ, a registered charity with the NZ Charities Commission.
“The trend by the networks to sexualise news and current events is disturbing” – Family First NZ
Family First NZ is welcoming a ruling from the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) demanding that TVNZ publicly acknowledge their breach of broadcasting standards for a programme in August 2010 which offended many families with its gratuitous display of the porn industry. TVNZ has also been ordered to pay a paltry $3,000 fine.
“As a result of a campaign by Family First supporters, TVNZ received an ‘unprecedented’ number of complaints regarding this programme. The Close Up story was based around the promotion of the porn industry – all under the guise of so-called ‘daily news and current events’. The trend by the television networks to sexualise news and current events and use sexual innuendo is disturbing,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. [Read more…]
A banned company director who has gained notoriety for his dishonesty, multiple legal threats and whimpish behaviour has again come under the spotlight today.
Bernard Terence Whimp, a convicted burgler and former bankrupt, was banned for five years from managing, promoting or directing any company: the ban commenced on 19 April 2007 and ends on 19 April 2012 according to the Companies Office website. And yet despite this disqualification (the maximum ban that can be imposed under the Companies Act 1993), he has seen fit, as a controller in a number of limited partnerships, including Energy Securities LP and NZ Investment Secirities LP, to target thousands of shareholders in at least six NZX-listed companies; sending them unsolicted letters offering to buy their secutities: letters that contain “misleading” and/or defective documentation.
The Secuties Commission has issued an order against Mr Whimp, as serious questions hang over the level of honesty and transparency involved in these communications with shareholders. [Read more…]
The heritage hotel at the centre of a demolition stand-off was moving by up to 5 millimetres an hour towards the street when the decision was made to knock it down, the Auckland Council said today. The 124-year-old Palace Hotel building in central Auckland was reduced to rubble following a council order in November last year to demolish it.
An Auckland Council commissioned report has found the Palace Hotel’s owners, John and Michael Chow, failed to ensure the building was being safely renovated. The Council is considering prosecuting the Chows following the report’s findings. Meanwhile a bill for more than $200,000 – the council’s costs arising from the building’s collapse – has been sent to the Chow Group.
Report by Susie Nordqvist http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10711133
Convicted financier John Hotchin, former director of Nathans Finance, which collapsed in 2007 owing debenture investors $174.5m, pleaded guilty in the High Court last week to three charges brought by the Securities Commission: making untrue statements in Nathan’s investment documents. He was sentenced to 11 months home detention and BusinessDay (The Dominion Post 9 March) reports that it understood from what was stated in court at sentencing, that it was to be served at a rented property.
Documentation readily accessible on-line to the New Zealand public has often been used by investigative business reporters to probe and raise serious questions concerning suspected and actual white collar criminal activity. They often appear to see their roles to be that of “public watch dogs”, effectively promoting and raising awareness of the need for better community standards in the area of public accountability in business, reparation and sentencing etc. They most certainly do serve the “public good” and thec best of them receive journalism awards. The public needs to recognise the vital role they play in a free and democtatic society like ours in New Zealand. [Read more…]