TVNZ slammed over Samoa report

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Television New Zealand has been ordered to pay $5000 to the Samoan government after the Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled a One News story wrongly conveyed Samoa was "awash with guns and drugs".

The Samoan prime minister has called the ruling against a news item by TVNZ Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver "a victory for responsible and substantive reporting", the Samoa Observer reported.

TVNZ representatives said yesterday they were "seriously considering" appealing the decision and stand by Ms Dreaver's story.

The story, called 'Gangs and Drugs in Samoa', screened on April 5 last year and showed young men brandishing machetes, smoking cannabis and discussing what TVNZ said was a growing gun and drug trade.

According to reports in Pacific media the 20 page BSA report concluded that the TVNZ news item "only presented one perspective...viewers needed information about the gravity of the problem in a wider context and from other perspectives."

"In the Authority's view, the cumulative effect of such a dramatic introduction coupled with the information presented in the item was to create an impression for viewers that not only was the situation in Samoa extremely serious, but Government officials were complicit in the guns and drugs trade."

"While the reporter's (TVNZ Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver) information does show that there have been isolated incidences involving drugs and guns in Samoa spread over a number of years, it does not support the impression given in the item that Samoa was 'awash' with guns and drugs.

"…the reporter's evidence certainly does not support her unequivocal statements, the entire thrust of the item, or the suggestion that the situation was so clear-cut that no alternative perspective needed to be given in the item."

On the question of accuracy, the BSA found that the reporter, "under the circumstances should have questioned their (Makoi Boys) reliability and made efforts to corroborate what they said."

"The transcript of the interview, as well as the footage in the item, suggested that the 'Makoi Boys' were joking around and acted for the cameras.

Two other complaints relating to the story regarding fairness and its impact on law and order were not upheld by the Authority.

The Authority has ordered TVNZ make a public statement to summarise the BSA's findings, pay $5000 to the government of Samoa and pay $2000 to the Crown.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi said the ruling was "an onus for broadcasters and publishers to produce fair, balanced, in-depth and accurate news items.

"There have been far too many incidences of unbalanced reporting with reporters and editors alike bent on producing and publishing half-cooked, sensationalised stories with the sole aim of stirring up controversy.

TVNZ spokeswoman Meghan Richard said the Samoan government had broken the BSA's embargo on the decision.

The decision had not been due for release until March 29 but would now be made available today, Ms Richards said.

"Our position on it is that we are very seriously considering an appeal on this one.

"We stand by the substance of the story and integrity and professionalism of the reporter concerned.”

- © Fairfax NZ News