Tāhono Media is calling on all parties to remove any
plans to disestablish the Broadcasting Standards Authority
(BSA) and replace it with industry self regulation. The last
minute push to dismantle one of the country’s few
independent guardrails on the media has not proceeded this
term, and this proposed legislation is a dangerous
democratic gamble.
There is broad agreement that the
Broadcasting Act 1989 needs reform. We encourage and welcome
that conversation. But there should be robust public
consultation to ensure that the Act and the BSA are fit for
purpose in a media landscape that has shifted dramatically
since 1989.
Legislation of this weight needs time for
evidence gathering and real engagement with the people it
affects. The pace of this process raises serious questions
about who the disestablishment of the BSA serves. Documents
introduced to the House on Tuesday state:
“Clear
Ministerial direction to proceed with disestablishment of
the BSA at pace has necessarily concentrated analytical
effort on the consequential changes required to make this
happen. Evidence certainty is low due to these constraints,
which have limited opportunities for engagement, evidence
collection and broader analysis, with resultant uncertainty
about the nature and scale of the impacts of all options
(immediate and longer-term) for broadcasters, other
professional media, audiences, and the wider
public.”
“The media is a cornerstone of our
democracy, and it cannot be left to self-regulate. One only
has to look at social media companies to understand how
ineffective self-regulation can be,” says Hina Nasir of
Tāhono Media.
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The BSA gives people a free,
independent and timely way to challenge broadcasting that
breaches standards on discrimination, accuracy, fairness and
privacy. Māori, Pasifika, Asians, Migrants and many other
communities disproportionately affected by harmful media
portrayals rely on this safeguard. Few can afford lawyers or
court action.
The Government’s own regulatory impact
statement makes it clear that reforming the Act is a much
better option than disestablishing the BSA. It also warns of
the detrimental impact this decision will have on tangata
whenua and Māori broadcasters.
Abolishing the BSA
strips every New Zealander of their right to effectively
challenge powerful media entities. Tāhono Media urges any
in-coming government to recall this Bill and take steps
towards reforming the Act. The media is the fourth estate of
our democracy, their role in nation building means that it
cannot be business as usual.
“Aotearoa deserves a
media regulation system that is fair, accountable, and
shaped by its people; not dismantled without them,” says
Hina Nasir.
About Tāhono Media:
Tāhono Media is a cross-sectoral group of
advocates working to reduce the harm of misrepresentation
and under-representation minority communities face in media
in Aotearoa, New
Zealand.
