The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) has dismissed a complaint laid against TV3's Campbell Live by former Employers and Manufacturers Association (Northern) CEO Alasdair Thompson.
The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) has dismissed a complaint laid against TV3's Campbell Live by former Employers and Manufacturers Association (Northern) CEO Alasdair Thompson.
Despite the latest knock-back from the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA), former employers’ association boss Alasdair Thompson says life is going well and he is considering an appeal of the broadcasting watchdog’s decision.
A three to one majority decision of the BSA has rejected Mr Thompson’s complaint about two interviews on television current affairs show Campbell Live last year.
BSA member Mary Anne Shanahan held the minority view the cumulative effect of a number of aspects of the items amounted to unfairness.
Campbell Live's interview was heavily criticised by media commentator Dr Brian Edwards, who suggested Mr Thompson should lay a complaint with the Broadcasting Standards Authority.
Mr Thompson complained about two Campbell Live news items reported on the controversial comments: The first was an excerpt from an interview with Mr Thompson, the second was a panel discussion about Mr Thompson’s behaviour during the interview.
Both items questioned whether Mr Thompson should remain at the helm of the country’s largest employers association.
What the BSA decided:
In a three to one decision, the BSA decided not to uphold Mr Thopmson’s complaints related to the sarcastic comments of Campbell Live host John Campbell and a caricature of Thompson singing Split Enz 'I See Red’ and Alice Cooper's 'Only Women Bleed'.
Mr Thompson believed the items breached his privacy and alleged the items were inaccurate, unbalanced and unfair, particularly because only part of the interview was broadcast.
But the majority decision of the BSA found news items were not unfair given Mr Thompson's position as a public figure and accurately reflected his behaviour in the full interview.
"It is our firm view that if the item caused any harm to Mr Thompson's reputation and dignity, this was not a product of unfair editing on the part of the broadcaster, but was the result of how Mr Thompson chose to conduct himself in the interview and was largely self-imposed."
RAW DATA: Read the BSA's full decision here.
