“James”
Via fyi.org
No address provided
Via email: [FYI request #33890 email]
1 April 2026
Kia ora James
Official Information Act request dated 27 February 2026
We refer to your email dated 27 February 2026 requesting information under the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). Answers to your specific requests are set out
below.
Request 1: Under the OIA please provide any internal correspondence if any, regarding
possible bias with the segment on crime/gang members by Benedict Collins that aired
on 1 News on the 26th of February. This should also include transcripts of any
complaints about the segment TVNZ has received.
Response 1: In respect of your request for internal correspondence if any, regarding
possible bias with the segment on crime/gang members, please see the document
attached.
For completeness, we note that some internal correspondence exists regarding
balance; this is not responsive to your request so has not been included with this
response. Note that in any event, withholding grounds likely apply to that
correspondence (sections 9(2)(a); 9(2)(g)(i) and 9(2)(i) as we have identified in
previous correspondence with you about TVNZ’s newsgathering information and
processes).
In respect of your specific request regarding complaints:
1. Informal complaints: TVNZ does not have a central repository for informal
complaints; locating any informal complaints or viewer feedback regarding this
story would require substantial collation or research (i.e. manual searching of
phone and email messages across hundreds of TVNZ accounts). This aspect of
your request is therefore declined on the basis of section 18(f) of the Act.
2. Formal complaints: TVNZ does collate formal complaints. There were 20 formal
complaints received regarding the 26 February story (including those that post-
date your request). As you may be aware, the timeframe on a decision for
resolution of a complaint is 20 working days. As such, we do not have
information about how many of these complaints, if any, were upheld as the
timeframe for decisions has not yet passed. TVNZ does not disclose the text of
complaints (or transcripts of complaints), as formal complaints often involve
confidential information, Privacy Act considerations and defamation risks. The
text of these complaints is therefore withheld on the fol owing bases:
• Section 9(2)(a): to protect the privacy both of the complainant and, in this
case, the journalists (including producers and editorial team) involved in the
relevant story; and
• Section 9(2)(ba): to protect information (complaint information) that has
(in some circumstances) been provided in confidence and where it is in the
public interest that the public continue to provide feedback and make
formal complaints about TVNZ’s news and current affairs.
Please note that in coming to this decision we are mindful that complaints to
the Broadcasting Standards Authority are publicly available; TVNZ considers
that public interest in understanding complaints about particular stories is met
via that public disclosure.
Request 2: Please provide all communications including but not limited to emails or
transcripts of apologies offered to the Minister of Police regarding the segment.
Response 2: This request is declined on the basis of section 18(e) of the Act: no emails
or transcripts of apologies to the Minister of Police exists.
You may, however, be aware that TVNZ has publicly confirmed that its Political Editor
contacted Minister Mitchell’s office the morning after the 1News gang numbers story
to advise that victim-of-crime data should have been included. TVNZ’s public
statement (dated 4 March 2026 so post-dating your request) is as fol ows:
TVNZ’s Political Editor contacted Minister Mitchel ’s office the morning after the
1News gang numbers story to advise that victim-of-crime data should have
been included. The story was then reviewed internal y, and the editorial decision
was made to run a fol ow up story incorporating those figures to ensure
balanced coverage and to aid audience understanding around the use of
differing crime statistics. The resulting piece ran last night.
We trust the above information assists.
If you are dissatisfied with this response section 28 of the Act provides you with the
right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman in order to seek an investigation and
review.
Yours sincerely,
Official Information Requests Team
TVNZ
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