The REAL Steve Gray

www.everyhorizon.com

Surprise, ya fuckwit. Complaints to the Broadcasting Standard Authority about Paul Henry’s remarks describing singer Susan Boyle as “retarded” have been upheld.

On November 23rd last year, the Breakfast host said “she was starved of oxygen and suffered a mild form of intellectual disability”. While holding up a photo of Ms Boyle he added, “if you look carefully you can make it out, can’t you?”

Following negative reaction at the time, Mr Henry made a public statement that he had never intended to cause offence to people with disabilities and that he had a great amount of respect for people who rose to the challenges imposed on them in life.

However 11 people were dissatisfied with TVNZ’s response, and referred their complaints to the BSA.

In a decision released today, the Broadcasting Standards Authority agreed that TVNZ was correct to uphold complaints that Mr Henry’s comments breached the good taste and decency standard (standard 1), but found that the action taken by the broadcaster was insufficient.

In response to today’s decision, TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards said: “We are happy to abide by the BSA’s decision which, in relation to standard 1, confirms TVNZ’s own decision to acknowledge a breach.”

The BSA also found in a majority decision (3/1) that the comments breached the broadcasting standard relating to discrimination and denigration (standard 7).

TVNZ have been ordered to read an agreed summary-of-decision statement on Breakfast within a month.

Richards said “we will be in touch shortly to get sign-off on the appropriate wording. It will go to air within the next month.”