In a “Special Assignment” programme on Afghanistan, scenes were broadcast of atrocities allegedly committed by the Taliban rulers of that country. The Complainants complained that the programme in general was biased against the Taliban, that the reporting contained in the programme was unbalanced and that it was offensive to Islam. After hearing both parties, the [...]

The Rand Water Board complained that a news item on two internal reports was inaccurate. The BCCSA held that it was inaccurate to state that the reports were “damning”, whilst no such conclusion could be drawn from the first “report” which was in reality a summary of what had been established at workshops and from [...]

The SABC news reader stated, from her text, that hundreds of supporters had been present at a rally in support of Israel in its clash with Palestinians. The Complainant stated that he had been present at the rally and that there were, in his opinion, more or less 3000 supporters.  The Commission held that the [...]

Whilst reporting on an exhibition of materials reflecting what was said to amount to a yet unpublished collection of Mid-East conflict photographs, a child was asked to comment on what she had seen. The sobbing child tells about the unfairness of the war since the Arabs only had stones to throw. The reporter also referred [...]

When a gang in the Soap series celebrated their success, a viewer complained that such a celebration was in bad taste and that it, in effect, had an effect on the crime rate. Commission holding that the incident was natural for all fiction and that within the context of the story line, no reasonable viewer [...]

Complainant took part in a special service in Nigeria at the church of faith healer TB Joshua. The SABC production team for its current affairs programme “Special Assignment” included him in their broadcast and although his name was not disclosed, his status as HIV Positive was disclosed. The issue before the Tribunal was whether his [...]

SABC 3 TV broadcast a series in which the culling of elephants in a responsible and organized manner is furthered in the interests of conservation of the bush, which, according to the producers, is destroyed by elephants where their numbers become too large. The complainants argue that the producers misrepresent the position and that they [...]

The Complainant argued that a documentary dealing with a decade in the life of children after the 1992 World Summit at Rio should have included reference to the efforts of the apartheid government of the past in South Africa at bettering the position of Black People. BCCSA holding that, given this kind of documentary, past [...]

Children – protection of against ghastly shots of child, from whom a demon had been exorcised as well as other similar shots in horror film – amounts to contravention if screened in family time between 19:00 and 20:00.  BCCSA holding that programme on the making of the revamped Exorcist, was too explicit and was likely [...]

Complaint: that the programme on drug peddling in a club included a full shot of the face of the Complainant filmed in another pub, where a singer was performing.  BCCSA holding that this amounted to an infringement of the dignity of the complainant.  Correction directed. CLICK TO VIEW FULL JUDGMENT