David Farrar: Abolish the BSA

The Broadcasting Standards Authority announced:

The Broadcasting Standards Authority has confirmed it has jurisdiction to consider a complaint about content transmitted by an online broadcaster.

In a decision published today, the Authority determined it can accept, and is required to consider under the Broadcasting Act, complaints about The Platform’s Live Talkback programme, because the programme meets the Act’s definition of ‘broadcasting’.

The BSA is acting in incredibly bad faith here. This should be the final nail in their coffin. Time to abolish the BSA and instead have the Media Council (which is industry, not government) handle complaints over all member media companies, regardless of medium.

How do we know this is in bad faith. Here:

Under this policy, it will not at this time seek to extend to online content providers the requirements around public notices or levies

This is how we know it is bad faith. The BSA is saying they will consider The Platform a broadcaster so it can hear complaints against them, but it will not consider them a broadcaster for other purposes.

This is Mickey Mouse. You can’t have a government body say we will treat you as a broadcaster for one purpose, but not for another. The Broadcasting Act either applies to you, or it does not.

The BSA are just desperate to remain relevant. ACT has a members’ bill to abolish them. I hope it gets drawn from the ballot.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.