TV One Position On Naming Of Constable A Unchanged

TV One Position On Naming Of Constable A Remains Unchanged

There have been a number of media enquiries regarding the ONE News policy not to name Constable A in its reports. In response to those enquiries the Acting Head of News & Current Affairs, Shaun Brown has made the following points.

"TVNZ along with virtually all other news organisations in New Zealand made the decision not to publish the identity of Constable A several months ago even though it was legally entitled to. Today's court decision is a reaffirmation of the news media's legal right to identify Constable A. In my view it does not alter the moral and ethical decision made by the news media at large all those months ago.

"The central question is what has materially changed to justify abandoning the policy and convention previously established? Today's court decision is simply a reaffirmation of news media rights so that does not represent any change. The only other event to have occurred is the launching of a private prosecution against Constable A. The advice I have received is that anyone is entitled to initiate a private prosecution. I do not believe initiating such proceedings should automatically trigger a reversal of the established convention regarding the naming of Police Officers involved in shootings.

"TVNZ News and Current Affairs will review its' position if at the completion of the depositions hearing it is established that there is a case to answer. I also recognise that the position I have taken may be irrelevant if all other news media publish the name."

© Scoop Media