Holmes show complaints rejected

The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) last week rejected complaints from three viewers about a July interview with Peter Biggs of Creative New Zealand on TVNZ's Holmes programme.

The complainants alleged that treatment of Mr Biggs by Paul Holmes was unfair to Mr Biggs, and that information given in the show was misleading or inaccurate.

The broadcast explained that $500,000 of public money had funded the creation of an art piece for the Venice Bienale by an artist known as et al, whose most recent work was a toilet that brayed like a donkey.

A live studio debate ensued between Holmes, Mr Biggs and John Gow, an Auckland art dealer.

Complaints were concerned with Holmes' treatment of Mr Biggs, saying he regularly "talked over, interrupted and verbally abused", and "regularly, rudely and aggressively interrupted" Mr Biggs, and that he also showed an "angry approach" to him.

Others said that the presenter prevented Mr Biggs from explaining why the piece of work had been chosen to represent New Zealand, and did not allow him to answer any of the questions put before him.

One complainant said that Holmes was "appallingly rude" and showed "total ignorance of the local arts scene", and another that he was led to believe that the work shown in Venice would be the braying toilet.

TVNZ rejected all complaints, saying the show was not unbalanced because all the presenter's comments were "vigorously countered by Mr Biggs" and although there were times when the presenter interrupted him, it did not hinder Mr Biggs, an experienced television performer, from getting his point across.

The item also made it clear that the toilet with the braying donkey was not the art piece that was to go to Venice, the BSA said in a statement.

- NZPA