File image. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The NZ Media Council has upheld a complaint against a RNZ story on accuracy.
The story titled Florist says Julie Anne Genter exchange was a 'massive imbalance of power' was about a Wellington florist's claim of being bullied by Green MP Julie Anne Genter over a controversial cycleway project in Newtown.
The article incorrectly claimed that car parks were removed from outside the florist's shop to make way for a cycleway.
Complainant Tom Pearce provided photographic evidence showing there have never been car parks or a cycleway directly outside the shop on Riddiford Street.
There was a factual dispute between the complainant and RNZ about whether a cycleway continues past the florist's shop.
RNZ claimed the cycleway does continue based on road markings but the Council found RNZ's own published photograph shows the cycleway stops short of the shop.
The Council agreed with RNZ that the point of the story was the behaviour of Ms Genter but said the details about the roadway dispute were relevant context for the overall story about the interaction between the florist and Ms Genter.
They were not inconsequential details and required correcting.
The Council found RNZ failed to check its facts and its refusal to correct the inaccuracies, even when clear evidence was provided amounted to a breach of the Media Council's Principle (1) accuracy, fairness and balance.
The Council notes that if the facts about the car parks and cycleway had been corrected promptly by RNZ after receiving the complaint, it would not have upheld the complaint.
The full NZ Media Council ruling can be found here