Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) Biography

The BSA’s objective in its media literacy strategy is that New Zealanders are able to engage effectively and wisely with the electronic media content of their choice. It intends to accomplish this objective in three ways:

1. conduct research designed to inform the BSA about media literacy needs, and
2. provide information that advances media literacy, and
3. partner with organisations and/or support initiatives that promote media literacy.

Research

Research ensures that the BSA has a broad understanding of the media literacy environment and specific research can target media literacy capabilities and media behaviour of various parts of society. Media literacy related research in the past four years has consisted of the following: Watching the Watchers: An Observational Study of Children’s Television Viewing and Response to Programme Content (BSA, 2010) – available early 2010 Some Content May Offend: Public Attitudes to Content Classifications and Warnings on Free –to-air and Pay TV (BSA, 2010) – available early 2010 Viewing Violence: Audience Perceptions of Violent Content in Audio-Visual Entertainment (BSA and Office of Film and Literature Classification, 2008) Seen and Heard: Children’s Media Use, Exposure and Response (BSA, 2008) Children’s Media Use and Responses: A Review of the Literature (Jackson et al, 2007) Media Literacy Information in New Zealand: A comparative assessment of current data (Comrie et al, 2007) Issues facing broadcast content regulation (Millwood-Hargrave et al, 2006) The Future of Media Regulation in NZ: Is There One? (Price and Brown, 2006)

Information

The BSA provides information, advice and support related to broadcasting standards complaints system and the work of the BSA. This includes, but is not limited to:

• BSA Codes of Broadcasting Practice
• BSA decisions
• Classifications and warnings
• The ‘watershed’ (AO 8:30pm time on free-to-air television)
• BSA research
• Advertisements run by broadcasters to publicise procedures for making complaints  

Partnering, Support and Co-ordination

There is no agency in government charged to co-ordinate media literacy in New Zealand.

The BSA has placed itself to act as a central point, to help to raise the profile of existing initiatives and create links between organisations working in the area. Equally, it can partner and/or support various media literacy initiatives. Support need not be financial, it may involve boosting the profile of an event, providing expertise or putting like-minded groups in touch with each other.