TVNZ fined over Paul Henry Dikshit remarks

Paul Henry is due to begin his drive-time radio slot in July. Photo / Doug Sherring

The Broadcasting Standards Authority has criticised former Breakfast host Paul Henry over a segment where he ridiculed the name of a senior Indian minister.

In a show on October 1 last year, Henry used a discussion on the Commonwealth Games to make fun of the name of Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit.

He repeatedly labelled her "dick shit" and said the name was "so appropriate because she's Indian, so she would be dick in shit" when walking the streets.

The remarks sparked a diplomatic incident, which eventually saw New Zealand officially apologise to the Indian Government.

In a decision released today, the BSA labeled the exchange a breach of standards of decency and fairness as well as being discriminatory.

It ordered TVNZ to pay $3000 costs.

The BSA said Henry's statements were offensive to both Ms Dikshit and to all Indian people.

The decision said Henry's manner, which included sneering and uncontrollable laughter during the segment, worsened his offence.

"We consider that Mr Henry's repeated ridicule of Ms Dikshit's name amounted to a sustained and deliberate attack against the Chief Minister personally.

"His subsequent comment, which associated the words "dick shit" with people of Indian descent was not only derogatory but entirely dissonant with common decency and a clear breach of the discrimination and denigration standard."

Though it originally accepted complaints over the exchange were justified, TVNZ defended Henry as speaking in the context of reports on sanitary conditions at the Commonwealth Games athletes village.

International media had reported there was human excrement in some areas through the village.

The BSA rejected those defences and said TVNZ had not gone far enough in simply accepting Mr Henry's comments were "inappropriate"

"In our view, the breaches called for a firm and unqualified acceptance that the comments were unacceptable, and for a prompt and unequivocal statement and apology broadcast on Breakfast."

Meanwhile, TV3 owner TVWorks was also been ordered to pay $3000 costs over the use of the word "c**t" in the first 10 minutes of an episode of Outrageous Fortune.

The BSA said some language on the show breached a children's interest standards, which requires broadcasters not to air strong adult material soon after 8:30pm.

It said the use of the phrase "you are not giving that c**t a cent" at about 8:40pm was a mistake and unacceptable.

A warning for "language" would not have adequately prepared viewers for the level of coarse language that dominated the opening section of the programme, the BSA said.

"We consider that it demonstrated a blatant disregard by the broadcaster for the Adults Only watershed, which is in place specifically to protect child viewers from this type of material."

TVWorks originally upheld complaints over the the use of the word, saying it breached standards of good taste and decency and protecting children's interests.

However, it did not uphold complaints about other obscenities.