Christchurch Mosques Terror Attack - Coverage

[NaruTVMock]

The National Remembrance Service is live on TVNZ 1 & Three.
Just a cap from Newshub taking the TVNZ feed

TVNZ 1 Caps
Coverage is hosted by Hilary Barry & Scotty Morrison

Newshub Caps
Coverage is hosted by Mike McRoberts & Samantha Hayes

[NaruTVMock]

Three has wrapped up it’s live coverage.
On TVNZ 1, Hilary & Scotty are reviewing the event

[TV.Cynic]

ABC24 showed the service while Breakfast continued on the main channel.

[littlegezzybear]

Chris Reason on Seven News disgustingly implying that Scott Morrison could have had ulterior motives when meeting Jacinda Ardern in Christchurch today. Reason said over footage of the two hugging:

perhaps hoping some of her magic would rub off

A truly bottom of the barrel news service.

[jens]

How is that implying anything?

[JBar]

Oprah’s stunning Jacinda Ardern speech

Oprah’s stunning speech about Jacinda Ardern

[BigVic]

That’s a great speech from Oprah

[NaruTVMock]

On Three tonight they are carrying live the “You Are Us Aroha Nui – A Concert for Christchurch.” Just some caps from the start

[Salty]

[Salty]

[NaruTVMock]

Thomas Mead who is now a reporter for 1 News reporting outside the High Court in Christchurch about the case.

[Salty]

[TV.Cynic]

ACMA finds Free TV broadcasters acted responsibly in coverage of Christchurch shootings

Free TV Australia welcomes the findings of the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) investigation into coverage by Australian broadcasters of the terrorist attack in Christchurch on 15 March 2019.

Free TV Australia CEO, Bridget Fair, said: “I am proud of the way that Free TV members covered a very difficult and challenging event. The role of broadcasters in keeping the public fully informed about significant events is a critical one. The news teams of all commercial free-to-air television broadcasters deserve recognition for the considered and responsible way they dealt with extremely difficult editorial decisions as new information came to light.

“Free TV is pleased that the ACMA determined that all broadcasters acted responsibly and with regard to our Code of Practice. These are not easy calls to make as news unfolds.

“We note the ACMA’s invitation to engage in a discussion around the content of our Code. Free TV believes that the principles-based approach in our Code ensures that it is adaptable to multiple fact situations but we will certainly engage constructively with the Authority to determine if the Code needs updating in light of these circumstances.”

[TV.Cynic]

ACMA Christchurch terrorist attack investigation

The ACMA has today released a consolidated report of its investigation into coverage by Australian commercial, national and subscription television broadcasters of the Christchurch terrorist attack.

The ACMA’s investigation included the review of more than 200 hours of broadcast footage as well as analysis of the detailed information provided by broadcasters about the editorial decisions they made in relation to that footage.

‘The Christchurch terror attack presented a unique circumstance for Australian television news producers. Immediate and difficult editorial decisions needed to be made to strike a balance between informing the public about the unfolding incident and broadcasting seriously distressing content,’ said ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin.

Unlike online streaming services, well-established broadcasting industry codes of practice require the editing of certain types of content before it goes to air.

‘The ACMA considers that there was some material and treatment of that material that raises questions about whether there was compliance with the broadcasting codes of practice. However, given the level of responsibility shown by the broadcasters and the unique circumstances of this incident, we do not intend to make compliance findings about individual broadcasts,’ said Ms O’Loughlin.

Instead, the ACMA has made a number of observations arising from its investigation for industry consideration:

• the need for extreme care when broadcasting material with high impact, in particular explicit footage of a person being killed
• the inconsistent, inadequate and ad hoc provision of viewer warnings
• the frequent repetition within short time frames of high-impact vision
• the need for particular care when broadcasting excerpts from perpetrator and victim generated content
• that overseas produced news content may result in the broadcast of footage that exceeds the impact of material edited for broadcast by Australian broadcasters.

The ACMA will conduct discussions with the broadcasters on its findings and potential industry responses. This could include revisions to codes of practice to embed the important lessons learned from the coverage of the Christchurch terrorist attack. In particular, whether codes are adequately framed to deal with perpetrator-generated, live streamed extreme violent material.

The ACMA notes that the content shared online of the attack has resulted in changes to the Criminal Code to target the expedited removal of such material.

[TV.Cynic]

The linked report is 61 pages including 20 pages of extracts from network’s submissions. Of possible interest is the following that was considered within the scope of the investigation:

Material and broadcasters considered

The ACMA reviewed the broadcast footage provided by the broadcasters:

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

The ABC’s coverage focused on still images of footage taken from the alleged perpetrator’s bodycam. These included:

• a gun raised above a carpeted floor inside the Al Noor mosque

• a gun raised in front of the entrance to the Al Noor mosque

• a close-up of the alleged perpetrator’s face

• weapons lying inside the boot of the alleged perpetrator’s car

• a car window shattering following the discharge of a gun from inside the car.

No victims were visible in any of these images.

Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)

SBS used three full-motion excerpts of footage taken from the alleged perpetrator’s bodycam in its SBS World News bulletin at 6.30 pm on 15 March 2019.

Firstly, a 12-second excerpt from inside the car showing guns bearing white writing; then a five-second excerpt of the alleged perpetrator driving (with music in background); and thirdly, an eight-second excerpt of the alleged perpetrator walking into the driveway of the Al Noor mosque. No victims were visible in any of these images.

SBS’s World Watch presents news and current affairs programs from overseas sources. Amongst the World Watch programs broadcast on the weekend of 15–17 March 2019, some used excerpts from the alleged perpetrator’s bodycam that did not appear to have been edited. These included:

The alleged perpetrator walking towards the doorway of the Al Noor mosque before pointing a gun toward two people standing in the doorway. Gunshots were heard as smoke could be seen leaving the barrel of the gun with the people still in view.

The alleged perpetrator pointing a shotgun toward the passenger side window of a car at a person dressed in white. The alleged perpetrator fired the shotgun at the person.

The alleged perpetrator pumping the shotgun before appearing to fire it through the windscreen of the car. A person appeared to be standing next to a car in the distance.

Some survivor phone footage recorded by a survivor inside the Linwood Islamic Centre, in the immediate aftermath of the attack was also broadcast as part of a WorldWatch news program. In this material, bodies could be seen lying motionless within the room and in the car park outside. Blood detail was visible on several victims as well as on the carpet and on the walls. Blurring effects were used sparingly.

No gunshots could be seen hitting any of the victims in this footage that was broadcast.

Seven Network

The Seven Network used a range of excerpts of footage taken from the alleged perpetrator’s bodycam, including from inside the car as the alleged perpetrator drove; a close-up of the alleged perpetrator’s face; outside as he retrieved weapons from the boot and walked toward the Al Noor mosque; and a range of excerpts of footage in which the alleged perpetrator fired toward people who could be seen on screen. These included:

• a gun firing down a roadside footpath towards people in the distance

• a still image of a gun pointed towards two people standing in the doorway to the Al Noor mosque

• inside the Al Noor mosque with obscured images of dead/wounded

• a still image from inside the mosque of a gun pointed toward a man

• a gun firing through a passenger-side window toward a person on a footpath

• a gun firing toward two people attempting to escape through a fence.

In five of these excerpts, the viewer would have understood, either from the information conveyed by the images themselves or by additional information provided by the reporter, that the people seen on-screen had been shot.

There was no footage broadcast of people being hit by gunfire, injured or killed.

Nine Network

The Nine Network also used a range of excerpts of footage taken from the alleged perpetrator’s bodycam, including from inside the car as the alleged perpetrator drove; a close-up of the alleged perpetrator’s face; outside as weapons were retrieved from the boot and the alleged perpetrator walked toward the Al Noor mosque; and a range of excerpts of footage in which the alleged perpetrator fired toward people. These included:

• a gun firing down a roadside footpath towards people in the distance

• a still image of a gun firing towards two people standing in the doorway to the Al Noor mosque

• inside the Al Noor mosque with obscured images of dead/wounded

• a gun firing through a passenger-side window toward a person on a footpath

• a gun firing toward two people attempting to escape through a fence

• a gun firing through the windscreen towards a person near a car.

In five of these excerpts, the viewer would have understood, either from the information conveyed directly by the images themselves or by additional information provided by the reporter, that the people seen on-screen had been shot.

There was no footage broadcast of people being hit by gunfire, injured or killed.

Network Ten

Network Ten used a range of excerpts of footage taken from the alleged perpetrator’s bodycam, including from inside the car as the alleged perpetrator drove; a close-up of the alleged perpetrator’s face; outside as weapons were retrieved from the boot and the alleged perpetrator walked toward the Al Noor mosque; and a range of excerpts of footage in which the alleged perpetrator fired toward people. These included:

• a gun firing down a roadside footpath towards people in the distance

• a still image of a gun firing towards two people standing in the doorway to the Al Noor mosque

• a gun firing through the windscreen towards a person near a car.

In each of these excerpts, the viewer would have understood, either from the information conveyed by the images themselves or by additional information provided by the reporter, that the people seen on-screen had been shot.

Again, there was no footage broadcast of people being hit by gunfire, injured or killed.

Regional television broadcasters

Regional television broadcasters, notably Southern Cross Austereo, Prime and Golden West Network, presented items in locally produced news bulletins that were packaged reports sourced from their affiliated national networks.

WIN broadcast Sky News Live on WIN under its commercial television licence. Content of note on Sky News Live is described below.

Foxtel—Sky News Live

Sky News Live is a 24-hour news channel. On the afternoon of Friday 15 March 2019, it broadcast rolling coverage of the aftermath of the attack, including a continuous sequence of excerpts of footage taken from the alleged perpetrator’s bodycam that contained the following:

• a gun pointing towards two people standing in the doorway to the Al Noor mosque

• a gun pointing down a roadside footpath towards people in the distance

• gunfire through a windscreen directed towards vehicles

• a gun firing through a passenger-side window toward a person on a footpath.

These excerpts were broadcast together with audio also sourced from footage taken from the alleged perpetrator’s bodycam.

There was no footage broadcast of people being hit by gunfire, injured or killed.

Foxtel—TRT World

TRT World is a Turkish international news service broadcast 24-hours a day in English as a subscription narrowcasting service. On the evening of 15 March 2019, the service broadcast rolling coverage on the Christchurch attack.

The rolling coverage included the following footage taken from the alleged perpetrator’s bodycam:

• driving over what appeared to be a dead body

• aiming a firearm at two people standing in the entrance to the Al Noor mosque

• aiming and firing a shotgun through the car windscreen.

No gunshots could be seen hitting any of the victims in this footage.

[TV4]

He pleaded guilty today in court, for all charges. Next stage is sentencing.

[MrJ]

ABC using the shooters name, most media is still respecting arderns requests not to.

[TV.Cynic]

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/sentencing-date-set-christchurch-terrorist-attack-gunman

In a minute issued on Thursday by Justice Cameron Mander it was announced the sentencing would now take place on Monday 24 August at 10am.

Justice Mander said the reason for the delay in announcing a date was due to the number of family and victims overseas unable to return to New Zealand for the sentencing due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Only those with New Zealand citizenship were currently allowed to re-enter the country and the Ministry of Justice had been waiting to hear from Immigration New Zealand if a “limited exceptions” process could be used to allow non-citizens to return.

I see that many news organisations including TVNZ are naming the terrorist in their reports.

[TV.Cynic]

Sentencing has started today - commercial networks using name of shooter, but I noted that ABC radio this morning refrained from doing so.

[JasonF]

ABC News (abcnews)