The Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) has sided with Otago University student radio station Radio One, after a complaint by an Australian based GP about the radio station’s show Overgrown.
The show, which is produced by pro-cannabis protest group NORML, and is hosted by NORML Vice-President and local botanist Abe Gray, is dedicated to the discussion of issues relating to cannabis and argues for cannabis law reform in New Zealand.
Dr Rob Phair complained to Radio One in September last year after listening to Overgrown online. He claimed that the show was “shamelessly pro-cannabis” and ignored the detrimental health effects of the drug, specifically the link between cannabis and schizophrenia. Dr Phair further claimed that his views were misrepresented and he was personally denigrated in the show.
After the complaint was referred to the BSA last November, the Authority released its decision on March 27, ruling that the discussion of cannabis on the show did not breach any standards of law and order. In its decision the BSA stated, “While we accept that the programme promoted and encouraged cannabis use and that such use is unlawful in this country, in our view, this was done in the spirit of protest and for the purpose of contributing to the debate on, and advocating the decriminalisation of cannabis.”
On the show Gray had been critical of limiting the use of cannabis for medical reasons, saying, “misinformed people, whoever they are, doctors or otherwise, they’re the ones who are actually doing a disservice to these patient communities by buying into one-sided propaganda and letting that dictate their treatment outcomes for patients.”
The BSA said that its decision was supported by freedom of speech considerations. “The programme amounted to high value speech because it is legitimate and desirable in a free democracy for individuals to challenge particular laws and promote law reform. In a free and democratic society people must be allowed to question and challenge the law and to freely express their opinions and ideas on issues involving self-autonomy.”
Radio One Station Manager Sean Norling welcomed the decision, telling Critic, “We appreciate the decisions made by the BSA … It has vindicated Overgrown’s position as legitimate protest radio and reinforces our right to freedom of expression. Independent media’s role in questioning authority and central government legislation is important now more than ever with the critical lens of NZ’s mainstream media in an apparently glaucomic state.”
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