Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
The Media Council has upheld complaints against RNZ over its article "Teenager starves to death alone in emergency accommodation", published on June 12, 2025. It considered the complaints against 10 principles and upheld on one - balance and fairness. RNZ Chief News Officer Mark Stevens responds to the decision:
This was an extremely complex and difficult story to cover. RNZ set out to explain the circumstances behind a tragedy - how a family lost their child.
In doing so, RNZ spoke to people who directly knew the young person, Alex, in their own, but different, ways. We acknowledged through our reporting that this was their perspective, but we appreciate that after our reporting, other perspectives emerged.
It is these contrasting perspectives that form the basis of the majority of the complaints made to the Media Council. RNZ thanks the Media Council for its diligence in considering these complaints. It is vital that New Zealand has a forum like this where media coverage can be tested, debated and a broad range of views articulated.
RNZ has already committed to a review of its Rainbow Guidelines and Editorial Policy to ensure they are fit for purpose, and to help guide future reporting. There is always an opportunity to learn and to improve our understanding and coverage.
We do, however, in considering the Media Council's decision, disagree with their finding on balance and fairness. RNZ interviewed people who had direct relationships with Alex. Those were their stories to tell. It sends an alarming message to newsrooms if they are expected to balance first-hand perspectives from people directly involved in a story and information contained in verified documentation with second-hand sources.
Others may choose to publish information, but RNZ is obliged to make its own verification of this, and it is unreasonable, and potentially dangerous, for the Media Council to judge RNZ on the standards and ethics of others.
Efforts were also made to follow up the story with alternative perspectives, but those are not pertinent to the substantive article the Council was considering.
Ultimately, RNZ believes there is strong public interest in telling the story of a young person who tragically starved to death in emergency accommodation and questioning how this was able to occur in New Zealand. We await coronial findings into this case.
