JOHN MALCOLM OVERTON AGAINST STUFF
Case Number: 3557
Council Meeting: 21 October 2024
Decision: No Grounds to Proceed
Publication: Stuff
Principle:
Accuracy, Fairness and Balance
Comment and Fact
Ruling Categories:
- Stuff published an article on 8 September 2024 headlined New live music venue faces opposition over liquor licence.
- It reported that a new live music venue was set to open at the site of Dunedin’s former Captain Cook Tavern if it could get new liquor licence. It described the tavern as the birthplace of the Dunedin Sound music era and included comment from parties for and against the licence.
- John Malcolm Overton complained that it was wrong to call it the home of the Dunedin Sound. The birthplace was in fact the Empire Hotel. The public should also be informed that he was the promoter who coined the name “Dunedin Sound” and got the independent, garage music out into the public.
- Stuff responded to the complaint by correcting the story to say the former Captain Cook Tavern was “a home of the Dunedin Sound music era.”
- The NZ Media Council believes Stuff’s correction was prompt and appropriate. The story was about a liquor licence application for the Captain Cook Tavern, not the history of the Dunedin Sound or its birthplace. Although this was a matter of importance to Mr Overton, it was clearly a minor mistake which Stuff conceded. It was under no obligation to further detail Mr Overton’s history with the Dunedin music scene.
- NZ Media Council members expressed concern that the emails between the complainant and the journalist were unnecessarily aggressive and abusive. Mr Overton’s first email drew no response as it went to the reporter’s spam folder. A second email, sent the following day, told the journalist “You need to brush up on your facts before putting your fingers to the keyboard.”
- The journalist replied “I think you need to take a deep breath before you email abusive emails to people. I’ve been a reporter for 20 years and have won regional reporter of the twice. I have credibility, you’ve lost yours with your demands.”
- The Media Council believes the complaint should have been resolved amicably with Stuff’s concession and minor correction. Engaging in the heated tit for tat exchange seen here was pointless.
- There were no grounds to proceed.