‘Legitimate public interest’ was the overriding factor in the Broadcasting Complaints Commission Tribunal’s decision to dismiss claims by New Zealand’s Lion Man, Craig Busch – who opened the Jabula Big Cat Sanctuary near Rustenburg when he moved to SA – that his privacy and dignity had been impaired by Carte Blanche, notes Legalbrief.

The M-Net current affairs show, which showed footage of incidents involving Busch and the animals, claimed the New Zealander wasn’t the big cat lover he claimed to be, and, in fact, ill-treated his animals.

Busch alleged that the broadcaster did not make reasonable efforts to fairly present opposing points of view and failed to provide him with the opportunity to respond to the allegations, and that the broadcaster also failed to exercise exceptional care and consideration in matters that involved the dignity and privacy of the complainant.

In its ruling the BCC said that ‘from the correspondence between the broadcaster and the complainant it appeared that the complainant refused to appear on camera and this caused him to miss the opportunity to present his side of the case. He was thus the author of his own misfortune’.

It found that Carte Blanche had made a reasonable effort to fairly present Busch’s version of the facts even though he refused to appear on camera. It also found that ‘the complainant’s right to privacy and dignity, being that of a public figure, was overridden by a legitimate public interest.’

Ruling

Background report on the allegations