Televising a crayfish being boiled alive was educational and humane, the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) has ruled.
A complaint was made after a TV One MasterChef New Zealand episode broadcast on March 31 showed a contestant killing crayfish by placing them in boiling water.
The next night, Close Up debated the best way to kill a crayfish and showed a guest chef putting one into boiling water. It had been pre-frozen to put it to sleep.
A viewer complained that boiling the crayfish alive was "inhumane" and said that she had concerns about killing the crayfish when it was "supposedly asleep on ice".
But Television New Zealand said the episode would not have caused offence or distress to a significant number of viewers.
It refused to uphold the complaint, as did the BSA.
"While some child viewers may have been upset by the footage on MasterChef New Zealand, the contestant was criticised for her actions and the correct preparation method was explained," the BSA said in its decision.
"The killing of the crayfish on Close Up was humane, educational, and enabled a discussion about the proper practice to take place.
"...the killing of the crayfish was well signposted and parents were given adequate time to exercise discretion."
