NEW DELHI: British TV regulatory authority Office of Communications (Ofcom) has imposed a £20,000 fine on Republic Bharat, Republic TV’s Hindi channel, for promoting hate speech and intolerance in a programme that was broadcast last year, on 6 September 2019.
Ofcom, is a government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom.
The decision stated that Republic Bharat’s Poochta Hai Bharat programme – the evening primetime show hosted by Arnab Goswami – had failed to comply with its broadcasting rules in respect of "offensive language", "hate speech" and " abusive or derogatory treatment of individuals, groups, religions or communities" with its comments against people of Pakistan. The show under the scanner was a discussion that focused upon India’s Chandrayaan mission.
Ofcom said, “The programme contained statements which amounted to hate speech against, and was abusive and derogatory about, Pakistani people on the basis of their nationality. Under the Equality Act 2010, race is a protected characteristic, and race includes both nationality and ethnic or national origins. These statements would potentially be harmful and highly offensive to any person who did not share the sentiment being expressed by the presenter and his Indian guests.”
Ofcom further mentioned that the time of the broadcast, the licensee was already aware, having been notified by Ofcom by telephone call and by email on 21 August 2019, that Ofcom was receiving a number of complaints about the service, including in relation to "highly pejorative references to members of the Pakistani community (e.g. continually referring to them as ‘filthy’)". Ofcom asked the licensee's compliance contact to remind the business of its obligations under the Broadcasting Code. It was therefore the regulator's view that appropriate steps were not taken by the licensee to prevent this contravention.
Worldview Media Network Ltd, the licensee which airs Republic Bharat in the UK, will also need to broadcast a statement of Ofcom’s findings and is not allowed to repeat the programme in the UK.
