TLTP
\nISLAMABAD
\nThe British TV regulatory authority has slapped a fine of \u00a320,000 on India\u2019s Hindi television channel \u2018Republic Bharat\u2019 for broadcasting hate speech against Pakistan, The Wire, a YouTube channel of Indian sane journalists, reported.
\nOfcom is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom.
\nIn a detailed verdict, Ofcom said that Republic\u2019s \u201cPoochta Hai Bharat\u201d programme \u2013 the evening prime time show hosted by controversial Arnab Goswami \u2013 had failed to comply with its broadcasting rules, The Wire reported.
\nRepublic TV and its combative founder and main anchor Goswami are largely seen as sympathetic to Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).<\/p>\n
According to Ofcom, an episode, shown on September 6, 2019, featured \u201ccomments made by the host and some of his guests that amounted to hate speech against Pakistani people, and derogatory and abusive treatment of Pakistani people. The content was also potentially offensive and was not sufficiently justified by the context.\u201d<\/p>\n
By the time the episode aired, Ofcom had already notified Republic that it had been receiving a number of complaints on content broadcast by it in relation to \u201chighly pejorative references to members of the Pakistani community..\u201d<\/p>\n
Worldview Media Network Limited, the licensee which airs Republic Bharat in the UK, will also need to broadcast a statement of Ofcom\u2019s findings and is barred from repeating the programme in the UK.<\/p>\n
The show under the scanner was a 35-minute discussion that hinged upon India\u2019s lunar mission that left it red faced with embarrassment as its ambition to become the fourth country to land on the moon ended with failure last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe host and the Indian guests dominated the discussion, with the Pakistani guests attempting to respond but largely being shouted down by the presenter and Indian guests,\u201d Ofcom\u2019s note says.<\/p>\n
The content \u201cspread, incited, promoted and justified such intolerance towards Pakistani people among viewers,\u201d found the body. As such, it said, the show violated three rules of its Broadcasting Code.<\/p>\n
The code does not prohibit criticism of any country or citizens of that country, Ofcom notes, adding that \u201csuch criticism must not spill over into pejorative abuse.\u201d<\/p>\n
An Indian court earlier this month sent the chief executive of Republic television network to jail in a case related to manipulation of television ratings. TLTP<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TLTP ISLAMABAD The British TV regulatory authority has slapped a fine of \u00a320,000 on India\u2019s Hindi television channel \u2018Republic Bharat\u2019 for broadcasting hate speech against Pakistan, The Wire, a YouTube channel of Indian sane journalists, reported. Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-163846","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n