British media regulator fines Republic TV £20,000 for hate speech against Pakistanis

[Morpheus]

British media regulator fines Republic TV £20,000 for hate speech against Pakistanis

British media regulator Ofcom has been fined a whopping £20,000 for airing hate speech against Pakistanis.
The Republic Bharat channel broadcasts rolling news and current affairs to the Hindi speaking community in the UK like dozens of Indian and Pakistani news and entertainment channels.

The fine has been imposed after the British media regulator found an episode of a show — Poochta Hai Bharat — hosted by controversial anchor Arnab Goswami containing hate speech against the people of Pakistan.

Ofcom told this correspondent in a statement: “We concluded that this was a serious breach of our rules which warranted the imposition of statutory sanctions. These include: a financial penalty of £20,000, payable to HM Paymaster General; a direction not to repeat the programme; and a direction to broadcast a statement of our findings on a date – and in a form - to be determined by Ofcom.”
The controversial episode of Poochta Hai Bharat was broadcast on 22 July, 2019. It featured a debate between Arnab Goswami and his guests (three Indians and three Pakistanis) relating to India’s attempt to send the spacecraft Chandrayaan 2 on its mission to the moon.

Other topics that came under discussion during the show included India’s record of space exploration and other technological advancements in comparison to Pakistan’s, the Kashmir issue, and Pakistan’s “alleged involvement in terrorist activities against Indian targets”.

In the programme, the presenter and some of his guests conveyed the view that all Pakistani people were terrorists, that even Pakistani sports celebrities and children were militants.
The presenter, addressing Pakistan and/or Pakistani people, said: “We make scientists, you make terrorists”.
Ofcom said: “We considered these statements to be expressions of hatred based on intolerance of Pakistani people based on their nationality alone, and that the broadcast of these statements spread, incited, promoted and justified such intolerance towards Pakistani people among viewers.

The British media regulator said in its findings: “We considered however that these statements, made by a retired major-general from the Indian Army, which clearly threatened that the Indian military would attack Pakistani civilians in their homes, were an expression of hatred and desire to kill by a figure of authority. In our view, the broadcast of these statements also promoted hatred and intolerance towards Pakistani people.”

Overall tone of the episode was 'provocative': Ofcom

Ofcom said that the overall tone of the discussion was provocative. “We also noted that Pakistani contributors were repeatedly interrupted and afforded little time to make points which may potentially have provided challenge or context.”

Ofcom said that the statements made in the programme “were expressions of hatred based on intolerance of Pakistani people on the basis of their nationality alone, and promoted hatred and intolerance towards Pakistani people”.
The licensee argued that the use of the term “****” was not intended to be offensive, nor would it be interpreted as such particularly when used in the sub-continent.

In Ofcom’s view, these negative descriptions constituted “uncontextualised abuse and derogatory treatment of Pakistani people on the ground of their nationality in breach of Rule 3.3. 38”.

The Republic TV told Ofcom that it shouldn’t be slapped with a fine and promised that no live discussion on India-Pakistan issues will be aired in future unless reviewed and edited first to comply with UK's laws but the Ofcom found that Republic TV had acted in recklessness and broken certain rules repeatedly.

Ofcom found that the material aired on Republic TV “posed a risk of harm to the Pakistani community in the UK, and to good relations particularly between members of the UK’s Indian and Pakistani communities”.

British media regulator fines Republic TV £20,000 for hate speech against Pakistanis

British media regulator Ofcom has been fined a whopping £20,000 for airing hate speech against Pakistanis. The Republic Bharat channel broadcasts rolling news and current...

www.thenews.com.pk

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

[Imran Khan]

arnab ke bury din chal rahy hain

 

[Sal12]

UK Govt Body Slaps £20,000 Fine on Republic Bharat for 'Hate Speech Against Pakistanis'
According to Ofcom, the September 6, 2019, discussion hosted by Arnab Goswami featured "comments 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."

Arnab Goswami on Republic TV. Photo: PTI

The Wire Staff




New Delhi: British TV regulatory authority Ofcom has imposed a £20,000 fine on Republic Bharat, Republic TV’s Hindi channel, for hate speech against Pakistani people in a programme broadcast last year.
Ofcom, which stands for Office of Communications, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom
In a detailed note on its decision, Ofcom said that Republic Bharat’s Poochta Hai Bharat programme – the evening primetime show hosted by Arnab Goswami – had failed to comply with its broadcasting rules.
According to Ofcom, an episode, shown on September 6, 2019, featured “comments 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.”
At the time, the atmosphere was charged with Pakistan’s critical reaction to India taking away Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and breaking up the state into two Centrally-ruled UTs. But the regulator did not accept this as an extenuating circumstance.
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 “highly pejorative references to members of the Pakistani community (e.g. continually referring to them as “filthy”)”.
Worldview Media Network Limited, the licensee which airs Republic Bharat in the UK, will also need to broadcast a statement of Ofcom’s findings and is barred from repeating the programme in the UK.
Also read: A Long Look at How Republic TV and Mumbai Police Have Crossed Swords and Limits
The show under the scanner was a 35-minute discussion that hinged upon India’s Chandrayaan mission but sought to encompass a larger narrative on how India was advanced in space science and its neighbour Pakistan, was not.
Among participants were Major Gaurav Arya, Maj General K.K. Sinha, Prem Shukla of the BJP, and Omar Inam and Omar Altaf from Pakistan. A third Pakistani guest remained unidentified by Ofcom, and according to the transcription, was largely unable to get a word in.
“The 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,” Ofcom’s note says.
From the discussion which was often chaotic enough to flummox the transcriber, Ofcom gleaned that “statements were made which implied not just that there are threats to Indian interests and citizens from particular people and groups inside Pakistan, but that all Pakistanis represent a terrorist threat to Indians and others.”
The statements made in the show by guests, and including the host Goswami, said Ofcom,
“conveyed the view that all Pakistani people are terrorists, including that: “their scientists, doctors, their leaders, politicians all are terrorists. Even their sports people”; “every child is a terrorist over there. Every child is a terrorist. You are dealing with a terrorist entity”. One guest also described Pakistani scientists as “thieves”, while another described Pakistani people as “beggars”.”
Also read: ‘Ignorance of Law No Excuse’: Bombay HC Tells Republic TV in SSR Media Trials Case
The content “spread, incited, promoted and justified such intolerance towards Pakistani people among viewers,” found the body. As such, it said, the show violated three rules of its Broadcasting Code.
Rule 3.2: “Material which contains hate speech must not be included in television… programmes… except where it is justified by the context”.
Rule 3.3: “Material which contains abusive or derogatory treatment of individuals, groups, religions or communities, must not be included in television… services… except where it is justified by the context”.
Rule 2.3: “In applying generally accepted standards broadcasters must ensure that material which may cause offence is justified by the context… Such material may include […] offensive language, […] discriminatory treatment or language (for example on the grounds of […] religion or belief […]). Appropriate information should also be broadcast where it would assist in avoiding or minimising offence.”
The Code does not prohibit criticism of any country or citizens of that country, Ofcom notes, adding that “such criticism must not spill over into pejorative abuse.”
Ofcom Sanction Decision Republic Bharat by The Wire on Scribd


‘Pakistan has become a word of abuse in the world’

Ofcom’s observations on the show carry detailed transcripts. The body said it had commissioned a translation of the Hindi discussion and has included parts where Republic TV has disagreed with the translated versions.
Republic has told Ofcom, by way of a response to the initial notice in February, that while theirs was an “emotionally charged” discussion, the programme “did not promote terrorism or hatred and it certainly did not promote or justify hatred in any way”.
However, a close look at the transcript offers a clear idea of the register of speech that transcends bias and nestles firmly in the rhetoric of abuse.
One of the excerpts singled out by Ofcom is Major Gaurav Arya’s when he says:
“Arnab, that the word Pakistan has become a word of abuse in the world… This word has become an abuse. When they carry a green passport, when they carry a green passport to the airport, they have to go through a strip-search. Their previous
prime minister, he was strip-searched by the Americans. Arnab, this is the creditability of the Pakistani passport…Today, the word Pakistani, the word Pakistani, Arnab, it is being used as a word of abuse in the whole world. And they should know that the word Pakistani does not belong to a community or a nation only. It is an abuse now…People use the word ****, the word **** is an abuse, if you go anywhere in America, or if you will go to Europe, when you use the word, it is an abuse. It has become an abuse. They do not know.”
To this, Ofcom notes, Republic sought to say that the use of “****” during the programme was not intended as an insult but as a “casual reference to the nationality of Pakistan”. The channel also sought to impress that it was an inoffensive term and that the “use of the term had been reclaimed by Pakistani people” – a version Ofcom disagreed with.
Also read: In Funding Hatred, India’s Corporates Have Compromised With Evil
Republic also told Ofcom that some of the words it was interpreting as hate speech were “figures of speech not intended to be taken literally, which Asian viewers would have understood clearly”.
Among them, ostensibly is a line by Prem Shukla, comparing Pakistanis with donkeys.
“Look Arnab, if we discuss science with a donkey, what else will a donkey do than give you a double kick?… Pakistan is a country of donkeys, what do they have to do with space science?
The day’s discussion, noticeably took a clear turn from India’s space achievement – which the Pakistani guests repeatedly sought to highlight – and veered into open threat of war with Pakistan.
For instance, General Sinha said:
“What? You are an artificial lion. Oh you useless people. Beggars. Oh beggars, oh beggars. We will douse you with 1.25kg, .75kg-, with two inches. Azad Kashmir, Azad Kashmir, we are coming to the Azad Kashmir. We are coming to the Gilgit, Baltistan, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa…We are going to come, be ready. People in your country are shivering with fear that the Indian army may come, the Indian army may come. We will barge inside your home in Baluchistan, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Karachi, in your area, in Multan, in Rawalpindi and kill you. From Lahore, from Karachi to Gilgit-Baltistan when we will have control.”
Repeat offender
In its order, Ofcom has also listed out examples of other financial penalties it has imposed for breaches in the Code. These include fines imposed on religious-oriented programmes (Christian and Islamic) that spread hate against homosexuals and Jewish people.
Two of those cases cited by Ofcom were related to Peace TV, the broadcasting channel of Malaysia-based preacher Zakir Naik, who is wanted in India.

Ofcom imposed a fine of £100,000 on Peace TV for another programme where an imam made a “sustained attack on homosexuality that was not presented with any reference to religious scripture and was expressed in a way which was gratuitously and repeatedly abusive”.
Incidentally, the UK licensee of Republic Bharat had argued that its case was “factually analogous” to the first case of breach by Peace TV and should be treated in that manner. However, Ofcom did not agree and asserted that “size and turnover is a relevant factor when considering penalty”.
This was not the first time that Ofcom had ruled on programmes of Republic Bharat.
In January this year, the regulatory body decided that the “graphic footage” of a traffic accident in Gorakhpur had violated the Broadcasting Code’s guidelines about usage of violent material that could impact children.
A month later, the channel had been found in breach of Rule 9.5 of the Broadcasting code when the logo of a financial exchange distributor was displayed on the laptop of two presenters of a programme, Bullet 100. In the same month, February 2020, Ofcom had published the first ruling on the September 6, 2019 prime time debate by Arnab Goswami, which had found it guilty of breaching section 3 of the Broadcasting Code. The regulatory body had also stated that it was contemplating a fine.
“In this case, we considered that the uncontextualised hate speech and abusive and derogatory treatment of groups and communities was serious. We are putting the Licensee on notice that we are minded to consider these breaches for the imposition of a statutory sanction”.
Three months later, Ofcom was back to accusing Republic Bharat of breaching the Code. In the ruling, Ofcom observed, “We were also concerned that the presenter did not seek to challenge or contextualise any of the critical statements made by the Indian guests. Instead he encouraged these panellists and endorsed their views. We considered this compounded the impact of their and his own abusive and derogatory statements during the programme”.
However, it did not mention any sanction in this order.

UK Media Watchdog Fines Arnab’s Republic Bharat £20,000 for 'Hate Speech Against Pakistanis'

According to Ofcom, the September 6, 2019, discussion hosted by Arnab Goswami featured

thewire.in

 

[fitpOsitive]

20000? This is what this guy earn in 10 min. This is like peanuts.

 

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

UK Govt Body Slaps £20,000 Fine on Republic Bharat for 'Hate Speech Against Pakistanis'
According to Ofcom, the September 6, 2019, discussion hosted by Arnab Goswami featured "comments 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."

Arnab Goswami on Republic TV. Photo: PTI

The Wire Staff




New Delhi: British TV regulatory authority Ofcom has imposed a £20,000 fine on Republic Bharat, Republic TV’s Hindi channel, for hate speech against Pakistani people in a programme broadcast last year.
Ofcom, which stands for Office of Communications, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom
In a detailed note on its decision, Ofcom said that Republic Bharat’s Poochta Hai Bharat programme – the evening primetime show hosted by Arnab Goswami – had failed to comply with its broadcasting rules.
According to Ofcom, an episode, shown on September 6, 2019, featured “comments 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.”
At the time, the atmosphere was charged with Pakistan’s critical reaction to India taking away Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and breaking up the state into two Centrally-ruled UTs. But the regulator did not accept this as an extenuating circumstance.
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 “highly pejorative references to members of the Pakistani community (e.g. continually referring to them as “filthy”)”.
Worldview Media Network Limited, the licensee which airs Republic Bharat in the UK, will also need to broadcast a statement of Ofcom’s findings and is barred from repeating the programme in the UK.
Also read: A Long Look at How Republic TV and Mumbai Police Have Crossed Swords and Limits
The show under the scanner was a 35-minute discussion that hinged upon India’s Chandrayaan mission but sought to encompass a larger narrative on how India was advanced in space science and its neighbour Pakistan, was not.
Among participants were Major Gaurav Arya, Maj General K.K. Sinha, Prem Shukla of the BJP, and Omar Inam and Omar Altaf from Pakistan. A third Pakistani guest remained unidentified by Ofcom, and according to the transcription, was largely unable to get a word in.
“The 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,” Ofcom’s note says.
From the discussion which was often chaotic enough to flummox the transcriber, Ofcom gleaned that “statements were made which implied not just that there are threats to Indian interests and citizens from particular people and groups inside Pakistan, but that all Pakistanis represent a terrorist threat to Indians and others.”
The statements made in the show by guests, and including the host Goswami, said Ofcom,
“conveyed the view that all Pakistani people are terrorists, including that: “their scientists, doctors, their leaders, politicians all are terrorists. Even their sports people”; “every child is a terrorist over there. Every child is a terrorist. You are dealing with a terrorist entity”. One guest also described Pakistani scientists as “thieves”, while another described Pakistani people as “beggars”.”
Also read: ‘Ignorance of Law No Excuse’: Bombay HC Tells Republic TV in SSR Media Trials Case
The content “spread, incited, promoted and justified such intolerance towards Pakistani people among viewers,” found the body. As such, it said, the show violated three rules of its Broadcasting Code.
Rule 3.2: “Material which contains hate speech must not be included in television… programmes… except where it is justified by the context”.
Rule 3.3: “Material which contains abusive or derogatory treatment of individuals, groups, religions or communities, must not be included in television… services… except where it is justified by the context”.
Rule 2.3: “In applying generally accepted standards broadcasters must ensure that material which may cause offence is justified by the context… Such material may include […] offensive language, […] discriminatory treatment or language (for example on the grounds of […] religion or belief […]). Appropriate information should also be broadcast where it would assist in avoiding or minimising offence.”
The Code does not prohibit criticism of any country or citizens of that country, Ofcom notes, adding that “such criticism must not spill over into pejorative abuse.”
Ofcom Sanction Decision Republic Bharat by The Wire on Scribd


‘Pakistan has become a word of abuse in the world’

Ofcom’s observations on the show carry detailed transcripts. The body said it had commissioned a translation of the Hindi discussion and has included parts where Republic TV has disagreed with the translated versions.
Republic has told Ofcom, by way of a response to the initial notice in February, that while theirs was an “emotionally charged” discussion, the programme “did not promote terrorism or hatred and it certainly did not promote or justify hatred in any way”.
However, a close look at the transcript offers a clear idea of the register of speech that transcends bias and nestles firmly in the rhetoric of abuse.
One of the excerpts singled out by Ofcom is Major Gaurav Arya’s when he says:
“Arnab, that the word Pakistan has become a word of abuse in the world… This word has become an abuse. When they carry a green passport, when they carry a green passport to the airport, they have to go through a strip-search. Their previous
prime minister, he was strip-searched by the Americans. Arnab, this is the creditability of the Pakistani passport…Today, the word Pakistani, the word Pakistani, Arnab, it is being used as a word of abuse in the whole world. And they should know that the word Pakistani does not belong to a community or a nation only. It is an abuse now…People use the word ****, the word **** is an abuse, if you go anywhere in America, or if you will go to Europe, when you use the word, it is an abuse. It has become an abuse. They do not know.”
To this, Ofcom notes, Republic sought to say that the use of “****” during the programme was not intended as an insult but as a “casual reference to the nationality of Pakistan”. The channel also sought to impress that it was an inoffensive term and that the “use of the term had been reclaimed by Pakistani people” – a version Ofcom disagreed with.
Also read: In Funding Hatred, India’s Corporates Have Compromised With Evil
Republic also told Ofcom that some of the words it was interpreting as hate speech were “figures of speech not intended to be taken literally, which Asian viewers would have understood clearly”.
Among them, ostensibly is a line by Prem Shukla, comparing Pakistanis with donkeys.
“Look Arnab, if we discuss science with a donkey, what else will a donkey do than give you a double kick?… Pakistan is a country of donkeys, what do they have to do with space science?
The day’s discussion, noticeably took a clear turn from India’s space achievement – which the Pakistani guests repeatedly sought to highlight – and veered into open threat of war with Pakistan.
For instance, General Sinha said:
“What? You are an artificial lion. Oh you useless people. Beggars. Oh beggars, oh beggars. We will douse you with 1.25kg, .75kg-, with two inches. Azad Kashmir, Azad Kashmir, we are coming to the Azad Kashmir. We are coming to the Gilgit, Baltistan, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa…We are going to come, be ready. People in your country are shivering with fear that the Indian army may come, the Indian army may come. We will barge inside your home in Baluchistan, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Karachi, in your area, in Multan, in Rawalpindi and kill you. From Lahore, from Karachi to Gilgit-Baltistan when we will have control.”
Repeat offender
In its order, Ofcom has also listed out examples of other financial penalties it has imposed for breaches in the Code. These include fines imposed on religious-oriented programmes (Christian and Islamic) that spread hate against homosexuals and Jewish people.
Two of those cases cited by Ofcom were related to Peace TV, the broadcasting channel of Malaysia-based preacher Zakir Naik, who is wanted in India.

Ofcom imposed a fine of £100,000 on Peace TV for another programme where an imam made a “sustained attack on homosexuality that was not presented with any reference to religious scripture and was expressed in a way which was gratuitously and repeatedly abusive”.
Incidentally, the UK licensee of Republic Bharat had argued that its case was “factually analogous” to the first case of breach by Peace TV and should be treated in that manner. However, Ofcom did not agree and asserted that “size and turnover is a relevant factor when considering penalty”.
This was not the first time that Ofcom had ruled on programmes of Republic Bharat.
In January this year, the regulatory body decided that the “graphic footage” of a traffic accident in Gorakhpur had violated the Broadcasting Code’s guidelines about usage of violent material that could impact children.
A month later, the channel had been found in breach of Rule 9.5 of the Broadcasting code when the logo of a financial exchange distributor was displayed on the laptop of two presenters of a programme, Bullet 100. In the same month, February 2020, Ofcom had published the first ruling on the September 6, 2019 prime time debate by Arnab Goswami, which had found it guilty of breaching section 3 of the Broadcasting Code. The regulatory body had also stated that it was contemplating a fine.
“In this case, we considered that the uncontextualised hate speech and abusive and derogatory treatment of groups and communities was serious. We are putting the Licensee on notice that we are minded to consider these breaches for the imposition of a statutory sanction”.
Three months later, Ofcom was back to accusing Republic Bharat of breaching the Code. In the ruling, Ofcom observed, “We were also concerned that the presenter did not seek to challenge or contextualise any of the critical statements made by the Indian guests. Instead he encouraged these panellists and endorsed their views. We considered this compounded the impact of their and his own abusive and derogatory statements during the programme”.
However, it did not mention any sanction in this order.

UK Media Watchdog Fines Arnab’s Republic Bharat £20,000 for 'Hate Speech Against Pakistanis'

According to Ofcom, the September 6, 2019, discussion hosted by Arnab Goswami featured

thewire.in

So what is PDF going to do about the army of goswamis we allow here?

 

[Verve]

British media regulator fines Republic TV £20,000 for hate speech against Pakistanis

British media regulator Ofcom has been fined a whopping £20,000 for airing hate speech against Pakistanis.
The Republic Bharat channel broadcasts rolling news and current affairs to the Hindi speaking community in the UK like dozens of Indian and Pakistani news and entertainment channels.

The fine has been imposed after the British media regulator found an episode of a show — Poochta Hai Bharat — hosted by controversial anchor Arnab Goswami containing hate speech against the people of Pakistan.

Ofcom told this correspondent in a statement: “We concluded that this was a serious breach of our rules which warranted the imposition of statutory sanctions. These include: a financial penalty of £20,000, payable to HM Paymaster General; a direction not to repeat the programme; and a direction to broadcast a statement of our findings on a date – and in a form - to be determined by Ofcom.”
The controversial episode of Poochta Hai Bharat was broadcast on 22 July, 2019. It featured a debate between Arnab Goswami and his guests (three Indians and three Pakistanis) relating to India’s attempt to send the spacecraft Chandrayaan 2 on its mission to the moon.

Other topics that came under discussion during the show included India’s record of space exploration and other technological advancements in comparison to Pakistan’s, the Kashmir issue, and Pakistan’s “alleged involvement in terrorist activities against Indian targets”.

In the programme, the presenter and some of his guests conveyed the view that all Pakistani people were terrorists, that even Pakistani sports celebrities and children were militants.
The presenter, addressing Pakistan and/or Pakistani people, said: “We make scientists, you make terrorists”.
Ofcom said: “We considered these statements to be expressions of hatred based on intolerance of Pakistani people based on their nationality alone, and that the broadcast of these statements spread, incited, promoted and justified such intolerance towards Pakistani people among viewers.

The British media regulator said in its findings: “We considered however that these statements, made by a retired major-general from the Indian Army, which clearly threatened that the Indian military would attack Pakistani civilians in their homes, were an expression of hatred and desire to kill by a figure of authority. In our view, the broadcast of these statements also promoted hatred and intolerance towards Pakistani people.”

Overall tone of the episode was 'provocative': Ofcom

Ofcom said that the overall tone of the discussion was provocative. “We also noted that Pakistani contributors were repeatedly interrupted and afforded little time to make points which may potentially have provided challenge or context.”

Ofcom said that the statements made in the programme “were expressions of hatred based on intolerance of Pakistani people on the basis of their nationality alone, and promoted hatred and intolerance towards Pakistani people”.
The licensee argued that the use of the term “****” was not intended to be offensive, nor would it be interpreted as such particularly when used in the sub-continent.

In Ofcom’s view, these negative descriptions constituted “uncontextualised abuse and derogatory treatment of Pakistani people on the ground of their nationality in breach of Rule 3.3. 38”.

The Republic TV told Ofcom that it shouldn’t be slapped with a fine and promised that no live discussion on India-Pakistan issues will be aired in future unless reviewed and edited first to comply with UK's laws but the Ofcom found that Republic TV had acted in recklessness and broken certain rules repeatedly.

Ofcom found that the material aired on Republic TV “posed a risk of harm to the Pakistani community in the UK, and to good relations particularly between members of the UK’s Indian and Pakistani communities”.

British media regulator fines Republic TV £20,000 for hate speech against Pakistanis

British media regulator Ofcom has been fined a whopping £20,000 for airing hate speech against Pakistanis. The Republic Bharat channel broadcasts rolling news and current...

www.thenews.com.pk

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Action after 1.5 years! Late but good!

 

[darksider]

Decision - Worldview Media Network Limited

www.ofcom.org.uk

In the programme, the presenter and some of his guests conveyed the view that all Pakistani people are terrorists, including that: “their scientists, doctors, their leaders, politicians all are terrorists. Even their sports people”; “every child is a terrorist over there. Every child is a terrorist. You are dealing with a terrorist entity”. One guest also described Pakistani scientists as “thieves”, while another described Pakistani people as “beggars”. In the context of these criticisms, the presenter, addressing Pakistan and/or Pakistani people, said: “We make scientists, you make terrorists”.

A third guest, General Sinha said, “Oh you useless people. Beggars. Oh beggars, oh beggars. We will douse you with 1.25kg, .75kg-, with two inches. PoK8 , Azad Kashmir, we are coming to the Azad Kashmir. We are coming to the Gilgit, Baltistan, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa…We are going to come, be ready. People in your country are shivering with fear that the Indian army may come. We will barge inside your home in Baluchistan, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Karachi, in your area, in Multan, in Rawalpindi and kill you. From Lahore, from Karachi to Gilgit-Balistan when we will have control”9 . 32. The Licensee suggested that these statements were “figures of speech not intended to be taken literally, which Asian viewers would have understood clearly”. We considered however that these statements, made by a retired Major General from the Indian Army, which clearly threatened that the Indian military would attack Pakistani civilians in their homes, were an expression of hatred and desire to kill by a figure of authority.

 

[Areesh]

Bharatis need to understand that while being a clown is a normal thing in India but rest of the world still doesn't like it

 

[Black.Mamba]

Bharatis need to understand that while being a clown is a normal thing in India but rest of the world still doesn't like it

It is not just a normal thing in India, they even went ahead and made him the Prime Minister

 

[TruthHurtz]

No such thing as hate speech

 

[Globenim]

lol 20,000 pound

This is basically admitting their only concern is that they have trouble covering for him with his constant explicit racist attacks and hating against Pakistanis.

 

[Areesh]

It is not just a normal thing in India, they even went ahead and made him the Prime Minister

Yup it is part of life style in India

 

[xyxmt]

Some people see it hate, I see it as jealousy, just look at their faces when you mention the name Pakistan and you see the bitter ugliness of entire universe is exposed thru those otherwise pretty (LOL) faces. I rejoice their pain...they call you beggar because they see (on youtube) how beautiful and developed Pakistan is as compared to their shithole country. They see how beautiful people of Pakistan are and how greenish, purplis, blackish their faces are. Recently what burns them most is how world leaders are crowded around Khan as their illiterate tea seller is sitting alone in every world forum.

 

[Beast]

That is why I say, pay no mercy to indian, trolling them when their space mission failed. They need a slap to their face to face reality that they r still not up there yet.

The British Pakistanis shall make a show after the chandrayaan 2 failed and gloat at their failure. Telling the whole UK community who is the clown making a full of themselves in front of the whole world.

Pakistan don't produce failure like India.

 

[Pak_Sher]

20000? This is what this guy earn in 10 min. This is like peanuts.

If he was earning 20,000 Pounds every 10 minutes why he is still a reporter? This dork needs to be slapped with fines every 10 minutes