Arnab Goswami’s Republic Bharat fined 20,000 pounds by UK broadcast regulator
NEW DELHI:
Republic Bharat, on Tuesday, was fined 20,000 pounds (Rs 19.73 lakhs) by the United Kingdom’s communications regulator Office of Communications, for broadcasting “offensive” content.
According to the Office of Communications, in the channel’s “Poochta Hai Bharat” programme on September 6, 2019, the views expressed by Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and some guests violated its norms.
“The sanctions have been imposed on Worldview Media Network Limited, which holds the license for airing Republic Bharat in the UK,” stated an official release from the Office of Communications.
“The programme was related to India’s Chandrayaan 2 mission and involved a comparison of India’s space exploration and technological advancements to that of Pakistan, and Pakistan’s alleged terrorist activities against Indian targets,” the release stated.
Ofcom took exception to comments made by Goswami and his guests on the discussion panel, which the regulator said “amounted to hate speech against Pakistani people, and derogatory and abusive treatment of Pakistani people.”
The release pointed out that the guests and Goswami referred to Pakistan by saying, “Their scientists, doctors, their leaders, politicians all are terrorists. Even their sportspeople. Every child is a terrorist over there. Every child is a terrorist. You are dealing with a terrorist entity”.
“We make scientists, you make terrorists,” Goswami had stated.
Ofcom also mentioned comments made by one guest identified as “General Sinha”, who referred to people of Pakistan as “beggars” and threatened a military attack on the country.
(Edited by Andre Kongri & Mandeep Joshi)
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