Republic Bharat’s "Poochta Hai Bharat" programme had failed to comply with its broadcasting rules ,fine by £20000

Poochta hai Bharat

What had happened ??

• 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 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.”

About the controversial Show :

• 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.
• 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. 

“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.”

• 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”)”.

• Besides the fine, Ofcom Tuesday also directed Worldview Media not to repeat the programme and To broadcast
• A statement of Ofcom’s findings on a date and in a form to be determined by the regulator.
  

 Why UK has imposed the fines ?

• Worldview Media Network Limited is a UK-based firm incorporated last year — Holds the licence for Republic Bharat, which broadcasts news and current affairs in Hindi
  

Reaction of republic bharat ??

• The Indian channel had the opportunity to make some representations to the regulator. 
• Republic Bharat acknowledged “misjudgements made in this programme”. It also told the regulator that the 20,000-pound fine “seriously threatened its ability to sustain the Republic Bharat channel”.

The regulator dismissed these arguments, saying “the Licensee continues to operate notwithstanding its representations on its financial situation.