UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom has imposed a £65,000 fine on Club TV Limited for failing to provide adequate protection for viewers, after it aired potentially offensive and harmful content on its Peace TV Urdu channel.

Under Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code, all licensees must apply generally accepted standards to the content on their TV and radio services so audiences are adequately protected from the inclusion of offensive and harmful material.

After an investigation, Ofcom found that comments made by Dr Israr Ahmad in two broadcast lectures promoted highly negative and stereotypical views of Jewish people. These comments could be a form of hate speech and had the potential to spread anti-Semitism. Ofcom concluded this was a serious breach of the Broadcasting Code which warranted a statutory sanction.

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