Ofcom fine for Ahlebait TV Networks
April 25, 2023
By Colin Mann
UK broadcast regulator Ofcom has imposed a £10,000 (€11,304) fine on Ahlebait TV Networks (Ahlebait) after its investigation found its service, Ahlebait TV, had failed to comply with broadcasting rules.
On March 21st, 2021, Ahlebait broadcast an episode of 20th Hour, a current affairs discussion programme. This edition of the programme was called Money Power, Islam and a Just Order.
In Ofcom’s Breach Decision, published on July 25th, 2022, in Issue 455 of the Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin, Ofcom found that statements in this programme amounted to antisemitic hate speech and derogatory and abusive treatment of Jewish people, which was not sufficiently justified by the context. Ofcom also found that this content was potentially highly offensive, and the programme had therefore breached Rules 3.2, 3.3 and 2.3 of the Broadcasting Code.
Ofcom has imposed a sanction on the Licensee of a financial penalty of £10,000, a direction to broadcast a statement of Ofcom’s findings on a date and in a form to be determined by Ofcom, and a direction not to repeat the programme.