The UK communications regulator, OfCom (the Office of Communications), has levied a fine of £20,000 on Worldview Media Network Limited, the company broadcasting Arnab Goswami’s Republic Bharat channel in the UK.
The company has been fined because Republic Bharat’s show, Poochta Hai Bharat, was found to indulge in ‘hate speech’ in its episode aired on September 6, 2019.
OfCom stated in its order that the program ‘contained uncontextualised hate speech and that this content was potentially highly offensive’.
The episode in question targetted Pakistan and included statements by guests, and anchor, Arnab Goswami, that branded Pakistan and its citizens as terrorists. In its order, OfCom also directed the channel to air their findings on the channel.
As the news went viral, people took to social media to comment on OfCom’s decision:
Uh-oh, what happens when the court in question doesn’t consider an #Arnab a special category of human? #SupremeCourtOfIndia https://t.co/vEJdj3xueC
— Danish Aslam (@dan1shaslam) December 22, 2020
£20,000 fine for hate speech and highly offensive content! #ThooktaHaiBharat on Republic TV for defaming Indian journalism worldwide.
— Dhruv Rathee 🇮🇳 (@dhruv_rathee) December 22, 2020
Nice try, OpIndia! Republic has been fined for uncontextualised hate speech and highly offensive content and not for ‘telecasting a debate’. pic.twitter.com/kf7t5mdgWE
— SamSays (@samjawed65) December 23, 2020
Shame on you @republic for spreading hate and defaming Bharat#ThooktaHaiBharat pic.twitter.com/E27xPR4i1Z
— Manish Shukla (@ManishS47038529) December 23, 2020
#ThooktaHaiBharat
— irfan shah عرفان شاہ (@IndiaInMyBlood_) December 23, 2020
Arnab brings international shame .
Do people of India deserve such media ?https://t.co/aXXy3XCNrj
UK body slaps £20,000 fine on firm broadcasting Republic Bharat @republic #ThooktaHaiBharat#ArnabGoswami
— Arif Ansari🇮🇳 (@ariforiginals) December 23, 2020
Le me and my bois:😂👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/TGI4QhV5jx
Another day,
— Suleman Patel (@Sulemanpatell) December 23, 2020
Another #ArnabGoswami controversy.#ThooktaHaiBharat
So UK found #Arnab‘s programming from 2019 offensive, and fined the channel. 2020 ka time ab aayega kya?#ApnaTimeAayegahttps://t.co/L4FjgCmgA4
— Hemal (@indianomicstv) December 22, 2020
Indian states also shud start doing the same! Time to limit the hate mongering.
— PriyaCee (@Ppriyacee) December 23, 2020
Arnab thought that law enforcement in UK is same as in India 😊
— Anil Thomas (@advanitom) December 23, 2020
Poor chap was spoiled by the lax regulation here with toothless media bodies letting him run wild with hate filled poison. Plus the full backing of his masters’ – Govt. If only an impartial regulator here had severely fined him a couple of times, chap would’ve learnt his lessons.
— Ved Nayak (@catcheronthesly) December 23, 2020
Arnab Goswami is yet to give an official response about the financial penalty.
