UK media watchdog fines Khalsa TV for violence, terror references

LONDON: The UK’s media watchdog has imposed a total fine of 50,000 pounds on Khalsa Television Ltd or KTV in Britain for broadcasting a music video and a discussion programme that was an indirect call for British Sikhs to commit violence and also contained a terror reference.

The Office of Communications (Ofcom), the UK government-approved media regulatory authority, issued the order on Friday following its findings dating back to February and November 2019.

Its order also includes a direction for the channel to broadcast a statement of Ofcom’s findings on a date and in a form to be determined by the watchdog and also for KTV not to repeat the music video or the discussion programme found in breach of its rules. “Ofcom has imposed financial penalties of 20,000 pounds and 30,000 pounds on Khalsa Television Limited in relation to its service KTV for failing to comply with our broadcasting rules. The 20,000 pounds penalty relates to a music video. The 30,000 pounds penalty relates to a discussion programme,” the Ofcom decision states.

On July 4, 7 and 9 in 2018, KTV broadcast a music video for a song called ‘Bagga and Shera’. Following its investigation, Ofcom found that the music video was an “indirect call to action for Sikhs living in the UK to commit violence, up to and including murder”.

It also included brief flashes, which, when slowed down, revealed frames of on-screen text. It appeared to be seeking to influence viewers by conveying a message to them or otherwise influencing their minds without their being aware, or fully aware, of what has occurred, which Ofcom found was in breach of its rules of the broadcast.

The discussion programme in question was aired live on March 30, 2019, as ‘Panthak Masle’.

Ofcom found that the programme provided a platform for several guests to express views which amounted to “indirect calls to action and were likely to encourage or incite the commission of crime or lead to disorder”. “Ofcom also found that it included a reference to the proscribed terrorist organisation the Babbar Khalsa, and which in our view could be taken as legitimising it and normalising its aims and actions in the eyes of viewers,” it notes.