B4U Movies rapped by Ofcom for offensive language in film
B4U Movies has been rapped by Ofcom for a “scheduling error” of the film ‘I Proud To Be Indian’.
The 2004 Sohail Khan directorial was broadcast four times between January and March 2023. Ofcom received two complaints about offensive language and violence in the film, which the complainants considered was inappropriate for children. A complainant cited a broadcast of this film on 23rd February 2023 at 15:19.
The film was broadcast before the watershed, featured three uses of an offensive word, and included a violent scene depicting the white skinhead gang carrying out a racist attack on an Indian shopkeeper. In the latter, three members of the gang were shown: entering his shop; grabbing the shopkeeper from behind the counter; and throwing him on to the floor. They were then shown: kicking the shopkeeper down one of the aisles of the shop; picking him up; and punching him repeatedly in the stomach until he again fell. One gang member was then shown beating the shopkeeper repeatedly with a baseball bat, with one instance of the baseball bat hitting the shopkeeper on the back whilst he was on the ground. At the same time, the two other gang members were shown: throwing items from the shelves at the shopkeeper; and covering him with flour, as he lay face down on the floor. Finally, the gang members were shown throwing the shopkeeper onto the street outside the shop, and the shopkeeper was shown lying on the street unconscious, with his his face covered in blood.
Related to this
.
Raaj FM found in breach of Ofcom rules
.
Siraj TV lands in serious trouble with Ofcom
.
.
B4U Network said it recognised Ofcom’s concerns and consequently “edited the relevant portion” of the film and assured Ofcom that it will “schedule the latest edited version of the film on the channel”. In its response to Ofcom’s request for further information, the Licensee said it had “identified and integrated additional systems and processes” to ensure that “any inappropriate content is not aired”. B4U Network said it was using this investigation as an “opportunity to scrutinize” all films in its library and ensure “better compliance with the [Ofcom] rules”. In light of this action, the Licensee requested that Ofcom “treat this matter as closed”.
Ofcom considered that there was insufficient contextual justification for the use of potentially highly offensive language during these broadcasts. Ofcom took into account the steps the Licensee said it had taken to edit the film and to broadcast this edited version in the future. We also considered the steps the Licensee said it has taken to improve its compliance processes more generally including having additional systems in place to scrutinise programming and screening all other films in its library to ensure inappropriate content is not broadcast. However, Ofcom’s Decision is that the broadcast of offensive language was not justified by the context and was also in breach of Rule 1.16 of the Code.
