Bangla TV rapped for sponsorship breach

Bangla TV has been rapped by Ofcom for a breach in sponsorship credits during regular transmission.

Ofcom received a complaint from a viewer for the broadcast during ‘Azan-e-Magrib’, a three-minute Islamic call to prayer, in July 2015.

Bangla TV told Ofcom, ���It was an unfortunate mistake by our commercial team in the busy month of Ramadan. We have already disciplined our commercial team to avoid any such mistake in future.�۝ The Licensee further explained that its senior management, commercial and compliance teams had recently undergone a number of personnel changes, which it recognised was ���not an excuse�۝, but had caused some disruption for it as ���a small company�۝. Bangla TV added that it ���sincerely regret[ted] the mistake�۝, and had taken action to ���avoid [making] such [a] mistake again in future�۝, including training and guidance for its staff.

Ofcom said this was not the first time the channel had been in sponsorship breach. In July 2014, it recorded a previous breach of Rule 9.23 against another edition of ‘Azan-e-Magrib’, for the inclusion of sponsorship credits during a religious programme. Ofcom said it was concerned that the Licensee has again breached this prohibition and therefore have requested that the Licensee attend a meeting with Ofcom to discuss its compliance processes.