Channel S found in breach over “political” news item

Channel S has landed itself in hot water after being found in breach of Ofcom rules for broadcasting a news without impartiality.

The channel, which is free-to-air and aimed at the Bangladeshi community, broadcasted a news report concerning the proposed 2012/13 budget for Tower Hamlets Borough Council on 9th February 2012 in which it showed a news report with a biased political view without an alternative view.

The channel refused that the news item was a political view and instead said the complaint in this case originated from “a group of people raising anything and everything that could cause Channel S inconvenience and make our life difficult in relation to the Mayor and Tower Hamlets Council”.

Channel S said that it had “duty” to broadcast the news item.

Ofcom added; “There is no requirement on broadcasters to provide an alternative viewpoint in all news stories or all issues in the news. All news stories must however be presented with due impartiality: that is with impartiality adequate or appropriate to the subject and nature of the programme. Presenting news stories with due impartiality in news programmes very much depends on editorial discretion being exercised appropriately in all the circumstances.”

Ofcom concluded the items were not presented with due impartiality and recorded a breach of Rule 5.1 of the Code.