IBC Tamil in breach of Ofcom rules

Digital station, IBC Tamil has been found in breach of Ofcom regulations after it broadcast biased news coverage in a bulletin aired in January this year.

According to Ofcom, a complaint was received by Tamil journalist, who writes under the name of Athirvuk Kannan who said the news programme in question included various statements that unfairly criticised his journalism. Furthermore it was alleged that he was a supporter of the Sri Lankan Government and associated with another individual Karuna, who was allegedly acting in the interests of the Sri Lankan Government.

Sathy Media who owns IBC Tamil said that it was “very sorry and apologise[d]…for the errors made” and gave assurances “that these will not happen again”. The Licensee said that having reviewed the news report in question it ���understood that there [had] been mistakes made�۝ and that ���the comments that were made should not have been made on the news programme as it may have been construed as personal comment from the news team, which would be wrong, as the news.

Ofcom concluded that in the circumstances of this case, the news was not reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality. The station was found in breach of Rule 5.1.