Nottingham based Muslim community station fined

Ofcom has fined Nottingham based Muslim community radio station, Radio Dawn £2,000, after broadcasting offensive material during a Nasheed.

Under Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code, licensees must not broadcast material likely to incite crime and disorder. In addition, they must not broadcast hate speech or content that abuses or denigrates individuals, groups, religions or communities, unless there is strong contextual justification.

Ofcom’s investigation found that a piece of devotional music broadcast on Radio Dawn broke these rules, by glorifying historic battlefield victories against non-Muslim people, and suggesting that similar acts committed now would bring honour to Islam.

Ofcom concluded this was a serious breach of the Broadcasting Code, which warranted the imposition of statutory sanctions. These include a financial penalty and a direction to the broadcaster to air a statement of Ofcom’s findings on a date, and in a form, to be determined by Ofcom.