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Ofcom raps Brit Asia TV for recording failure

Brit Asia TV
Brit Asia TV

Media regulator, Ofcom has rapped Brit Asia TV for not providing recordings of material it requested for ‘Big Tunes’ in January this year.

Ofcom received a complaint about violent content in a series of music videos in the programme ‘Big Tunes’ broadcast during the afternoon of 5th January. Ofcom therefore requested a recording of the programme from the Licensee to assess the content.

In response to Ofcom�۪s request for a recording, Brit Asia TV provided Ofcom with its transmission playlist for that particular time and details of links to external websites that contained the corresponding music videos. Ofcom advised the Licensee that it required the entire programme as broadcast to assess it. Brit Asia TV then provided Ofcom with media files containing the individual music videos that were broadcast during the programme.

Ofcom reiterated its request for the entire programme as broadcast and clarified that this meant ���all content (including links, programme promotions, spot advertising etc) that was broadcast within the duration of the programme�۝. Brit Asia TV did not respond to this request.

In response, Brit Asia TV said that in the eight years it has been broadcasting, it has always sent requested material to Ofcom in a series of broadcast files. It added that it was confused why Ofcom considered this method to be insufficient on this particular occasion.

Ofcom said Brit Asia TV did provide recordings to Ofcom but they were in the form of standalone music video files. Even when viewed in succession, they did not represent the continuous television programme as broadcast, as specifically requested by Ofcom. Therefore, the Licensee did not provide the requested recording and accordingly it breached Licence Condition 11(2)(b). Ofcom noted that on previous occasions, when Ofcom had assessed material broadcast on this channel, the Licensee had provided a satisfactory recording of the content as broadcast.

Ofcom ruled the broadcaster to be in breach of Licence Condition 11(2)(b).