Decision – Loveworld Limited
| Published date | 31 March 2021 |
Sanction 140 (21)
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Sanction: Decision by Ofcom
Decision: Sanction: to be imposed on Loveworld Limited (“LL”)
For material broadcast on Loveworld Television Network (“Loveworld”) on 1 December 20201.
Ofcom’s Sanction Decision against: Loveworld Limited (“LL” or the “Licensee”) in respect of its
service Loveworld UK (TLCS000787BA/1).
For: Breach of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code (the “Code”)2:
Rule 2.1: “Generally accepted standards must be applied to
the contents of television and radio services […] so as to
provide adequate protection for members of the public
from the inclusion in such services of harmful and/or
offensive material”.
Rule 5.1: “News, in whatever form, must be reported with
due accuracy and presented with due impartiality”.
Decision: To impose a financial penalty (payable to HM Paymaster
General) of £125,000
1 See Ofcom Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin 418, 15 January 2021 (“the Breach D ecision”).
2 The version of the Code which was in force at the time of the broadcast took effect on 1 January 2019. See
Broadcasting Code
Sanction 140 (21)
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Executive Summary
1. Loveworld is a religious television channel broadcast on satellite providing a service in the UK
from an Evangelical Christian denomination with a global network of churches3. The Licence for
the Loveworld service is held by Loveworld Limited (“LL” or “the Licensee”).
2. On 1 December 2020, the licensee broadcast a programme called Global Day of Prayer which
was broadcast from 17:00 on 1 December 2020 until 22:15 on 2 December 2020. The
programme was broadcast across 29 hours and 15 minutes.
3. Global Day of Prayer was a religious programme featuring sermons and reports from Pastors
around the world, as well as scripture readings, worship, hymns and news segments.
The Breach Decision
4. In Ofcom’s Decision (“the Breach Decision”) published on 15 January 2021 in Issue 418 of the
Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin4, Ofcom found that the programme featured statements
about the Coronavirus pandemic that had the potential to be extremely harmful without
providing adequate protection to the audience, and did not present news with due accuracy, in
breach of Rules 2.1 and 5.1 of the Code.
5. The Breach Decision set out specifically the broadcast material that was in breach, along with
reasoning as to why the material had breached the applicable rules of the Code.
6. Ofcom is prioritising cases relating to the Coronavirus which could cause potential harm to
audiences. As set out in our published guidance for broadcasters5, this could include: health
claims related to the virus which may be harmful; medical advice which may be harmful; and
inaccuracy or material misleadingness in programmes in relation to the virus or public policy
regarding it.
7. Given this prioritisation we informed LL that we considered it was appropriate for us to depart
from our normal published procedures to expedite the investigation. When we concluded our
investigation, given the serious nature of the breaches in this case, and the lengthy duration of
the programme, Ofcom directed the Licensee not to repeat the programme and to broadcast a
summary of Ofcom’s Decision three times on 27 January, at 08:00, 13:00 and 19:00. The
Licensee complied with this direction.
8. Ofcom put the Licensee on notice that it considered these breaches to be serious and would be
considering whether to impose any further sanction in addition to the Direction. An Ofcom
Sanctions Panel decided that, given the severity of the breaches, it would be appropriate to
consider the imposition of a further sanction. This document sets out Ofcom’s Decision for the
consideration of a further sanction.
The Sanction Decision
9. In accordance with Ofcom’s Procedures for the consideration of statutory sanctions in breaches
of broadcast licences (the “Sanctions Procedures”6), Ofcom considered whether the Code
breach was serious, deliberate, reckless or repeated so as to warrant the imposition of a further
sanction on the Licensee in this case.
3 The Christian denomination, Loveworld Incorporated (also known as Christ Embassy ) was founded by Pastor
Chris Oyakhilome who is also its president. It runs seven television channels globally.
4 See footnote 1.
5 See Broadcast standards during the coronavirus pandemic
6 See Ofcom’s Sanctions Procedures.
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