Decision by Ofcom - Regis 1 Limited (Sangat TV)
| Published date | 15 August 2013 |
| Issuer | Office of Communications |
Sanction 89(13)
1
Sanction: Decision by Ofcom
Imposed on Regis 1 Limited
For material broadcast on 1 October 2012
1
.
Ofcom’s Decision of
a sanction against:
Regis 1 Limited (“the Licensee”) in respect of its
service Sangat TV (TLCS-390).
For:
A programme about the attack on Lieutenant-General
Brar, found to be in breach of Ofcom’s Broadcasting
Code (“the Code”)2 in respect of:
Rule 3.1:
“Material likely to encourage or incite the
commission of crime or to lead to
disorder must not be included in
television or radio services”.
On:
1 October 2012 at 19:40.
Decision:
To impose a financial penalty (payable to HM
Paymaster General) of £30,000); and
To issue a direction to the Licensee directing it to
broadcast a statement of Ofcom’s findings in this
sanctions case, on a date and in a form to be
determined by Ofcom.
1
The material broadcast on Sangat TV and found in breach of the Code is detailed in Broadcast
Bulletin 222, dated 21 January 2013 (“the Finding”), at:
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/enforcement/broadcast-bulletins/obb222/obb222.pdf.
2
The version of the Code that was in force at the time the broadcast took effect on 28 February 2011.
All references to the Code in this Decision are therefore references to that version of the Code, which
can be found at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/broadcast-codes/broadcast-code/.
Sanction 89(13)
2
Executive Summary
1. Sangat TV is a general entertainment satellite broadcaster that broadcasts in English
and Punjabi. It is based in Birmingham and broadcasts via the Eutelsat 28A - Sky UK
satellite to the Sikh community. A live stream is also available on Sangat TV’s website.
The licence for Sangat TV is held by Regis 1 Limited
3
(“the Licensee”).
2. Ofcom’s finding (“the Finding”) published on 21 January 2013 in Broadcast Bulletin 222
4
,
found that material broadcast by the Licensee breached Rule 3.1 of the Code.
3. The Finding related to a programme about the attack on Lieutenant-General Brar
5
, which
was broadcast on 1 October 2012 (“the Programme”). This was broadcast almost
entirely in Punjabi, was approximately half an hour in duration and comprised eight
panellists, including a presenter, who discussed issues surrounding the attack.
4. In the Finding, Ofcom stated that the breach of Rule 3.1 was so serious as to warrant the
consideration of a statutory sanction.
5. It had been reported that on a date shortly before the broadcast, while on a visit to
London, Lieutenant-General Brar and his wife had been attacked in a central London
street by four men. Despite suffering knife injuries, Lieutenant-General Brar survived the
attack. In the Finding, Ofcom noted that, in relation to the attack, two men of Sikh origin
6
had been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
6. The Finding set out the various broadcast statements that were in breach of Rule 3.1.
Ofcom found that this material was likely to encourage or incite the commission of crime.
We considered that, cumulatively, these statements were an indirect call to action to
members of the Sikh community to take violent action against Lieutenant-General Brar,
other members of the Indian armed forces who had taken part in Operation Bluestar (the
Indian Army’s controversial military operation against the Golden Temple at Amritsar in
June 1984)
7
or those who supported this military operation.
3
Licence TLCS-390, which was originally issued on 13 October 2000, was transferred to Regis 1
Limited on 24 March 2010. The name of the channel broadcast under the licence became Sangat TV
on 3 August 2010. Previously, a series of teleshopping channels had operated under it – namely:
Home Order, Shop Now Plus, Shop Now TV and JML Lifestyle.
4
See footnote 1.
5
Lieutenant-General Brar had been the commander of the Indian armed forces who led Operation
Bluestar, the Indian Army’s controversial military operation against the Golden Tem ple at Amritsar in
June 1984. The Golden Temple is highly revered as a sacred site by the Sikh community, and
Operation Bluestar was aimed at removing a number of Sikhs, who were arguing for an independent
Sikh homeland, and who were occupying the Golden Temple at that time. It is reported that,
according to the Indian Government, 400 people died in the operation, including 87 Indian soldiers.
However these figures are disputed as being too low by some members of the Sikh community.
6
Barjinder Singh Sangha, a resident of Wolverhampton, and Mandeep Singh Sandhu, a resident of
Birmingham; subsequently, Dilbag Singh, of no fixed abode, was also charged.
7
See footnote 5.
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