| |
British TV Channel 4 found guilty of misjudgement ordered to apologise This is what you call INVESTIGATION I salute the British System of justice
Friday, 25 May 2007 - 2:16 AM SL Time |  | |
A British broadcaster at the centre of a racism row involving Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty has been found guilty of `serious editorial misjudgements` over its handling of the issue and ordered to make a series of apologies.
TV watchdog Ofcom found that Channel 4`s Celebrity Big Brother 2007 show was guilty of `serious editorial misjudgments` over its handling of the Shetty racism row.
The show was dogged by accusations of racism after Shetty faced a tirade of abuse from fellow contestants, including Jade Goody.
The media regulator found Channel 4 guilty of breaching the broadcasting code and ordered it to make a series of apologies during the new series of Big Brother next week. Ofcom also confirmed that unseen footage of racist behaviour inside the Big Brother house did exist.
The show was heavily criticised for the alleged racist bullying of the Indian actress by fellow contestants Jo O`Meara and Danielle Lloyd, besides Goody.
In its long-awaited report, Ofcom singled out three occasions on which Channel 4 had failed to handle the situation appropriately making `serious editorial judgements.`
They were: Jade Goody referring to Shetty as `Shilpa Poppadom`, Lloyd saying that the actress should `go home` and argument over Shetty cooking chicken, which ended with Lloyd and O`Meara making derogatory comments about Indian eating habits.
`Ofcom takes allegations of racist abuse and bullying on television extremely seriously,` the watchdog said in a statement today (May 24).
NRI Labour MP Keith Vaz, former Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who led protests in Parliament over the issue and introduced Shetty to Prime Minister Tony Blair, on a tour of Westminster, called for Channel Four Chief Executive Andy Duncan to resign.
He said, ?I welcome the adjudication by Ofcom. This is a vindication of our position. Channel Four has behaved in an arrogant way which has shown contempt for the code of broadcasting. It is only right that they should be punished by having to broadcast, for the first time, an on-air apology.?
`Andy Duncan should now apologise to Shilpa Shetty and realise that the contempt that was shown by them during the episode, in my view and that of many of the viewers who complained, now merits his resignation,` Keith demanded.
Duncan said `we accept Ofcom`s judgement that on the occasions in question we did not ensure that Big Brother intervened with the necessary promptness or strength.`
In March, police decided that no Big Brother contestants would face criminal charges over allegations that they racially abused Shetty. After winning the show, Shetty sought to play down the racism row.
`People make mistakes and we are all human beings and we are all fallible,` she said. `I know one thing for sure, Jade really didn`t mean to be racist.` Shetty said the best thing to have come out of the show was that `people have suddenly woken up and want to take a stand against racism. My job is done.`
|
Source(s)
Time Online |
Robins
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4234
Member Profile
|
24 May 2007 19:49:42 GMT Report for Abuse
|
The investigation by Ofcom the regulator started investigations soon after the show as a result of public outcry over racism!
Here we are within months they have been found guilty and ordered to apologise too! I think this is an example of justice being done! and seen to be done!!
Civilised behaviour in the 21st century!!!unlike sadly back home!!thousands of serious investigations all incomplete due to incompetance and cover up!! |
|
