Radio fined for anti-non Muslim broadcast

NOTTINGHAM-BASED Radio Dawn has been fined by radio regulator Ofcom for a second time – this time for a serious breach of the conditions of its broadcasting licence.

The radio station, which specialises in broadcasting to the Muslim community in the area, played a “nasheed” chant on Boxing Day 2016. Ofcom ruled that the Urdu chant “glorified historic violence against infidels” and indicated that performing such acts would bring honour to Islam.

Ofcom rules require broadcasters not to air material likely to incite crime and disorder. The regulator received a complaint about the broadcast and launched an investigation, which concluded that Radio Dawn had breached its licence. The nasheed which was broadcast said that people should “pick up the sword for Islam” and that “justice will only be handed out at the point of the sword”.

Ofcom has issued a Notice of Statutory Sanction against the station which requires the station to pay a £2,000 fine and to broadcast a statement of Ofcom’s findings.

Radio Dawn responded to the fine with a statement that it was “extremely embarrassed” and distanced the station from the content of the chant. It clarified that its internal procedures have been tightened up to prevent any repeat of the offence.

Station Manager Sana Tariq admitted that the chant had been played without being approved by a manager, as senior staff were away because of the Christmas holiday, adding that Radio Dawn believed that Islam contained a message of peace and that was the message the Radio tried to put across to the public.

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