Technoglitch
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A Hindi-language TV channel has been fined £25,000 for providing misleading medical advice for treating cancer and hernias on a yoga show.
Media warchdog Ofcom said claims made on Yoga for You – broadcast on the Zee Network’s Lamhe channel – by presenter Dr Pankaj Naram could lead cancer sufferers to delay or forgo treatment.
In particular it said the claim that Dr Naram had “75,000 cancer patients” who had been told by hospitals that “they won’t live for three months” were living normal lives 15 years later were especially dangerous.
Ofcom usually restricts fines to broadcasters that have breached its rules repeatedly, or when a breach is particularly serious. Asia TV, which held the licence for Lahme, did not have a history of breaches, but Ofcom said the potential for harm was serious enough to warrant a fine.
Asia TV apologised for the “human error” that had led to the broadcast, saying it was aware that the content was unacceptable.
The company said it had removed Dr Naram’s show – which is made in India – from its programming and held reviews and training programmes for staff. At the end of March it stopped broadcasting the channel entirely.
Hindi TV channel fined £25,000 over cancer cure claims on yoga show | Media | The Guardian
Media warchdog Ofcom said claims made on Yoga for You – broadcast on the Zee Network’s Lamhe channel – by presenter Dr Pankaj Naram could lead cancer sufferers to delay or forgo treatment.
In particular it said the claim that Dr Naram had “75,000 cancer patients” who had been told by hospitals that “they won’t live for three months” were living normal lives 15 years later were especially dangerous.
Ofcom usually restricts fines to broadcasters that have breached its rules repeatedly, or when a breach is particularly serious. Asia TV, which held the licence for Lahme, did not have a history of breaches, but Ofcom said the potential for harm was serious enough to warrant a fine.
Asia TV apologised for the “human error” that had led to the broadcast, saying it was aware that the content was unacceptable.
The company said it had removed Dr Naram’s show – which is made in India – from its programming and held reviews and training programmes for staff. At the end of March it stopped broadcasting the channel entirely.
Hindi TV channel fined £25,000 over cancer cure claims on yoga show | Media | The Guardian
