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Ofcom fined a Christian broadcaster £ 125,000 after breaking the rules by broadcasting “inaccurate and potentially harmful claims about the coronavirus”.
Loveworld Television Network was found to have committed the breach in January after a 29-hour show titled World Day of Prayer presented sermons with “potentially harmful” claims about Covid-19 – including that the virus was “planned” and created by the “deep state”, and that vaccines were a “sinister” way to deliver drugs. “Nanchips” to control people.
Ofcom had previously ordered Loveworld not to repeat the program and to broadcast a summary of its decision three times a day, but has now imposed the fine after concluding that the violations were “serious, repeated and reckless.”
This is the second time in a year that the regulator has spoken out against Loveworld Limited for unsubstantiated allegations of Covid-19 on the air.
In April 2020, Loveworld released false claims that the cause of the coronavirus was linked to the deployment of 5G technology.
During one of the network’s news programs, a presenter claimed the bogus link represented “the world’s biggest cover-up in history,” and continued, “It’s not a coronavirus, but a cell poisoning. Remember 5G started in China. Wuhan is one of the provinces where 5G has been deployed. “
Loveworld was forced to explain on air how it was found to have broken the rules, but no further action was taken against the channel in this case.
Ofcom later said the Christian network had promised to review all of its broadcasts to avoid a repeat of the 5G conspiracy, to use a time frame for live broadcasts to be edited, and to educate staff on adhering to the Ofcom code.
In its decision on Wednesday, Ofcom stressed that the legitimate debate was “fundamental to holding public authorities to account” during global crises such as the pandemic, but said “inaccurate and potentially harmful statements” – made during World Day of Prayershow could not go unpunished because it was “not supported by any factual evidence and took place without challenge”.
The regulator also said it was particularly concerned that the recurrence of the violation comes after Loveworld pledged to improve compliance.
A statement from Ofcom, separate from the ruling report, said: “Loveworld’s failure to put these unsubstantiated statements into context risked serious harm to its audience.
‘They had the potential to undermine confidence in the public health measures put in place to fight Covid-19 – at a time when cases, hospital admissions and deaths were on the rise in the UK, and where people were looking for reliable information given the progress of immunization. program.”
Loveworld, also known as Christ Embassy, is an evangelical Christian ministry founded in Nigera and headed by a pastor called Chris Oyakhilome.
The independent has contacted Loveworld for comment.
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