Date:25/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/25/stories/2007052507960100.htm

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Apologise for race row, media regulator tells Channel 4

Hasan Suroor

LONDON: Britain's Channel 4 has been ordered to apologise for its handling of the race row involving Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty on the Celebrity Big Brother show earlier this year.

In a scathing report on Thursday, media regulator Ofcom held the channel guilty of breaching its broadcast code and making a series of "serious editorial misjudgements" in handling the bullying of Ms. Shetty by three of her housemates — model Jade Goody, singer Jo O'Meara and former Miss U.K. Danielle Lloyd.

Millions of viewers saw them hurl racist abuses at Ms. Shetty, calling her "Shilpa poppadom," ridiculing her accent, and telling her to "go home." Ofcom investigated the incident after receiving more than 40,000 complaints from viewers. Another 10,000 complained directly to Channel 4, urging it to intervene and stop the racial humiliation.

Many of Ms. Shetty's supporters felt let down when she retracted her accusation of racism and insisted that her tormentors had not meant to be racist.

Ofcom's chief executive Ed Richards said: "Ofcom takes allegations of racist abuse and bullying on television extremely seriously. It is essential that broadcasters are able to air challenging and controversial material but in doing so they must have effective compliance procedures in place and must exercise their editorial duties responsibly."

The Ofcom report, described as an "unprecedented" indictment of any television programme, sparked calls for resignation of Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan.

Labour MP Keith Vaz, who led the campaign in Parliament, said, "Andy Duncan should now apologise to Shilpa Shetty and realise that the contempt that was shown by them during this whole episode, in my view and that of many of the viewers who complained, now merits his resignation."