South African Radio Station Fined for Unflattering Mention of Islam

The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa(BCCSA) fined in an August 29, 2013 judgment a South African radio broadcaster for making an "unjustifiable connection with Islam" during news reports.

This punitive second-guessing of journalistic conduct with respect to referencing background material such as a religion entails the most negative of consequences for a crucially important unhindered discussion of Islam.

BCCSA fined the public broadcaster SAfm R10,000 each for two violations of South Africa'sBroadcasting Code on May 24, 2013. The complainant, SAMNET (South African Muslim Network), charged in the first instance that a SAfm noon bulletin discussed "immigrants protesting in Switzerland about employment and other issues." The clip stated that the "protesters were not linked to any religion even though some Muslims were present." "By inference…members of other religious groups" unnamed were present. This "blatant prejudicial reporting…casts Muslims in a negative light."

The second SAMNET accusation involved an afternoon news report of two men arrested for endangering a Pakistan-United Kingdom flight. Various news reports described "British nationals" involved in a "criminal offense" with no "terrorism angle." Yet SAfm linked the flight with the May 22 London murder of British soldier Lee Rigby described by SAfm's announcer as "perpetrated by two Islamic extremists." SAMNET objected that no information tied the episode to terrorism or Islam, and thereby "adding to the already anger [sic] against Muslims…after the Boston and Woolwich incidents, SAFM news is perpetuating misconceptions and prejudice."

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