Health

UK broadcast media regulator fines Pastor Chris Oyakhilome 65 million naira for COVID-19 misinformation

The Office of Communications in the United Kingdom (Ofcom) has sanctioned Loveworld Television, owned by Nigerian Pastor, Chris Oyakhilome.

Ofcom said in a statement that the station was fined £125,000 (N65.6m) for breaching the country’s broadcasting code by disseminating misinformation on COVID-19.

The statement read in part, “Today we have fined Loveworld £125,000 for this breach of the broadcasting code. This was the second time in a year that the broadcaster breached our rules on accuracy in news and harm in its coverage of the coronavirus.”

The statement read in part, “Today we have fined Loveworld £125,000 for this breach of the broadcasting code. This was the second time in a year that the broadcaster breached our rules on accuracy in news and harm in its coverage of the coronavirus.”

According to the agency, these claims included the notion that the outbreak was ‘planned’, that the ‘sinister’ vaccine can be used to implant ‘nanochips’ that can control and cause harm to members of the public and the debunked theory that the virus was somehow caused by 5G.

The statement further read, “Ofcom stresses that legitimate debate about the?official?response?to the coronavirus pandemic?is fundamental to holding public authorities to account during a global health crisis?-?particularly when public freedoms are?curtailed?and complex policy decisions are being?taken.

“However, the inaccurate and potentially harmful claims?made during this?programme?were unsupported by any factual evidence?and?went?entirely?without?challenge. Ofcom was particularly concerned that this breach followed previous, similar breaches in 2020 during the investigation of which, Loveworld Limited gave Ofcom a number of assurances as to how it would improve its compliance procedures.”

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