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Press Release
Historic Ofcom decision recognises ' the right of freedom of expression ... to be at its highest in relation to political speech"
Islam Channel - the premier channel in the UK serving the Muslim community, like many Muslim institutions and senior community figures is no stranger to attacks from those who wish to discredit and undermine those of influence within the Muslim community, These attacks have continually come from those who benefit and are committed to escalating the growing climate of Islamophobia in the UK and across the globe. Many believe that principal among these organisations is the Quillam Foundation - a fundamentalist organisation whose corrosive techniques of misinformation and the publication of what can best be described as junk research has rightly earned them the contempt and disregard of most liberal and reasonable minded Muslim and non-Muslim organisations and individuals.
It is important to note that of the 100 case studies presented to Ofcom for investigation by the Quillam Foundation's 106 page report, only three religious and six current affairs programmes were deemed to have 'raised some potential issues under the code' . Whilst concluding that of these - three religious and two current affairs programmes had in fact breached the codes, these breaches were determined 'not so serious or repeated to merit being considered for imposition of a statutory sanction. Given the media frenzy and sensational headlines which accompanied the launch of the Quillam Foundation Report back in March and the resultant substantial pressure imposed on Ofcom, it must have been particularly difficult for Ofcom to exercise complete objectivity in their judgment.
Current Affairs Programmes
Islam Channel presented it's case to support the position that these programmes were not in fact in breach of Ofcom codes and in four out of six cases Islam Channel's arguments have been fully accepted by Ofcom. Whilst forming the opinion that two of these programmes were in breach of Ofcom codes, these breaches were determined 'not so serious or repeated to merit being considered for imposition of a statutory sanction.' These findings in Islam Channel's favour recognised/accepted a number of fundamental points. Indeed it can be argued that the findings by Ofcom are in many respects of huge historic importance, particularly in respect to their recognition of the importance of the 'consensus viewpoint of the vast majority of the channel's viewers and the right to freedom of expression "which is fundamental to allow the channel to broadcast an alternative perspective on current affairs..."
"When interpreting due impartiality Ofcom must take into account the broadcaster's and audiences right to freedom of expression as set out in article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights. Article 10 provides for the right of freedom of expression, which encompasses the right to hold opinions and to impart information and ideas without interference by public authority.....the right of freedom of expression has been recognised to be at its highest in relation to political speech"
It is of particular significance that the programmes considered necessary for investigation almost entirely related to the one topic of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and in particular programmes aired shortly after the event of the internationally condemned assault by the Israeli forces on the people of Gaza in December 2008/January 2009. The issue of the media coverage of this conflict has and will continue to be a subject of much consternation. In a major study entitled 'Bad News from Israel' published in 2004 [a more updated version of which is to be published in April 2011 entitled 'More Bad News from Israel] in which the media coverage of the main terrestrial channel's - BBC, ITV, CH4 & Sky were analysed, Glasgow press under Professor Greg Philo & Dr Mike Berry from Glasgow University determined that there exists a profound bias 2:1 in favour of the Israeli position within our mainstream media. This they determined was the broadly accepted discourse amongst the mainstream channels - a discourse of bias and impartiality.
It is in fact the position of Islam Channel that we have a journalistic obligation to work against what is clearly a crude in-balance in reporting of this conflict - not least in recognition of the 'consensus viewpoint of the majority of our viewers' and it is our every intention to appeal this ruling.
Religious programming
Ofcom's ruling in respect of one of Islam Channel's programmes – Islam Q&A belies a serious lack of understanding firstly of the nature and structure of the programme - which provides for a one-to-one interaction between the caller and the presenter (and therefore does not allow for an alternative third opinion) but also a lack of understanding of both the social and cultural context surrounding the issues raised. In particular the determination by Ofcom that the presenter's explanation of Quranic text which suggested that the gesture of tapping one's spouse (as defined in the Holy Quran) with a pencil to show displeasure was in some way condoning/promoting domestic violence is a wholly misguided interpretation of what was said. In fact this was a clear contrast to alternative interpretations which have been wrongly abused by some to provide sanction for wife beating.
It is essential to understand that against a backdrop of widespread misunderstanding throughout the range of cultures which make up the Muslim community in Britain who are still tied to former culturally accepted norms in remedy of domestic disagreements - some of which are highly contentious and at odds with Western values, the Imam who presented the programme was clearly swimming against popular interpretation to advocate that in fact 'Domestic violence was not at all permissible'. Ofcom has incorrectly determined that the gesture of tapping with a pencil should be classified as physical punishment. This determination is arrived at despite the fact that the presenter made clear that 'a husband has no right to hit [his wife]' and was in fact attempting to mitigate against a prevailing misinterpretation of Islamic principles.
Other determined breaches were in respect of the highly contentious issue of recently passed legislation in Afghanistan which it has been argued condones rape within marriage. Few will disagree that given the indigenous roots of many of our viewers that a discussion on this topic needs to be handled with care and that it is neither productive nor straightforward for a religious channel such as ours to be blunt in condemnation of another country's laws. Rather we have a duty to ensure reasonable discussion - always with a mind to promoting British values. We contest that the presenter was in no way endorsing the position adopted by the Afghanistan legislature, but rather providing the platform for challenging the moral basis for such laws in open discussion. In the programme when the presenter asked the guest 'so you don't think that this is condoning rape then in marriage, the guest in fact said- 'This is the point, this is seen through the lenses of a western eye.'
Crucially the Ofcom findings do not in any way support the Quillam Foundation's view that Islam Channel's programming regularly promotes intolerance and sectarianism and provides a platform to individuals with a track record of promoting hatred and violence'.
The statement in Quillam's own press release that "there are encouraging signs that the channel is now making efforts to improve its output and to give greater airtime to a wider range of more mainstream Muslim voices" and that "the channel could yet become a powerful voice for greeter social harmony" disguises the real truth which is that we have always striven to provide a platform for progressive and cohesive discourse both within, without and between the Muslim community and those outside it and that we already are a powerful voice for social harmony!
This entire episode should set alarm bells ringing inside Westminster - for it is the government which has been responsible for the bulk of the funding of the Quillam Foundation out of scarce tax payers money (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5549138.ece 'Government gives £1m to anti-extremist think-tank Quilliam Foundation') and during a time of fiscal uncertainty. A greater irony is that this has been done under the auspices of promoting community cohesion. Questions must be asked as to what degree government is taking it's advice from organisations like Quillam who serve only to create disharmony and to undermine cohesion in our society.
Islam Channel Press Office
15th November 2010
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