South Africa’s only independent TV news channel has been fined R35 000 by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa for contraventions of the broadcasting code. The complaints were filed in October, for showing images of Colonel Gaddafi moments before his death. This was done at 07h30 and repeatedly until 12h00 without any warnings or advisories.

The complaint was stated as follows:

I was utterly outraged this morning when at 07:30 and every time e.tv news channel 403 ran its headlines. They showed the moments before Gaddafi’s death, where he was surrounded by lots of men and was clearly being beaten and dragged.

The images were shown with no prior warning to viewers and repeatedly until at least 12 noon.

The broadcaster was also found guilty of the same offence, committed on another four occasions. The fines total R35 000. This fine must be paid before the end of February.

The BCCSA has also ordered e.tv to broadcast the following statement at 19h00 on the eNews Channel on a Thursday before the end of February: “The Broadcasting Complaints Commission has held that this news service had, during the seven o’clock Thursday evening news, on 20 October 2011, contravened the Broadcasting Code in broadcasting unnecessary detail of the attack on Colonel Gaddafi.”

[Source: News24]