Lm500 fine over fiery TV interview

The Broadcasting Authority has fined Smash Television Lm500, payable within a month, for its interview with European Parliament election candidate Norman Lowell during the programme Minibus of June 15.

The last part of the interview was full of content which encouraged criminality, could lead to disorder or offended public sentiment, the authority found.

It said Mr Lowell had been allowed to make similar comments during the programme Minibus of April 29, May 6, June 1 and June 8.

In its decision, the BA said that although the maximum administrative fine was of Lm200, it could impose a higher fine if the circumstances were grievous enough to justify it.

Smash had objected to the procedures, arguing that the body charging it was the same as that judging it. But the authority dismissed this objection, saying the Broadcasting Act provided for a fair process within which those who made the accusation did not take part in the deliberations as judge.