VTV and VFM have been fined MVR 200,000- each- by the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC), for broadcasting content that defamed incumbent President Abdulla Yameen.
VMedia Group has been ordered to pay the total, MVR 400,000, within 30 days, as well as to issue an apology between 8pm and 10pm on 12th March.
They were fined for broadcasting a statement made by Thimarafushi constituency MP Mohamed Musthafa at an opposition rally being aired live, on 8th December 2017.
While the Broadcasting Commission had decided that VTV and VFM had violated the Anti-Defamation Act by broadcasting the said content, VTV said that the decision was based on just ‘one word’ that Musthafa had used.
Noting that they had requested the Commission to clarify the issue with Musthafa’s statement, VTV said that MBC had fined them without doing so.
The case was reviewed by the Maldives Broadcasting Commission on its own accord.
