Ottawa, May 5, 1995 – The Ontario Regional Council of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) has released its decision regarding a spot that aired in March, 1994 on CHOG-AM (Toronto). The segment parodied Member of Parliament Jag Bhaduria.
The complainant had considered the spot to be “insulting, offensive, [and] defamatory...,” and he believed it “exposed the whole [Indian] community to contempt.” In response, the broadcaster stated that the piece, was “...not racially motivated.” CHOG-AM, however, insisted that the parody was of a particular public figure, and not of the Indian people as a group.
After listening to the segment in question and reviewing the correspondence, the Ontario Regional Council members unanimously agreed that the spot concerned a political figure, and parodied that politician’s actions. In the Council’s view, the spot was not abusive or discriminatory toward people of any national or ethnic origin. Therefore, CHOG-AM did not contravene the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ (CAB) Code of Ethics. The broadcaster may report the decision at its option.
Established in 1990 by the CAB (representing private-sector broadcasters in Canada), the CBSC administers the CAB Code of Ethics, the CAB Voluntary Code Regarding Violence in Television Programming, the CAB Sex-Role Portrayal Code, and the Radio Television News Directors Association’s Code of Ethics.
A copy of the decision is attached.
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For more information, please contact Ronald I. Cohen, the National Chair of the CBSC, at (###) ###-####.