[Red Moon]

Channel 4 faces lawsuit over Big Brother

CHANNEL 4 is to be sued over the racial slurs suffered by Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother.

An English race equality group, advised by a leading Scottish Asian lawyer, is preparing a case for the High Court in London, claiming the broadcaster breached its legal obligation to protect the public from offensive material.

The South West Racial Equality Council Network (SWRECN) has hired Edinburgh-based advocate Dr Raj Jandoo, who rose to prominence after investigating police and prosecutors' handling of a racist murder in Scotland.

If Channel 4 loses the case - the first to arise from the notorious series - it faces a hefty fine. The broadcaster was recently criticised by regulator Ofcom over the episode and ordered to read the watchdog's adjudication on air.

A record 45,000 complaints were received over the incidents this January, including one in which Jade Goody referred to the Bollywood star as "Shilpa poppadom". During an exchange about Shetty's cooking, contestants discussed whether they should eat food the actress had cooked. Danielle Lloyd said: "They eat with their hands in India, don't they - or is that China? You don't know where her hands have been."

SWRECN will argue that Channel 4, as a public body, breached its duty under section two of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 to eliminate unlawful discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and promote good relations between people of different racial groups. The organisation, which has statutory powers to raise such cases, will argue that Channel 4:

• Failed to protect Shetty from offensive language and humiliation;

• Did not protect the viewing public from harmful and offensive material;

• Allowed viewers, including those with links to the subcontinent, to be "demeaned" by the behaviour of the participants in the Big Brother house;

• Offended viewers "who held decent standards about fairness and human dignity".

SWRECN is asking the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) to bring the action, because it has enough money to fund what is likely to be an extremely expensive case.

SWRECN vice-chairwoman Alexandra MacRae said: "We believe that the CRE has the funds to take this case on and are looking to them to take action. But be in no doubt that our position is to proceed with litigation, and if they do not go ahead then we will be looking to other options to fund a case.

"Ideally, this should have been solved by Channel 4 themselves at the time rather than by court action, and they are obliged to train their staff and draw up guidelines so that nothing like this could happen."

Scotland on Sunday understands that at least one Indian-run business is considering funding the lawsuit.

In an earlier letter to Channel 4, warning them they were preparing legal action, the group stated: "The behaviour exhibited towards Shilpa Shetty had the hallmarks of being calculated to violate her human dignity. The distress of Shilpa Shetty was apparent.

"Channel 4 displays an arrogance which is inconsistent with those who are conversant with generally accepted standards. It is our view that the stance taken by Channel 4 amounts to institutional racism."

They added that it was beside the point that Shetty won the show and has since tried to play down the affair.

Jandoo told Scotland on Sunday: "The victim's view is not always the test. In a racist incident, just as with other kinds of bullying, the victim is usually in a weaker position and is always under pressure to play things down."

He cited the definition of a racist incident used by Sir William Macpherson, who examined police handling of the bungled investigation of Stephen Lawrence's murder in 1993.

Macpherson found that the police were institutionally racist and held that a racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.

Jandoo added: "Channel 4, as a named public body, under the Act has certain responsibilities and failed to uphold them. They failed in their duty of care to Shilpa Shetty and to the viewer, and offended hundreds of thousands of people."

In 2000, Jandoo investigated the police and the Crown's handling of the infamous Surjit Singh Chhokar killing and found that institutional racism was evident in both the police and the procurator fiscal system. The Crown failed to convict anyone of the murder of the Asian waiter.

A spokeswoman for Channel 4 said they would not be commenting at this stage.

Source: The Scotsman

[blinkinlovely]

Yawn

[nodisharmony]

(Firstly), Ofcom makes Channel 4 make three apologies.

(Secondly), Channel 4 gives in & makes three apologies.

(Thirdly), Channel 4 makes their (admission of guilt) known publicly

(Fourthly), (The Trap was set) & Channel 4 fell for it, "due to my first three observations"



Suing then follows, Cash settlement beyond that.....

Are we stupid enough to think that Channel 4's team of solicitors & thinkers hadn't worked this all out already.


Well, anyone here that knows me, knows I can't be fooled

The South West Racial Equality Council Network (SWRECN), it must be a money thing






nodisharmony

[Stu]

I think your a bit late for the party boys , but im sure your rightous hand will get your names in the papers somehow.

Pseudo-Morals work real well on the talk shows for the weak , but your good guy badges dont mean a **** to me.

January wants his scapegoat back.

[Noel]

i didnt get a word of that???

[Red Moon]

Originally posted by nodisharmony
(Firstly), Ofcom makes Channel 4 make three apologies.

(Secondly), Channel 4 gives in & makes three apologies.

(Thirdly), Channel 4 makes their (admission of guilt) known publicly

(Fourthly), (The Trap was set) & Channel 4 fell for it, "due to my first three observations"

And finally none of the above would even be under consideration if Jade Gobby and her little bitch dogs hadn't have done what they did in the house.

[MR.K!]

jade cant just keep her big face hole shut !!!

[nodisharmony]

Originally posted by Red Moon

And finally none of the above would even be under consideration if Jade Gobby and her little bitch dogs hadn't have done what they did in the house.

The court won't be interested in your "finally" opinion

I can certainly say, that the Admissions of guilt by Channel 4 is enough to go on.

If you admit your wrong-doing publicly, they open themselves up to all kinds of attack.

But they can handle any fine which may be given out in due course.

Channel 4 & Andy Duncan will fight this, of course...






nodisharmony

[nodisharmony]

Originally posted by Caw
jade cant just keep her big face hole shut !!!

Charley can be like that too

Plus, many other past housemates in BB & CBB

But people moan when the BB8 show is boring. What stops BB from being boring is arguments & shouting matches.





nodisharmony

[Red Moon]

Originally posted by nodisharmony

The court won't be interested in your "finally" opinion

They might not be but I am interested in whose fault the whole affair is and that blame lies clearly at the feet of Jabe Gobbey and her little friends.

[Cody™]

when will people get over this boring story! shilpa doesnt care, shes raking millions through this ordeal!!

[Matt]

I said Jade should never have gone in.

I was right.

[spacebandit]

Originally posted by Matt™
I said Jade should never have gone in.

I was right.

You were not alone

[Matt]

Originally posted by spacebandit

You were not alone

I was against it from Day 1.

The fact they were treated like royalty for the first few days made the experience even more sour.

[spacebandit]

Originally posted by Matt™

I was against it from Day 1.

The fact they were treated like royalty for the first few days made the experience even more sour.

Ditto, I still wonder what the criteria is for "celebrity" to have the mother and the plank take part - Ziggy is more qualified in that regard.

I still suspect the whole gobby klan thing was the precursor to some reality tv / fly on the wall garbage that ended up being scuppered when they showed their real faces.

[Matt]

Originally posted by spacebandit

Ditto, I still wonder what the criteria is for "celebrity" to have the mother and the plank take part - Ziggy is more qualified in that regard.

I still suspect the whole gobby klan thing was the precursor to some reality tv / fly on the wall garbage that ended up being scuppered when they showed their real faces.

And don't forget her grandparents dropped in for a visit.

[spacebandit]

Originally posted by Matt™

And don't forget her grandparents dropped in for a visit.

yep, lets forget the whole no contact with the outside world rule that would usually get them evicted,


and welcome the gobbys grandparents who you just know where supposed to have featured in the above mentioned fly on the wall doco......

the transparency was astonishing it was so blatant....

[Matt]

I wonder what the ratings would be for such a documentary...

[spacebandit]

Originally posted by Matt™
I wonder what the ratings would be for such a documentary...

Hazard a guess..... on par with princess nikki if it was hyped enough, and like pn its ratings would drop consistently through the season run - and like that piece of garbage be quietly shelved before season 2.

But we were saved that particular horror by the gobby klan showing their true colours - small mercies

[Matt]

Originally posted by spacebandit

Hazard a guess..... on par with princess nikki if it was hyped enough, and like pn its ratings would drop consistently through the season run - and like that piece of garbage be quietly shelved before season 2.

But we were saved that particular horror by the gobby klan showing their true colours - small mercies

Well... if Shabnam's eviction only got 3million...

500,000?

[spacebandit]

Originally posted by Matt™

Well... if Shabnam's eviction only got 3million...

500,000?

Couldn't see the episode average across the season being above a million, of course its channel and time slot dependent to a degree, but yeah I'd go the 500,000 mark per episode, a much bigger premier number and a quick drop off.

She's a clown, are you ready for the baby shots ?, that publicity gotta be milked for all its worth.

Its not a child, its a step toward career ressurection - she thinks