Ofcom places sanction on Pastor Oyakilome TV broadcast

A regulator for the communications services in the United Kingdom, Ofcom, has imposed a sanction on Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s Loveworld Limited, the religious television channel of his Believers’ Loveworld otherwise called Christ Embassy Church, over his potentially harmful claims about novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Ofcom, which ensures that people get the best from their broadband, home phone and mobile services, as well as keeping an eye on TV and radio, said Oyakhilome was found wanting over unsubstantiated claims that 5G was the cause of the pandemic, and that the matter has remained a subject of a global cover-up.

The Nigerian pastor was also accused of suggesting hydroxychloroquine as a cure for COVID-19, without acknowledging that its effectiveness and safety as a treatment was clinically unproven, or making clear that it has potentially serious side effects.

“Ofcom has today imposed a sanction on Loveworld Limited, which broadcasts the religious television channel Loveworld, after a news programme and a live sermon included potentially harmful claims about COVID-19.

“Our investigation found that a report on Loveworld News included unsubstantiated claims that 5G was the cause of the pandemic, and that this was the subject of a ‘global cover-up’. Another report during the programme suggested hydroxychloroquine as a ‘cure’ for COVID-19, without acknowledging that its effectiveness and safety as a treatment was clinically unproven, or making clear that it has potentially serious side effects.

“A sermon broadcast on Your Loveworld also included unsubstantiated claims linking the pandemic to 5G technology, as well as claims which cast serious doubt on the necessity for lockdown measures and the motives behind official health advice on COVID-19, including in relation to vaccination.

“There is no ban on broadcasting controversial views which are different from, or which challenge, official authorities on public health information. However, given the unsubstantiated claims in both these programmes were not sufficiently put into context, they risked undermining viewers’ trust in official health advice, with potentially serious consequences for public health.

“Given these serious failings, we concluded that Loveworld Limited did not adequately protect viewers from the potentially harmful content in the news programme and the sermon, and the news reports were not duly accurate. Loveworld Limited must broadcast our findings and we are considering whether to impose any further sanction,” Ofcom said in a statement on its website on Monday.