Broadcom Orders Suspension of Channel 13 Broadcast, Issues Warning to Raajje TV

The Maldives Broadcasting Commission (Broadcom) has ordered Channel 13 to suspend its broadcast and has cautioned Raajje TV over alleged breaches of broadcasting standards.

According to Broadcom, Channel 13 must halt its transmission between 8pm and 10pm for one day. The regulator stated the decision followed the airing of content during the People’s National Front’s (PNF) live programme The Front Office on 17 April, which was deemed to have breached broadcasting rules.

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This marks the second action taken against Channel 13 in less than a month. The commission had earlier ordered the station to suspend its telecast in connection with a rally attended by former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on 21 August. Channel 13 did not comply with that order.

Broadcom has also issued a formal warning to Raajje TV over content aired during the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) emergency rally on 12 March. The regulator said the broadcast included material that undermined the dignity and rights of children. The commission noted that guidelines to protect children during programming had been violated and warned that repeated breaches could lead to stronger action.

The warning was linked to remarks made by MDP MP Mariyam Zubair (known as Mandi) concerning the president’s son. First Lady Sajida Mohamed has filed a defamation case at the Civil Court over the comments, with the court previously ruling that they were defamatory.

The commission’s decisions come as parliamentary debate intensifies over the Media Regulation Bill, which proposes dissolving the current commission and establishing a new regulatory body. The Parliament’s Committee on Independent Institutions has completed its review of the bill, despite the legislature being in recess. A special sitting has been scheduled for tomorrow to continue deliberations, with the next parliamentary term due to begin early next month.