State broadcaster fined for airing insensitive footage of Marsa murder

The Public Broadcasting Services was ordered to pay a €3,610 fine for airing graphic footage from a murder scene in Marsa in July.

During the 8pm news bulletin on Sunday 24 July, both TVM and TVM News+ aired footage showing the medical team administering CPR to the victim Mahmoud Adly.

In a statement, the Broadcasting Authority said the state broadcaster admitted to all the charges brought against it. PBS was found in breach of several public broadcasting laws.

Adly was allegedly stabbed four times by Sudanese national Al Mahy Ezzo Saeed, who is being charged with murder in court.

The footage showed close-ups of Adly, who at that time had not been yet identified and the audience was not warned in advance of the sensitivity of the images.

PBS promised “immediate action” to avoid any similar incidents from repeating themselves.