Key 103/Manchester Gets Record Fine

James Stannage

EMAP's KEY 103/MANCHESTER, UK has been fined £125,000 for former late night host JAMES STANNAGE's jokes and comments about the death of IRAQ hostage KEN BIGLEY. 

The fine, the largest ever levied by OFCOM against a UK radio station for offensive remarks, was based on comments STANNAGE made in OCTOBER and NOVEMBER 2004 about Muslims and Thais (BIGLEY's wife was from THAILAND). The station has apologized for the remarks and STANNAGE was fired in JUNE; STANNAGE's comments have previously caused fines against the station in 1996 and 1997.

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