Ofcom fines The Word Network
December 9, 2025
Ofcom has imposed a financial penalty of £375,000 on religious channel, The Word Network, for breaching broadcasting rules on multiple occasions. Having received viewer complaints – and in one case following routine monitoring – the media regulator launched investigations into the following programmes:
- Stem Cell Activators, broadcast on July 24th 2023;
- Various episodes of Peter Popoff Ministries, broadcast in December 2023
- Peter Popoff Ministries, broadcast on May 24th 2024.
The investigations concluded that the programme Stem Cell Activators made unsubstantiated claims that serious medical conditions could be treated by using certain unlicensed products, which were promoted in the programme. The Peter Popoff programmes promoted and made unsubstantiated claims that using a particular product or contacting a religious ministry were effective in treating serious medical conditions or alleviating financial difficulties. In broadcasting these programmes, The Word Network failed to adequately protect views from harm, said Ofcom.
Given the serious and in some cases, repeated and reckless nature of these breaches, Ofcom has imposed financial penalties on The Word Network of £50,000 for the broadcast of Stem Cell Activators, and £150,000 and £175,000 for the broadcasts of Peter Popoff Ministries in December 2023 and May 2024 respectively. Payment of these penalties will be passed on to HM Treasury.
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