The Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica has received a formal request from Radio Jamaica Limited to temporarily suspend the commercial sound broadcasting licences for Hitz 92 FM and Power 106 FM. The Commission is currently consulting with the Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information to determine the appropriate course of action under the existing statutory and licensing framework.

The Commission is currently investigating public concerns and discourse regarding the removal of various channels from cable subscription packages offered by Flow and Digicel.

The Broadcasting Commission has given the go-ahead to Radio
Jamaica’s agreement to lease airtime on its upgraded digital AM network
to Nationwide News Network Limited (NNN) to broadcast 24 hours a day
seven days a week.

Even as it wraps up public consultations on upgrading enforcement of
electronic media standards, the Broadcasting Commission is sanctioning
radio stations again for breaches of the law relating to programming.

The Broadcasting Commission has issued a strong warning to S.A.U.C.E.
Communications Network, along with a second Notice of Breach for
supplying subscriber television service to an area where it is not licensed.
The company, which now operates under the brand Flow, was warned that
it risked a recommendation for licence suspension if there are any further
confirmed incidents of unlicensed cable service. 

The Broadcasting Commission is advising the public that it has not
approved any change of ownership or control of the cable company
Matrix Entertainment & Communication Company Limited (Matrix).

Chairman of the Broadcasting Commission, Dr. Hopeton Dunn
says regulatory measures have been put in place to safeguard
against the abuse of dominance by any player in Jamaica’s
subscriber television sector.

To facilitate licensees’ requests for further Commission guidance on
the application of the Children’s Code for Programming (Code),
and to demonstrate the Commission’s position that all licensees are
required to comply with the particular standards relevant to them;
broadcast licensees are hereby advised of the Commission’s most
recent findings, and directed to refrain from transmitting such content
in a manner that conflicts with the requirements of the Code.

Even, as it engages with the media to ensure better compliance
with the law, the Broadcasting Commission is encouraging
parents to take a closer look at what controls they are applying
inside their homes to minimize children’s exposure to problematic
content in programming.

The Broadcasting Commission has directed that the insertion of local
advertising into programmes originating on foreign cable channels
seen in Jamaica should be discontinued.