Broadcasting Commission Moves Against ‘Daggering’ Music on Radio and TV

In an effort to halt the broadcasting of inappropriate music on the public airwaves, the Broadcasting Commission has implemented several regulatory actions relating to broadcast media content.
Speaking at a press conference today (Feb. 9) at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston, Chairman of the Broadcasting Commission, Dr. Hopeton Dunn, said that the directives have been taken to rid the broadcasting landscape of content that is inappropriate, particularly for children.
The directives are: there shall not be transmitted through radio or television cable services, any recording, live song or music video, which promotes the act of ‘daggering’ or which makes reference to, or is otherwise suggestive of ‘daggering’.
Daggering as defined by the Commission is a colloquial term or phrase used in dancehall culture as a reference to hardcore sex, or what is popularly referred to as ‘dry’ sex”, or the activities of persons engaged in the public simulation of various sexual acts and positions.
Another directive outlined that there shall not be transmitted through radio or television or cable services, any audio recording, song or music video which employs editing techniques of ‘bleeping’ or ‘beeping’ of its original lyrical content.
Programme managers and station owners/operators are required to take immediate steps to prevent transmission of any recorded material relating to ‘daggering’, or which fall into the category of edited musical content using techniques of ‘bleeping’ or ‘beeping’.
Dr. Dunn noted that, while the directive was pointed to the deluge of daggering and related output on the air, it is grounded in Regulation 30 (d) and in the Children’s Code for programming, both of which, will be strictly applied to all types of musical broadcast output including soca, music and carnival music.
The directives, he said, is part of a wider set of actions being embarked upon by the Commission.
“We have taken note of the steps that have already been taken by licensees to comply with this directive, and will work closely with them while increasing the scope of our monitoring to ensure that there is full compliance,” he said.
He urged all media managers to exercise stricter internal controls “or risk jeopardizing their licences.”
Dr. Dunn noted that there has been evidence of improvements in the management and oversights of the stations,and more stringent disciplinary actions have been taken internally.
He said that the Commission has expanded its monitoring framework, noting that it is its intention that the measures should help to “transform the landscape into something that we can all be proud of.”