Broadcasting Commission: Monitoring and Regulating Electronic Media Output

Executive Director of the Broadcasting Commission, Cordell Green, is commending electronic media houses that are taking disciplinary action against employees who breach broadcast regulations, but insists that much more needs to be done.
“We have seen in some instances, more positive developments on the part of [broadcast] management indicating that these matters are being taken more seriously, resulting in the suspension of persons from the airwaves who have participated in the transmission of inappropriate content, and I think, in some instances, dismissals,” he acknowledges in an interview with JIS News.
Citing what he describes as “systemic and management weaknesses”, Mr. Green stresses the need for greater scrutiny of candidates selected as broadcasters, as also the need for improved training and preparation of these individuals.
Lamenting that there are media personalities on the airways who are not “ready to be put behind microphones and [in front of] cameras”, Mr. Green says the responsibility for correcting this anomaly is currently the responsibility of the owners, operators, and managers of broadcast entities, as the “Broadcasting Commission does not interfere in the internal affairs of licensees.”
However, in light of the prevailing situation, Mr. Green discloses that the Commission will not be depending solely on the media houses to address the problem, but rather will be recommending revisions to the regulations, which would, for example, stipulate that entities appoint a qualified programme manager or officer, charged with the responsibility for output.
“In the past, you wouldn’t need to write something like that in the regulations because it followed as a matter of course that if you are to operate a radio station, then that would be a critical area. But we now see the need to have an expressed provision, and also to be looking at whether the people who occupy those positions are qualified,” he adds.
The Executive Director acknowledges that, while the proposed change might be contentious and controversial, it is necessary given the importance of the broadcast media as a vehicle of socialization.
“Anybody with an understanding of the fundamental role that broadcasting, and media in general, play in development and socialization,… to inform, educate, and entertain, would then understand that it is serious people who you put on the air, it is intelligent…, capable people who you have to put on the air,” Mr. Green emphasizes.
In recent times, the relationship between the Broadcasting Commission and its licensees has been turbulent and, in some instances, it has been suggested that the Commission is engaging in witch-hunts.
Mr. Green responds that while there will always be disagreements between the regulators and the people who are being regulated, the actions of the Broadcasting Commission are in no way personal attacks. “[They are] a direct response to the deterioration in the quality and standard of broadcasting that we have been observing over the years,” he explains.
Regarding the appropriateness of content, the Executive Director notes that the Commission’s main concern is monitoring and regulating output, to protect the nation’s children against potentially harmful material, rather than being judgmental.
“What people need to understand is that the Broadcasting Commission is really more about looking at regulating harm than taste. It is not so much what is in poor taste, but what really is harmful…what ought not to be on the airwaves…to expose children to that kind of content is harmful,” he stresses.
“We can watch a show and we say we don’t think that it is in good taste. That is not the same thing as saying it is harmful. There are some things that are clearly harmful. you don’t want to socialize children to think that using expletives and curse words, [is] normal. So if you normalize that by putting it on the airwaves freely and at times when they have access to the airwaves, you are doing an injustice to your society and harm to children,” he contends.
In this regard, Mr. Green discloses that the Commission will be taking a serious look at the use of bleeping in broadcast output.
“We have seen developments, such as an increase in the use of bleeps, in attempts to make problematic content more palatable for the airwaves. But unfortunately, we see that more as a failure than anything else, [as what] you are getting is watered down, raw content that is unfit for broadcast. The Commission [will] now be moving to implement what is really an extreme but necessary measure, which is to write in a regulation to prohibit the bleeping or otherwise editing of material that would be considered unfit for broadcast,” he informs.
To complement its lobby for legislative changes, the Broadcasting Commission will be looking to establish a citizens-based monitoring programme.
“Within the short to medium term, we will be looking at introducing [this]. After all, it is their airwaves and one of the critical roles of the Commission is to receive complaints from members of the public on what they consider to be inappropriate content, and then to make a finding as to whether that is so. We have to look at how we can more effectively monitor what is an increasingly dynamic and expansive electronic media landscape. And so, we want to promote citizen involvement in the monitoring of the airwaves,” he outlines.
The Executive Director stresses that citizen involvement will go beyond just monitoring, as the Commission will embark on a comprehensive public (more)education programme that will seek to inform the citizenry about the Broadcasting Commission’s mandate, as well as reaffirm social consensus in respect of values, with the aim of encouraging public debate.
“Reaffirming social consensus in respect of values,… really means, because the regulations reflect values, we need to have more people being aware of what the provisions are, [in order] for there to be public debate about whether we still feel the same way about some of the things in the regulations. Public education is critical, not just with a view to having the public assist the Broadcasting Commission with the monitoring of the airwaves, but for the public to weigh in on the question of what… ought to constitute the regulations,” Mr. Green informs.
The Broadcasting Commission is a statutory body established by the Broadcasting and Radio Re-Diffusion Amendment Act of 1986. Prior to this, the broadcast media were monitored by the Broadcasting Authority, which was created by the Broadcasting and Radio Re-Diffusion Act of 1949. The Authority’s functions were incorporated into the Commission.
The main role of the Commission is to monitor and regulate Jamaica’s electronic media while balancing the interests of consumers, the industries, and the creative community in implementing public policy and law.