'Unfair, uninformed, unhelpful' - Broadcasting Commission rejects Government backbencher's criticisms

Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter

JAMAICA'S REGULATORY body for broadcast media, the Broadcasting Commission, has rejected complaints from a parliamentary backbencher that it was not carrying out its job effectively.

Member of Parliament for South West St Ann, Ernest Smith, charged last week that the regulatory body was ineffective in stemming the flow of lewd lyrics in the electronic media.

Professor Hopeton Dunn, chairman of the commission, however, queried whether the parliamentarian had informed himself about the work of the agency. He dismissed the suggestions that the commission was lax in carrying out its duties.

He was supported by Executive Director of the Broadcasting Commission Cordel Green, who questioned whether the commission's quarterly complaints reports and its annual reports had been tabled in Parliament. He noted that no reference was made to the agency's reports.

Checks by The Sunday Gleaner revealed that the documents were tabled in both Houses and posted on Parliament's website.

Green said it was well known that the commission had taken what some describe as draconian measures in recent times. "The characterisation I hear reported to me seemed a bit extreme and is unfair."

He pointed out that a well-known artiste, who had been involved in the production of lyrics which glorified the gun and murder, declared publicly that based on the actions of the commission, he was rethinking his material for the airwaves.

"To characterise the Broadcasting Commission as doing nothing or very little is unfair, it is uninformed and it is not very helpful," the executive director stressed.

Letters dispatched

Green said the commission had dispatched letters to the Speaker of the House, Delroy Chuck, President of the Senate Dr Oswald Harding, and some MPs who sit on critical parliamentary committees requesting meetings to update them on important regulatory initiatives and support that it needs from the lawmakers to give the regulator more teeth.

"We are anxious to move certain matters from policy position to law."

Smith, an attorney-at-law, had complained that the country stood helpless as disc jockeys and other persons served up a daily diet of "degrading, slack, filthy, and demoralising music on radio" and in buses to the country's children.

"We have allowed musicians to set the standard for our children," he charged. "I said in this House before that the Broadcasting Commission, over the years, has failed to perform the function for which the members were appointed.

"Any Broadcasting Commission that allowed such music airplay, the commission should be fired. That is my view," a resolute Smith declared.

He was contributing to a debate on a private member's motion moved by Gregory Mair, the South West St Ann MP, which said the moral fabric of the society was seriously damaged.

The discussion centred on reasons for the decay in morals, values, and family life, as well as action that should be taken to ensure that Jamaica's children are not exposed to an "unfriendly and aggressive" environment.