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Radio and television member stations of the Media Association of Jamaica (MAJ) are indicating that they will not be providing continuous coverage of Local Government election results.
The decision comes in the wake of an impasse between the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) and the MAJ concerning the fees charged by the EOJ.
In a release issued by the MAJ, it indicated the Association wrote to the Director of Elections raising concern about the fees.
The MAJ says the EOJ responded by confirming that media houses are not being charged to receive the full election results, but are being charged to access the results online.
Media houses that have not agreed to pay this fee have been denied access to install any equipment at the EOJ's election centre
The Members of the MAJ including the Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre, CVM Communications Group and RJR Communications Group have all reported being quoted fees of between $150,000 and $400,000 per radio or television entity in order to receive the continuous results.
The MAJ views this as a major blow to free access to public information and feels it also has all the signs of a strike against press freedom.
The decision comes in the wake of an impasse between the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) and the MAJ concerning the fees charged by the EOJ.
In a release issued by the MAJ, it indicated the Association wrote to the Director of Elections raising concern about the fees.
The MAJ says the EOJ responded by confirming that media houses are not being charged to receive the full election results, but are being charged to access the results online.
Media houses that have not agreed to pay this fee have been denied access to install any equipment at the EOJ's election centre
The Members of the MAJ including the Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre, CVM Communications Group and RJR Communications Group have all reported being quoted fees of between $150,000 and $400,000 per radio or television entity in order to receive the continuous results.
The MAJ views this as a major blow to free access to public information and feels it also has all the signs of a strike against press freedom.