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No bleeping - Broadcasting Commission proposes to prohibit the use of bleeps in songs
Come this year, if the Broadcasting Commission's proposed policy is approved, the broadcasting sector will not be able to use bleeps to clean up content that is not fit for the airwaves.
Executive Director for the Broadcasting Commission, Cordel Green, said the Commission had been in consultation with the broadcasting sector and the entertainment fraternity since 2008, on its way to enforcing the policy.
He said wider consultations with the public took place in 2007, while the last set of consultations took place in December 2008.
Green said he is displeased with the indecent content that is heard on the airwaves.
Sanitise songs
"Some of them are using bleeps to sanitise the songs. The Commission is intending to prohibit the use of bleeps in songs that are not fit for airplay," Green told The STAR.
"I think that it is fair to say that we are now at the end of the consultation process. The next step is to consult with the Ministry of Information. When it comes into force will really be dependent on the parliament."
However, Green expects the process to be completed in 2009.
Although Green said consultations had been taking place with the broadcasting sector since last year and the process was almost complete, Francois St Juste, General Manager for Radio in the RJR Communications Group (comprising Fame FM, Hitz 92 FM and RJR FM), said he was not aware of the proposed policy, nor was he part of the consultation process.
No comment
He said he was unaware of any discussion which might have taken place between the Broadcasting Commission and his superiors. Hence, he was unable to comment on the proposed policy.
Brian Schmidt, Marketing Manager for Irie FM and ZIP FM, said he has vague knowledge of the proposed policy.
"I am not in a position to comment on that because I do not have enough information on it. We have not been supplied with enough information from the Broadcasting Commission," Schmidt told The STAR.
"Media houses were sent a document (by the Broadcasting Commission) and asked to respond in writing. The consultation process is still in progress and there is need for more consultation," he said.
Mixed views
But this proposed policy is not limited to 'no bleeping'. Green said provisions are also being made to prohibit interviews with children without the consent of guardians and prohibit the disclosure of identities of witnesses to certain acts of crime.
So far, Green says there have been mixed views to the suggested policy.
"There are different views and that is the reason you consult. These measures are coming in because even though in 2003 we introduced the Children's Code for Programming, we are still experiencing breaches. Generally speaking, the commission is not satisfied with the quality of output. If a song is not produced for airplay, it is not intended for airplay," Green said.
The 'watershed'
"It is the common practice in other countries, so you would expect people in Jamaica to make two versions of a song. We are just coming in line with other countries of the world where they take these matters into consideration. We must not believe that the only songs that should be made are the ones that require bleeping."
Nonetheless, Green believes the 'watershed', which is in the Children's Code for Programming, should be taken into consideration. The 'watershed' stipulates that when it reaches 9 p.m. and the later it gets, the more one expects to see and hear material that is of an adult nature.
http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/.../ent/ent1.html
Come this year, if the Broadcasting Commission's proposed policy is approved, the broadcasting sector will not be able to use bleeps to clean up content that is not fit for the airwaves.
Executive Director for the Broadcasting Commission, Cordel Green, said the Commission had been in consultation with the broadcasting sector and the entertainment fraternity since 2008, on its way to enforcing the policy.
He said wider consultations with the public took place in 2007, while the last set of consultations took place in December 2008.
Green said he is displeased with the indecent content that is heard on the airwaves.
Sanitise songs
"Some of them are using bleeps to sanitise the songs. The Commission is intending to prohibit the use of bleeps in songs that are not fit for airplay," Green told The STAR.
"I think that it is fair to say that we are now at the end of the consultation process. The next step is to consult with the Ministry of Information. When it comes into force will really be dependent on the parliament."
However, Green expects the process to be completed in 2009.
Although Green said consultations had been taking place with the broadcasting sector since last year and the process was almost complete, Francois St Juste, General Manager for Radio in the RJR Communications Group (comprising Fame FM, Hitz 92 FM and RJR FM), said he was not aware of the proposed policy, nor was he part of the consultation process.
No comment
He said he was unaware of any discussion which might have taken place between the Broadcasting Commission and his superiors. Hence, he was unable to comment on the proposed policy.
Brian Schmidt, Marketing Manager for Irie FM and ZIP FM, said he has vague knowledge of the proposed policy.
"I am not in a position to comment on that because I do not have enough information on it. We have not been supplied with enough information from the Broadcasting Commission," Schmidt told The STAR.
"Media houses were sent a document (by the Broadcasting Commission) and asked to respond in writing. The consultation process is still in progress and there is need for more consultation," he said.
Mixed views
But this proposed policy is not limited to 'no bleeping'. Green said provisions are also being made to prohibit interviews with children without the consent of guardians and prohibit the disclosure of identities of witnesses to certain acts of crime.
So far, Green says there have been mixed views to the suggested policy.
"There are different views and that is the reason you consult. These measures are coming in because even though in 2003 we introduced the Children's Code for Programming, we are still experiencing breaches. Generally speaking, the commission is not satisfied with the quality of output. If a song is not produced for airplay, it is not intended for airplay," Green said.
The 'watershed'
"It is the common practice in other countries, so you would expect people in Jamaica to make two versions of a song. We are just coming in line with other countries of the world where they take these matters into consideration. We must not believe that the only songs that should be made are the ones that require bleeping."
Nonetheless, Green believes the 'watershed', which is in the Children's Code for Programming, should be taken into consideration. The 'watershed' stipulates that when it reaches 9 p.m. and the later it gets, the more one expects to see and hear material that is of an adult nature.
http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/.../ent/ent1.html
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