Broadcasting Commission claims CVM breached licence

[Skeng DX]

The Broadcasting Commission has accused CVM of breaching its broadcast licence saying that the station either had poor quality or no coverage in parts of the island.

In a release last night, the Broadcasting Commission said that as late as May 15 they provided CVM with the findings of a technical survey on the level and quality of coverage by broadcasters holding broadcasting licences.

That survey, the commission said, had revealed several areas across the island where there was either no coverage or poor quality coverage. The areas affected included Portland, St Thomas, St Mary, Clarendon, Manchester and Trelawny.

According to the commission, they are dissatisfied with the update and the continued poor or very poor coverage or failure to provide coverage in a number of areas.

added importance

"This situation has taken on added importance on the occasion of the Olympic Games, for which CVM has obtained exclusive islandwide television rights from International Media Content (IMC), the exclusive Broadcast Rights Holder for the Olympics in the Caribbean," the release said.

When contacted last night Al Edwards, Chief executive officer (CEO) of CVM, said that they are doing everything in their powers to address the transmission of broadcast of the 2012 London Olympics across the island. He added that the station had no control over what was provided by the IMC feed.

"We have employed consultants and brought in equipment in an effort to better cover the Olympics. No one has 100 per cent coverage of the island and the commission should have contacted us first before going to the public. We have no control about what comes over the feed and people need to understand that," Edwards said.

remedial measures

In the meantime, the commission said that CVM was served with a Notice of Breach of Licence and directed to take certain remedial measures. These include requirements to:

1. Immediately take steps to fulfil the obligation to provide islandwide coverage.

2. In the interim, immediately confer with International Media Content (IMC) and provide a solution (including alternative distribution arrangements) for Jamaicans to access coverage of the Olympic Games, in areas where CVM is unable to provide service as expected under its exclusive television broadcasting rights for the Olympic Games.

3. Provide immediate public information (in print and broadcast) on the extent of CVM's coverage islandwide and expected coverage during the immediate period of the Olympic Games.

[Historian]

What can I say?

The Broadcasting Commission has accused CVM of breaching its broadcast licence saying that the station either had poor quality or no coverage in parts of the island.

added importance

"This situation has taken on added importance on the occasion of the Olympic Games, for which CVM has obtained exclusive islandwide television rights from International Media Content (IMC), the exclusive Broadcast Rights Holder for the Olympics in the Caribbean," the release said.

remedial measures

2. In the interim, immediately confer with International Media Content (IMC) and provide a solution (including alternative distribution arrangements) for Jamaicans to access coverage of the Olympic Games, in areas where CVM is unable to provide service as expected under its exclusive television broadcasting rights for the Olympic Games.

Yet this is the sole station charged with the responsibility of delivering the London Olympic Games to an eager country!

But, as I said yesterday, except for the Gleaner letter that I posted here, I’ve not heard any loud Jamaican voices querying the decision to block Olympic Games transmission by NBC and its affiliates (MSNBC and Bravo) and the Canadian channel CTV from the homes of cable service customers.

[Skeng DX]

Disappointed In CVM TV
Published: Saturday | July 28, 2012 6 Comments
THE EDITOR, Sir:

Big congratulations to CVM TV! Yesterday, the Olympic Games officially started, yet most people in east Kingston will not be able to see it unless they have cable.

It is two months now since we have not been able to see anything on CVM, despited making repeated calls to the television station. The company says it is working on the problem. Up to Wednesday, my neighbour called, and CVM said the problem would be fixed for the Olympics. Up to Friday, all I am seeing is a grainy TV, with the sound of frying.

My television works beautifully on TVJ, so it could not be the TV or the antenna. I am not the only person in the community having this problem.

CVM uses every opportunity to remind us in the print media that it is the exclusive rights to broadcast the 2012 Olympics. What CVM forgot to tell us is that only some sections of the island would see it.

I am so disappointed in CVM TV.

J. OSBORNE

Kingston 2

[Skeng DX]

Limited Coverage In PortlandPublished: Saturday | July 28, 2012 3 Comments
THE EDITOR, Sir:

I am writing to voice my gross displeasure at CVM, which fought tooth and nail to snatch the broadcasting rights for the Olympic Games. Now, at the beginning of the XXX Olympiad, CVM is failing to deliver on its ability to broadcast!

I reside in the Portland area and it has long been an issue trying to get suitable coverage from this network in my neighbourhood. Once I realised that CVM would be carrying the Games, I immediately called the station and sought to ascertain when its coverage problems would be rectified.

Whenever I was lucky enough to get through on the phone, I was promised numerous times that CVM was working on it and that the woes would be dealt with well in time for the Games. The result? Two days of terrible, on-and-off reception. On the day of the opening ceremony, not a blip from my TV!

As I am writing to you now, I am fuming with anger, because of the incompetence of this network. I am going to miss out on the greatest sense of pride to be experienced by watching our athletes carry our nation's colours on the world's biggest sporting platform!

It's not fair, and I would urge this network not to take on any other such privilege unless it can provide islandwide coverage as it was supposed to!

DISGRUNTLED VIEWER

[Gamma]

clearly the message got where it needs to get. isntead of compplaining to the media, they took it srtaight to the Broadcasting Commission ... perhaps? or is it that the commissioners themselves are peeved at the poor coverage?

[Historian]

Okay, but....

clearly the message got where it needs to get. isntead of compplaining to the media, they took it srtaight to the Broadcasting Commission ... perhaps? or is it that the commissioners themselves are peeved at the poor coverage?

I understand your point, Gamma, but I was NOT aware of CVM’s poor coverage when I first made my post on this matter yesterday.

My concern was/is with the whole principle of censorship, no matter how limited -- in this case the blocking of North American coverage (USA and Canada) thereby limiting people’s ability to see the Olympic Games events of their choice.

This nonsense was also done in 2008 during the two weeks of the Olympic Games. Were this block lifted in Jamaica now, viewers could watch the Olympics on CVM, NBC and MSNBC (which all give full daily and nightly coverage) and for those who have it, Bravo (an NBC affiliate) and Canada’s CTV).

The Olympic Games started last Friday! What the Broadcasting Commission is doing now is too little too late, like trying to close the gate after the horse has gone through.

[Gamma]

better late ... plus they may have enough time for the track and field ... which is the real olympics! whey yuh seh?

btw i hear that glen johnson's nephew is SUPER talented ... yuh hear about him?

[Bricktop]

You can't just decide to broadcast NBC's coverage of the Olympics...Sportsmax bought that right...so they must spend a bag a money for the rights and then someone else be allowed to show it without paying a dime?

[Gamma]

suh wha yuh seh? dem buy a lame horse?

[Bricktop]

Why yuh seh dat? Sportsmax good...they got their cash from CVM...+ they are simulcasting online...win win for Sportsmax...

[Historian]

That's Great!

better late ... plus they may have enough time for the track and field ... which is the real olympics! whey yuh seh?

btw i hear that glen johnson's nephew is SUPER talented ... yuh hear about him?

No Gamma, I’ve not seen or heard from Glen for the past many years. I’m not even sure who the nephew is that you’re referring to (lol). Bassist Rohan Reid came to mind, but I don’t think Rohan is related to Glen.

[Historian]

I fully agree, but....

You can't just decide to broadcast NBC's coverage of the Olympics...Sportsmax bought that right...so they must spend a bag a money for the rights and then someone else be allowed to show it without paying a dime?

You are making lots of sense, Bricktop, and I understand your point. I also understand what Gamma is saying with his reference to the importance of track and field to us Jamaicans.

But trust me, if powerful enough protests were raised by concerned interests, CVM would have been pressured to work out an agreement (a financial arrangement, perhaps) with cable operators to allow the broadcast of the American channels and so give, for example, those Jamaicans who prefer gymnastics over table tennis, an alternative.

At least in NBC’s case, in using three channels they are making an effort at giving Americans (in particular, white Americans; lol) a choice.

[Gamma]

Wade Johnson. I think he specializes in the keyboard

[Gamma]

CVM mi a talk

[Historian]

Re: Wade

Wade Johnson. I think he specializes in the keyboard

Gamma, I’ve never heard of this guy Wade Johnson! But if he’s within Glen’s influence, as I’m sure he is, then I can only imagine how outstanding a musician Wade is!