Broadcasting Commission wants payola a criminal offence
Saturday, November 13, 2010
RADIO and television staff who support payola could find themselves in prison if government accepts a proposal from the Broadcasting Commission to have the practice criminalised.
The commission's chairman, Dr Hopeton Dunn, told a press conference on Wednesday that it would be recommending that payola be seen as a criminal offence under new regulatory amendments now before the Cabinet.
"It is widely known that the Broadcasting Commission has taken a very strong stand, and has encouraged the broadcasting companies on taking an equally strong stand against the corrupt practice of payola," Dr Dunn told reporters at the press conference at the commission's office in Kingston.
"...The reflection of that strong stand, I believe, should be in the form of making it some kind of criminal offence. The main point we want to make here, is that it should not be tolerated and it should be severely sanctioned, up to and including a criminal offence, as well as financial sanctions," he said.
This is one of several recommendations in a Media Policy Report compiled by a Canadian research company, drafted to assist the commission in updating and modernising Jamaica's Electronic Media Policy.
The new regulations also cover provisions protecting the well-being of children and other persons who are victims of, or witnesses to, crimes.
Said Dr Dunn: "One of the things we come across from time to time is media houses, maybe in ignorance, exposing underaged children to the glare of media publicity in times of crisis."
The new regulations would respond to the harm and the damage to the well-being of the child in respect of those kinds of practices.
Dr Dunn said the Commission was also "concerned about the practice of "intentionally" disclosing information capable of identify children who are survivors, or witnesses to criminal activities, and children who are witnesses to traumatic events being interviewed without the expressed permission of the parents.
He said a percentage of the revenue collected through these sanctions would go towards the development of a local Content Production Fund, which would help to support the protection and promotion of Jamaica's indigenous programmes.
He said the Media Policy Report suggested development of a framework to foster the production and exhibition of high quality public service programming available to all Jamaicans.
The Fund would also be supported by a percentage of proceeds from substituted advertising by cable operators, and an amount from the annual licensing fees collected by the commission.
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11/13/2010
It's simple. Just pose as a producer with couple new tunes and go and link one of these disc jock who we always hear collecting money to play music, and as soon as they accept the money, just lock them up. but it have to be well organized.
The broadcasting commission can employ people to do these sting operation, just like how we do it with them cops taking bribes on the street. Take your time and you will catch all of them 1 by 1. about 85% of these djs collect payola and they will be caught.
11/13/2010
This is a idea need to be think over, please go back this one over. Hope you know that a radio host play on show out side the regular radio program. There is no way to tell how much money they get paid at those show.
There is know law in Jamaica invoke a promoter to tell you how much a radio host get when he play at these show. You all acting like they come in to the office play the radio hosts.
until You find away for to prove much money they make you can't do anything.
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