KINGSTON, Jamaica – The management of CVM Television on Wednesday rejected “grave allegations” made by Television Jamaica (TVJ) in a recent case adjudicated by the Supreme Court. See the release in full:

In a statement to the media, CVM said in TVJ’s attempt to secure an injunction barring the station’s “measured and responsible use” of clips from the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, TVJ alleged in court papers which was the basis for a fallacious item in its newscast of August 25, that CVM Television had unlawfully decoded satellite transmissions of the event.

The release described the allegation as “damning”  and claimed that it has marred the station’s management and staff, as it portrays them as performing a sinister exercise of dishonesty.

“This allegation, though not pursued by attorneys for Television Jamaica in their failed attempt to secure an injunction, must not be allowed to go unchallenged since it strikes at the heart of the probity and high ethical standards with which CVM Television has conducted its affairs,” the release stated.

CVM Television has occupied a venerable place in Jamaica’s media landscape for the past 22 years, distinguishing itself through fearless and thorough journalism, pioneering programming and an indefatigable commitment to truth and excellence. It is against this background that the management of the station strongly repudiates certain grave allegations made by Television Jamaica in a recent case adjudicated by the Supreme Court of judicature. In its attempt to secure an injunction barring CVM Television’s measured and responsible use of clips from the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, Television Jamaica alleged in court papers which was the basis for a fallacious item in its newscast of August 25, 2015 that CVM Television had unlawfully decoded satellite transmissions of the event. The damning allegation was that CVM Television’s management and Staff engaged in a sinister exercise of dishonesty. This allegation, though not pursued by Attorneys for Television Jamaica in their failed attempt to secure an injunction, must not be allowed to go unchallenged since it strikes at the heart of the probity and high ethical standards with which CVM Television has conducted its affairs. At no time did CVM Television use a decoding device to unlock a satellite signal in breach of TVJ’s broadcast rights for the event. At all material times, the source of the material used by CVM Television’s was the official IAAF YouTube channel, a point made patently clear on our ‘Return to the Nest’ programme and in the interlocutory proceedings for an injunction. While CVM Television will responsibly not comment on the broader copyright litigation which is yet to be adjudicated, it is instructive that Mr Justice David Batts rejected TVJ’s application for an injunction on the ground that, at trial, a Judge is likely to find that CVM’s use of the material was fair and is permissible under the Copyright Act since it was used to review a current event of significant national interest. At no time did CVM’s reportage in the programme ‘Return to the Nest’ show LIVE events from the Championships as we scrupulously ensured we did not infringe upon TVJ’s exclusive rights to such broadcasts. Our programming during the period of the World Championships was the epitome of the fair and cutting edge journalism which has placed the station on the pedestal as the finest news entity in the Caribbean. TVJ’s unfounded allegation that its satellite footprint was intercepted by CVM has resulted in severe reputational damage, especially since this was propagated on TVJ’s newscasts. We wish to assure our Viewers, Advertisers and all Stakeholders that CVM has always maintained its commitment to fairness and unimpeachable integrity and this attempt to impugn the Company’s reputation will be vigorously challenged in the Courts. We thank our Staff for their dedication in producing the Programme ‘Return to the Nest’ and are pleased with the tremendous reception from our Viewers and Advertisers who are unequivocal in their knowledge that CVM is the source they trust.