CVM Television Limited and Television Jamaica have until next Monday to provide the Broadcasting Commission with reports on what measures they will take to prevent the recurrence of breaches of the Children’s Code for Programming.

According to the Commission, both broadcasters, in a number of instances over the last few months, had aired content that breached provisions of the Code and, thereby, the Television and Sound Broadcasting Regulations.

At its September meeting, the Commission reviewed five entertainment programmes that had been investigated following complaints from viewers. The regulatory body rapped TVJ for its broadcast of New Kingston Street Jam, on Sunday August 3, 2003 as well as its Top Ten Music Video Chart Countdown.

The live broadcast of New Kingston Street Jam, the Commission said, included a performance that contained sexual gestures, promotion of violence and inappropriate language.

The Commission acknowledged that the inclusion of the inappropriate material could not have been intentional, given the involvement of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission in producing the event. However, it felt that the broadcast of the material to viewers could have been avoided if an audio/visual delay system had been in place.

The Commission took account of TVJ’s initiative to apologise to its viewers on the day following the broadcast and decided not to proceed with any further action against the station on this matter.

However, TVJ has been directed to provide a report on its progress in implementing an audio/visual delay system which, the Commission said, the station last year promised to implement in early 2003 following problems it had experienced when it had been surprised by similar content during a live programme.

TVJ has also been asked to report on what measures will be implemented to prevent a recurrence of breaches such as those detected in a July 19 broadcast of the Top Ten Music Video Chart Countdown.

The Commission noted that the PG 13 advisory aired prior to the start of the subject programme was insufficient to prepare viewers for graphic sexual portrayals in the programme. The Commission specifically mentioned a music video, titled Poke Jam, performed by Davino, Merciless and Heather Cummings, which, it said, included sexual simulations during dancing as well as close-up shots on very scantily clad women.

The material was not suitable for a 4:00 pm broadcast, the Commission said, and should have been scheduled for after 9:00 pm, in accordance with the Code.

With regards to CVM, the Commission found that the station’s August 9 broadcasts of E-Strip, The Party, and On Stage included coarse language, inappropriate portrayals of sexual behaviour as well as the promotion of violence towards women.

While the Commission noted that CVM had displayed the PG icon while airing The Party, it maintained that the station had failed to transmit advisories, as required by the Code, which adequately warned adult caregivers of the nature of problematic content being broadcast.

In addition, the Commission said, all three programmes on CVM were aired before 8:00 pm which, given the nature of their content, was too early, based on the standards set out in the Children’s Code.

Consequently, the Commission, under Section 20 (1) (b) of the Broadcasting and Radio Re-Diffusion Act, has directed CVM to submit a written report on whether it will reschedule its music entertainment programmes to a more appropriate time or transmit only appropriate content during the time slot which the programmes currently occupy.

The Commission also took issue with CVM’s May report on fatal shootings in Crawle, Clarendon. Soon after the station aired a news story about the incident, the Commission said, it received complaints about the broadcast and launched an investigation.

During the broadcast, the Commission noted, the licensee transmitted footage of the death scene, which included blood-stained floors and the covered bodies of the victims of the shooting CVM TV did not supply any editorial justification for including such graphic visuals in the news story; neither could the Commission determine any. Furthermore, the station presented no evidence that efforts were made to inform the audience of the disturbing nature of the news item, so that caregivers could use their discretion about whether children in their care should be exposed to the content, the Commission contended.

The Code requires broadcast licensees to transmit advisories just before and during transmission of news items that are problematic. In the circumstances, the material was inappropriately scheduled and would have been suited for a later broadcast, the Commission said.

CVM has been directed to take remedial action to ensure that such a breach does not recur and inform the Commission of what systems have been put in place for that purpose.