KINGSTON, Jamaica — There were 47 Notices of Breach issued by the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ) in 2024 relating to the broadcast of problematic content when compared to the 71 reported breaches in 2023.

The notices were issued to 43 broadcast radio operators and four broadcast television providers, according to the 2024 edition of the Economic and Social Survey Jamaica, an annual publication of the Planning Institute of Jamaica.

According to the survey, the breaches primarily involved the transmission of explicit, violent, or profane content, including songs with indecent language, sexually suggestive lyrics, and violent themes that violated broadcasting regulations.

“Several stations were cited for misleading advertising and failure to provide necessary disclaimers for sensitive news stories, leading to concerns about journalistic integrity and public misinformation. Additionally, copyright infringement issues arose, particularly regarding the unauthorised broadcasting of exclusive content,” said the survey.

It states that some licensees were also found non-compliant with general content regulations, failing to adhere to guidelines set by the BCJ.

According to the survey, members of the public contacted the BCJ 189 times in 2024; this compares with 159 times in 2023. The primary reasons were:

— Complaints about Content Standards Violations: related to indecent language, sexually explicit lyrics, violent content, and misleading advertisements on

radio and television;

— Queries and Comments on Operational Issues: members of the public sought information about broadcasters’ compliance, licensing issues, and general operations of the BCJ;

— Subscriber Television Service Issues: concerns were raised about technical problems, service interruptions, and poor customer service from cable providers;

— Concerns About Access to Sport and Other Subscription Services: related to difficulties in accessing English Premier League matches and other subscription-based content;

— Reports of Technical Issues with Broadcast Services: complaints were made about signal disruptions, audio clarity, and general transmission problems on radio and television stations.

The majority of complaints resulted in investigations into content compliance, while operational queries and technical complaints were addressed through coordination with service providers.