Caribbean regulators, policy specialists and professionals in the Broadcasting, Telecommunications and wider ICT community will meet June 7 - 8, at the Terra Nova Hotel, Kingston, to discuss the future of broadcasting in the Caribbean.

The Broadcasting Commission has been advised by ESPN that it does not have the distribution rights for the FIFA 2010 World Cup in the Caribbean Region. ESPN has further advised that the FIFA 2010 World Cup is only available on the American ESPN feeds, which cannot be distributed outside the United States. Further, there are only two ESPN channels that are authorized for distribution in the region. These are ESPN Caribbean and ESPN 2 Caribbean.

BROADCASTING COMMISSION PROPOSES UP TO 15 MILLION DOLLAR FINES FOR BREACHES OF PAYOLA 

Proposals to criminalise Payola included in amendments to Regulations

The National Steering Committee on Digital Switch-over has recommended a 2015 deadline for switch-off of the old analogue television transmission signals and the start of a full digital national television infrastructure. The decision was made at a meeting of the Committee held on November 2, 2010.

The death of John Maxwell on December 10 represents the passing of one of the most influential figures in the Jamaican media landscape for more than half a century.

Both the President of the Senate, Prof. the Hon. Oswald Harding and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Delroy Chuck have congratulated the Broadcasting Commission on its consistent efforts to control and regulate inappropriate media content. The Parliamentary officials’ comments came during a recent visit by a delegation led by Commission Chairman, Professor Hopeton Dunn.

The Broadcasting Commission has issued a warning to citizens not to engage with illegal cable service operators as this could land them in jail. The warning came at the Commission’s Stakeholders’ Meeting held in Kingston earlier today.

The Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica has directed the management of Nationwide News Network (NNN) Limited to immediately discontinue transmission of the radio programme 'Ragashanti Live' in its current daytime slot, that is, effective Tuesday, March 15, 2011.

The Broadcasting Commission notes the public statement by Nationwide News Network Limited that it intends to comply with the directive of the Commission issued yesterday for breach of licence and regulations.

My good friend Dennis Howard needs to take another look at a few contradictions in his otherwise timely and interesting article on Payola recently published by the Observer (April 17, 2011: page 23).