The Broadcasting Commission notes the editorial in the February 23, 2017 edition of the Jamaica
Observer, titled ‘The Youth View Awards brouhaha’.

The Broadcasting Commission says it, like other media regulators across the world, has been grappling with how content is being consumed in a digital environment and the significant technological changes taking place in the industry.

The Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ) is grappling with how to deal with millennials, persons between 18 and 35, whose media consumption has moved from the currently regulated channels.

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With the added exposure to dangers caused by the ever-evolving media landscape, the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ) is fixed in its position to heighten digital media literacy among the public, children in particular, with the aim of encouraging self-regulation.

Expansion of the local media landscape, reflected in the explosion of community and other radio stations, as well as additions to the number of free-to-air television channels, has made the task of content monitoring much harder for the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ).

The Gleaner published an editorial which raised a number of important and valid points. The Broadcasting Commission welcomes this contribution to the discourse about the opportunities and challenges of the digital age. However, we would like to clarify a few points with regard to the role of regulators in this emerging digital society.

The media and communication industry is undergoing a profound transformation. In the old era, the media industry was organised, legislated and regulated by infrastructure (radio, television, telephone, print, etc), which imposed clear divisions and boundaries.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, has announced that Jamaica has been elected to UNESCO's Inter-governmental Council for the Information for All Programme for the period 2017-2021.