The Advisory Committee on Broadcasting (ACB) has ruled that seven TV stations infringed the conditions of their licences and four of them are to be warned that a future transgression could result in suspension or revocation of their licences.
Prime Minister Sam Hinds yesterday said that he will be acting on the ACB’s advice in accordance with the Memorandum of Under-standing which had been signed between President Bharrat Jagdeo and PNC/R leader Desmond Hoyte. The ACB’s ruling was contained in a press release issued by Hinds’ office.
The stations involved are CNS Channel 6, WRHM Channel 7, NBTV Channel 9, GTV Channel 11, MTV Channel 14, NTN Channel 18 and VCT Channel 28, according to a release from the Office of the Prime Minister.
The sanctions recommended by the committee, according to the release, range from advice/strong advice to warning/serious warning with the caution that further infringement could attract suspension or revocation of licence.
Channel 6 was cited for an infringement during the Sunrise Show on June 17, during which "a woman reported that someone told her that President Jagdeo advocated the killing of Mr Sharma, which statement Mr Sharma reiterated, treating it as fact." This, the ACB said, was an infringement of Condition (a) of the station’s licence and it recommended a warning or serious warning. "The ACB takes a serious view of the contravention and the licensee is warned against further contraventions. Any further infringement of this magnitude should attract: Suspension or revocation of licence; in very serious cases, the ACB may recommend the suspension of a licence (up to 30 days), or make recommendation to have the licence revoked."
Channel 7 was cited for airing on Capitol News, on June 11, a news item on Compton Cambridge, featuring his mother who "dilates on police action in a partisan fashion without balance; the police position that Cambridge had a motive to murder the police sergeant not mentioned." The ACB said this was an infringement of Condition (b) and prescribed a warning or serious warning.
Channel 9’s infringements occurred on June 13 during the African Perspective show aired at 9 pm and on June 21 during the broadcast of ‘Guyana The Way Forward’ also aired at 9 pm. The ACB said that the June 13 show’s host Tacuma Ogunseye stereotyped "Black people as using violence against Black people" and that "extra-judicial killings and intimidating and punishing African communities [were] part of the PPP’s political agenda." This the ACB said was an infringement of Condition (a) of the station’s licence. It said Ogunseye also "stereotypes Indo-Guyanese and accuses Indo-Guyanese of not having any concern to bring such killing to an end." This, it said, was another infringement of Condition (a), noting that "in the call-in, which followed, callers consistently advocated murder of policemen and their families."
The show on June 21, was hosted by Lorri Alexander who, the ACB said, "reads pamphlets inducing disaffection in NCO ranks and inciting racial hatred" also in contravention of Condition (a) of the station’s licence. The recommended sanction was the same as for Channel 6.
Channel 11’s infringement occurred on June 20, when it aired the film, Bridges of Madison County at 2:30 pm. The committee said the station aired a programme with sexual content to a young viewership. The committee recommended that the station be "advised or strongly advised to observe more carefully the relevant provisions."
Channel 14 on June 9, aired the Sanatan Dharma programme at 2 pm, during which "Mr Harricharran speaks on Hinduism and Race" and "makes demeaning remarks about Hinduism," which by innuendoes and implications are racist statements, infringing Conditions (a) and (d) of the station’s licence. The recommended sanction is a warning or serious warning.
Channel 18’s infringement occurred on June 17, during the Square Talk programme aired at 9 pm and hosted by Kwame McCoy during which he "implied that the PNC party was involved in recapping [sic] the plunder from recent robberies." This, the committee said, infringed Conditions (a) and (b) of the station’s licence. It recommended a warning or serious warning with the threat of suspension or revocation of licence for future transgressions.
Channel 28’s (VCT) infringement occurred during the airing of the Evening News on May 17 during which "Mr Jerome Khan attacks the IDB making unsubstantiated allegations and with doubtful accuracy." The committee recommended that the licensee be advised or strongly advised to observe the provisions of its licence.
The ACB came under pressure recently over its decision not to pronounce on the airing of the Andrew Douglas tape by several TV stations despite many complaints from the public. Hinds had asked the ACB to reconsider its decision.
The ACB has since not said anything on this but its tendered advice to the PM seems to indicate that it has taken an amended stance in treating complaints.
The ACB comprises Pat Dial (Chairman), Ron Case and Carlton James.