Most TV stations accept broadcast committee’s censure
Stabroek News
June 29, 2002
The censure by the Advisory Committee on Broadcasting (ACB) of some television stations has been accepted by the licencees.
Of the seven stations for which the committee recommended warnings or serious warnings, Stabroek News was able to speak with the management of MTV Channel 14, NTN Channel 18, and GTV Channel 11 and the producer of Capitol News aired on Channel 7 (WRHM). Stabroek News was unable to contact the management of NBTV Channel 9 and VCT Channel 28.
The ACB recommended sanctions for Channel 9 for programmes hosted by WPA activist Tacuma Ogunseye on June 13 and by talk show host Lorri Alexander on June 21, which breached the provisions of its licence. It prescribed sanctions also for Channel 28 for airing inaccurate and unsubstantiated remarks about the Inter-American Development Bank by PNC/R MP Jerome Khan during the Evening News newscast on May 17.
Kamini Persaud of Channel 14, told Stabroek News that the station agreed with assessment of the committee about the offending programme as the management had had to talk to the producer before.
The offending programme was the Sanatan Dharma, hosted by Mr Harricharran on June 9. Persaud said that the station was prepared to pull the programme if Harricharran persisted in his behaviour.
Channel 11’s General Manager Martin Goolsarran told Stabroek News that he agreed that films with strong sexual content should not be broadcast at the time the offending film was aired on June 20. He said that there was a mechanism in place to screen films aired during the day and it was unfortunate that the Bridges of Madison County slipped through.
Channel 18’s Manager, B. Prashad, said that he had not seen the programme aired on June 20 and would have to speak with the show’s host, Kwame McCoy, before he could offer a comment. Prashad told Stabroek News too that the station was yet to be formally informed of the infringement.
Capitol News’ producer, Enrico Woolford, told Stabroek News that to be fair to both Capitol News and the police, a comment should have been sought from the police. However, he said, the police’s position on Compton Cambridge was well known and Capitol News didn’t think it necessary to keep repeating it.
Woolford said too that the committee should look at its own efficiency as Rawle Collins was not the offending journalist. Collins is the news anchor.
The ACB advised that if there is a repeat infringement by some of these stations, their licences should either be suspended or revoked. Prime Minister Sam Hinds has said he will be acting upon the recommendations of the ACB.