WESTERN BROADCASTING Services, operators of HOT 102 radio station, have been reprimanded by the Broadcasting Commission for failing to give equitable treatment to political parties that purchased airtime during the 2002 general election campaign.
Cordel Green, executive director of the Commission, revealed last Friday, that in October 2002, an investigation was launched following the lodging of a complaint against the radio station. It was alleged that HOT 102 was engaged in "preferential treatment" in its handling of campaigning political parties. The investigation resulted in the Commission finding that Western Broadcasting Services was guilty of two breaches of the "Broadcasting and Radio
Re-diffusion Act".
"The Commission told Western Broadcasting Services that it could recommend cancelling its licence if such conduct were repeated in any future election campaigns," Mr. Green said.
Western Broadcasting Services reportedly disregarded Section 21(2) of the Act, which requires that broadcast licensees be fair when allocating airtime for political broadcast. Mr. Green explained that political broadcasts are defined by law as "programming designed to solicit support for any political party or promote the election of any individual or of any political party or parties".
The Commission came to the conclusion, primarily through examining contracts supplied by the licensee, that when free airtime was awarded for advertising by political parties, the National Democratic Movement (NDM) received a substantial amount of bonus airtime, though it spent the least with the station. It was noted that the NDM's advertising with HOT 102 was 12 per cent of what was spent by the party that spent the most, but yet, it received 28 per cent more bonus airtime. After several attempts by the Commission, HOT 102 management was unable, according to Mr. Green, to provide them with a clear policy on how it allocated bonus airtime during the period.
Western Broadcasting Services, Mr. Green said, was also found to be "contemptuous of the Commission's authority and the clear requirement, of Section 21(3), of the Act that matters relating to political advertising during election campaigns should be resolved and remedied quickly".
Robert Russell, managing director of HOT 102, commenting on the Broadcasting Com-mission censure, said, "We are refuting that we breach the Act."
He added that the Commission issued its statement before having all the necessary information which has since been supplied.
"We hope they will reconsider what they have said," Mr. Russell told The Gleaner.
