THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE STORY captioned 'Big changes ahead for Radio Mona', which was published in the Financial Gleaner of Friday, January 13, 2006 contains a serious misstatement of facts. In the interest of providing accurate information to readers, some of whom may be potential applicants for broadcast licences, the commission would like to have the erroneous statement corrected.
Kindly note that the statement in the seventh paragraph which reads, "Soon after, the Broadcasting Commission revised its regulations making it mandatory for all radio stations to operate a commercial licence" is inaccurate.
The commission has never taken the action mentioned in the article. There is no provision in the Television and Sound Broadcasting Regulations, 1996, that stipulates that all broadcast services in Jamaica must operate under a commercial licence. Under the Broadcasting and Radio-Diffusion Act, specific provision is made for both commercial and non-commercial broadcasting licences.
The following are the facts as they relate to Radio Mona's licence:
The University of the West Indies (UWI), on its own volition, had placed limits on the station's operation in relation to advertising and had initially been granted a broadcasting licence which excluded advertising. However, in 2000 the Broadcasting Commission received a request from the university, to have the licence for Radio Mona modified so that the station could advertise, among other things. The UWI, on the advice of the commission, subsequently submitted an application for a commercial broadcasting licence to the Minister of Information, through the Broadcasting Commission, and was granted such a licence on March 20, 2001.
I am, etc.,
SONIA GILL
Executive Director (acting)
The Broacating Commission
EDITOR'S NOTE
Reporter Milford Williams contacted the Broadcasting Commission on January 12 to verify the information and was directed to the organisation's website. However, a link with the relevant information only led to a web page still under construction. When he again contacted the commission about this, he was told that they were aware of the problem.
Letters to the Financial Gleaner should be addressed to business@gleanerjm.com
