COME May 31, Nineteen (19) cable channels are to be removed from the roster offerings in JAMAICA...The chairman said the Commission did not want to seem heavy-handed in its decision, explaining that the breaches by local operators "has been elevated to a contentious trade issue, threatening the reputation of Jamaica".

BY RICHARD JOHNSON Observer senior reporter johnsonr@jamaicaobserver.com  Saturday, April 25, 2015    

COME May 31, 19 cable channels are to be removed from the roster offerings.

This follows a directive issued by the Broadcasting Commission, as cable providers do not possess the requisite agreement to air these channels.

Chairman of the Broadcasting Commission Professor Hopeton
 Dunn (left) and Executive Director of the Commission Cordel
 Green address members of the media on copyright compliance
 directive to cable television operators in Jamaica.

The channels to be removed from local service are primarily movie providers from the Encore, Showtime and Starz suites.

Professor Hopeton Dunn, chairman of local regulator Broadcasting Commission, said the decision to issue this directive has come following intensive rounds of meetings with operators and their umbrella group, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and others, with a view to arriving at a fully regulated system and the elimination of unlicensed channels from cable in Jamaica.

"Cable operators have been directed to remove these channels and provide subscribers with notice of the discontinuation and an explanation of the reasons for doing so. Cable operators must also make whatever arrangements become necessary based on the terms of contracts with subscribers including refunds and channel substitution where applicable," said Dunn at a news conference at the the Commission's New Kingston offices yesterday.

The chairman said the Commission did not want to seem heavy-handed in its decision, explaining that the breaches by local operators "has been elevated to a contentious trade issue, threatening the reputation of Jamaica".

"We are protecting Jamaica. We don't want to be seen as a rogue agency, but this is simply not the way forward. What we are about is copyright compliance not just for the international content providers. Jamaican content providers of music and film have a legitimate expectation that their rights will be protected. The question of piracy works in every direction," said Dunn. more