The Broadcasting Commission? Who is this Professor Lloyd Waller, Chairman of the Commission? Is he new to the organisation and is he responsible for breeding new life and action in the BC? Who are the commissioners? Where does Cordel Green, the attorney at law, factor in the management of the Commission? Are his hands tied and his mouth taped?
If the new breed of so-called journalists is anything to go by. we better keep Cordell at the BC till he’s ready to leave on a stretcher. like some of our aging politicians. Lol..you are suppose to laugh..lol.
God help us, our children and grandchildren.
But seriously, after all these years, the Commission just recently and suddenly (Ocober 2022 to be exact) announced that “it will be banning the broadcast of any edited song which directly or indirectly promotes scamming, illegal use or abuse of drugs, illegal or harmful use of guns or other offensive weapons, “jungle justice” or any form of illegal or criminal activity is strictly prohibited. This includes live editing and original edits (e.g. edits by producer/label) and the use of near-sounding words as substitutes for offensive lyrics, expletives or profanities”
After all this time, the Broadcasting Commission has finally had the guts and the gall to come out and say this.
But who is monitoring all of this?
Jamaica’s entertainment business is responsible for the dumbing down and downgrading of this society.. Programmes like On Stage ER, the various radio shows, the Kittys, the ’ ZIPpys s and all the various online so called entertainment programmes … are responsible for promoting dunceness, scamming, grinding on stage, the promotion and use of foul language and bhuttosim. They should take some of the blame for what is going on in the country. They have contributed to some of the crime and violence, and stupidity through music and what they call entertainment. The blame is not just to fall on ‘dance hall’ music alone…and the lewd lyrics that have come to be associated with that genre of our music. It's a general and overall dumbness that prevails on the airwaves of this country with its over 30 radio stations. Every puss and dog can now start up a station and feed nonsense to a still largely semi-literate audience.
Every heediot from the tenement yards of Jamaica can become famous and rich overnight with the foolishness they proclaim to be entertainment. The rubbish they say is music..and we wonder why the white groups and white people are making real money off our music while we continue to pick up peanuts?
I watched an interview with Anthony Miller recently and heard the crass questions he spouted to the woman who is claimed to be the richest Jamaican woman. Heard him ask the woman in a dry and unpolished manner “ How much money do you have? No class.. As Rex would say a bhutto in a benz is still a bhutto.. She answered in a discreet and respectful manner.
These so-called journalists have not set any example so what do you expect from that ZIP FM girl who is trying to get her 15 seconds of fame.? She will get it by any means necessary and so she feels it's ok to bring this thug to the studio and to reward him with a prize and allow him to continue his disrespecting the people of this country.
If I was in charge of that station, she would have been fired immediately. Why is she still employed at the station.? Who is in charge there? The late owners of Irie and Zip must be turning in their graves at the horror of what’s going on.
Investigative journalism died with people like John Maxwell, Mutty Perkins, Barbara Gloudon, and Aggrey Brown. These excuses of call-in radio pogrammes are nothing but political platforms for retired tired and pop-down political party supporters who have nothing to do in the days but sit on the phone and call in and chat rubbish. Do they get paid to do so ? .I hear they do. The programme hosts know them by name and voice.
I no longer listen to local radio. None of these so-called hosts can teach me anything new so my dial is permanently on the BBC..the world's radio station..
Some of these presenters/radio hosts with their poor diction and who do no research before going on air, who obviously have little or no training and believe that a diploma or 3-month course is all that's needed to qualify them to be informants to a largely semi-literate audience, do not impress me at this age and stage.
Yes I said it..when people study and get an education it is their role to lift up the people around them and to use that education to entertain..preach and teach as my Tik Tok friend would say. I Not to talk down to or to wallow in the mud with the rest of the semi -illiterates.!
Editor's Note:
Ms Lois Grant - JP, MA, BA.(Hons) Dip Mass Comm, Cert. Broadcast Journalism BBC-London. Lois Grant's involvement in the communications and creative industry began in the newsroom at the now-defunct Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) . She then went on to head the Public Relations unit, at the now-defunct Grimax Advertising. From there, Grant went into partnership with the creation of the Promotions/Production agency.. Innercity Promotions. Innercity was responsible for the creation of the live dance hall series of concerts at the Harbour View and New Kingston Drive-in cinemas... the firsts in the history of entertainment in Jamaica. At the start of the '90s Grant formed her own agency under the banner, Corporate Image Communications and Productions. She stood out as a trailblazer in developing several innovative events as well as programmes for corporate brands such as Tastee Limited, Jamaica National Building Society, City of Kingston Cooperative Credit Union, and various government agencies. Looking back Grant notes that she has played her role in changing the political landscape of three Caribbean islands, including Jamaica. Her last assignment before taking early retirement, saw her as the Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica from 2007 - early 2013.
________________________________________________
.jpeg)
Spot on Ms. Grant. You have captured the scene perfectly.
ReplyDeleteGreat
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking this opportunity to show that no everyone support the breakdown in what happening in the social media whether verbally or written, it is destructive.
ReplyDeleteI grew up on radio. I fell in love with words and communication from listening. I learnt new words and their correct pronunciation. Under age 10 and I was reading John Maxwell, Wilmot Perkins, Morris Cargill, John Hearne et al. Now I don't listen radio and hardly read the papers. Grammer; pronunciation and some strange accents turn me off. Too much of their street expressions injected and it's not classy.
ReplyDeleteOuch..
ReplyDeleteWell said!
ReplyDeleteI find the journalism in Ja to be very poor. The writers are an excuse for writers and speakers are without clarity constantly repeating themselves for shock value but also in a manner that one cannot relate to. It makes our Country appear to be a country of illiterates.
ReplyDeleteGee: I just love this. Thank you for this piece. I remember growing up when songs were banned from airplay and those songs, compared to now, could almost be sung in church. Television programmes were monitored so our parents could feel comfortable leaving us to watch TV. There were rules!!! And they were enforced.
ReplyDeleteI keep wondering where those rules went. The entertainers are left to feel that sex and badness are the only things that sell and make them famous. I see videos of children having sex in the classroom, and what I find most disturbing, is when I see women girating to songs that degrade women!! Where in Heaven's name have our standards gone? Do we not realize that Jamaica has a strong brand that is loved and emulated? Is what is happening now in our so…
I just love this. Thank you for this piece. I remember growing up when songs were banned from airplay and those songs, compared to now, could almost be sung in church. Television programmes were monitored so our parents could feel comfortable leaving us to watch TV. There were rules!!! And they were enforced.
ReplyDeleteI keep wondering where those rules went. The entertainers are left to feel that sex and badness are the only things that sell and make them famous. I see videos of children having sex in the classroom, and what I find most disturbing, is when I see women girating to songs that degrade women!! Where in Heaven's name have our standards gone? Do we not realize that Jamaica has a strong brand that is loved and emulated? Is what is happening now in our society the best way we see the country going forward? Come on leaders and influencers PLEASE DO BETTER THAN THIS. Things are out of control and YOU can make a difference.
Last comment was very well said.
ReplyDeleteThe article was on point, however needed a bit of editing in terms of grammar and construction. This is unfortunate as it can detract from the strong points being put forward - at least for those of us who noticed. Thanks for sharing and giving the silent but concerned citizens a voice.
ReplyDelete...Yes...I also respectfully recollect John Maxwell, Peter Abrahams, Merrick Needham (spg.?)...& the few others roughly of that era who had consistently produced high quality broadcasting.
ReplyDeletePls do point out the errors which are probably more typos or deliberate grammatical errors using some of our own patoise.......pls do edit .Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSupporters of Bark Di Trute, please note that I depend on readers to identify errors on my blogs because I do this alone. It is a labour of love. Those who submit articles for publication are just contributors and I do appreciate their contribution. Again, unlike a media house, I do not have editors to properly check all articles submitted. I rely on my supporters to assist me. Oftentimes we use our phones to compose the articles quickly and you will understand that it is not easy to edit a story on a small phone screen. Thanks to those who have been assisting in pointing out the errors. All the best.
ReplyDelete