The Broadcasting Commission has requested that immediate steps be taken to prevent the transmission of any recorded material that promotes and/or glorifies illegal activity.
In a statement to the media, the commission said it has placed an immediate ban on the playing of music that, among other things, promotes or glorifies lottery scamming, the use of the illicit drug Molly, and illegal guns.
The Commission said use of the public airwaves to broadcast songs that promote/glorify illegal activity might give the wrong impression that criminality is an accepted feature of Jamaican culture and society, given the important role traditional media still plays as agents of socialisation.
“It could also unwittingly lend support to moral disengagement and further normalise criminality among vulnerable and impressionable youth, and the young adult demographic,” the Commission stated.
Here’s the Broadcasting Commission’s directive on banned music
• Any audio or video recording, live song, or speech which promotes and/or glorifies scamming, illegal use or abuse of drugs (e.g. ‘Molly’), illegal or harmful use of guns or other offensive weapons, “jungle justice” or any other form of illegal or criminal activity.
• Any edited song which directly or indirectly promotes scamming, illegal drugs, illegal or harmful use of guns or other offensive weapons, jungle justice, or any form of illegal or criminal activity. This includes live editing and original edits (e.g. edits by producer/label as well as the use of near-sounding words as substitutes for offensive lyrics, expletives, or profanities.
- The broadcast of a sampling of any song which promotes or glorifies scamming, illegal drugs (e.g. ‘Molly’), illegal or harmful use of guns or other offensive weapons, “jungle justice” or any other form of illegal or criminal behaviour is strictly prohibited.