BCJ ban not aimed at free speech or crime fight, says Morgan Loop Jamaica

“We are not fettering people’s right to free speech,” declared Morgan at Wednesday’s post-Cabinet press briefing in response to questions on the BCJ’s directive.

“There are so many other portals that you can use to promote your artistic freedom, but when it comes to free-to-air that is accessible to every single member of society, no matter their age, that is regulated by particular laws,” he explained.

“So it is not about fighting crime; it is about decency and standards. That is all it is about,” Morgan added.

BCJ has prohibited the broadcasting of “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,” among other things.

According to Morgan, the commission was acting within the law when it issued the directive.

He elaborated, “The Commission’s responsibility is to govern content, based on the Radio Re-Diffusion Act, that is broadcast by its licensees.

“The Act and the regulations are clear that you cannot promote illegality or you cannot promote content that violates your license.”

Further, the minister stressed that the commission has a role to play in controlling what is heard by listeners, therefore, setting the standard for the particular content heard.

To illustrate his point, he alluded to a particular scenario, where a child from Clarendon College, for example, takes a bus and hears “chopping (scamming) or molly songs” being played on the bus, and then the same type of songs are heard by the student on the radio by someone playing it on the road or a family member listening to it on the radio at home.

“We have a responsibility for the spaces that we control to set the standard and set an example,” Morgan insisted.

Some local music producers who spoke with Loop News said they were not expecting any financial fallout from the BCJ’s ban, but rather, radio stations would feel the financial pinch when they are unable to play songs popular on streaming platforms and making waves “in the streets”.