Since our establishment in 1986, the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica has maintained a consistent and comprehensive system of monitoring and regulation of the broadcasts to which we are all exposed. It’s 2014 and we should be at the place where the majority has access to Radio and Television services that are of high audio-visual quality as well as acceptable content, but are we really? Whether it is through recommending the granting of licences or conducting research, the Broadcasting Commission’s efforts to increase the standard of the electronic media and thereby contributing to the development of Jamaican and Caribbean society, have always been at the forefront of our operation. All Jamaicans have a role to play in this advancement, and we need your help in serving you better. How? You may ask. By making use of our complaints lodging system.
Here are five important things you should know about making a report to the Commission:
1. Complaints must be made within 21 days of the broadcast.
When it comes to making reports, one of the most important principles is ‘the sooner the better’. In fact, if your complaint is about a broadcast licensee – a radio or television station – then that complaint must be lodged within 21 days after the broadcast of the programme with which you are concerned.
2. Email, Facebook, Twitter, Website, Phone call, letters, personal visits
While expressing yourselves to other agencies may be a tedious process, making a report to the Broadcasting Commission may be done using several different mediums. Letters may be posted, emailed or delivered personally to the Commission’s 53 Knutsford Boulevard address. You can send a personal message to the Commission via social media or fill out a complaint form on our website at www.broadcom.org. You may also call the Commission’s Office by phone at Tel: 876-920-9537-9. The Broadcasting Commission guarantees that all complaints made are taken seriously and are addressed as such.
3. Guaranteed anonymity
The Broadcasting Commission also guarantees that all reports are dealt with in confidence. You are free to withhold personal information such as your name and occupation for your own personal reasons. The Broadcast Commission requires none of this information; it only suggests that you provide a contact number so you can be contacted about the progress of the investigation into your complaint.
4. All complaints are regarded as essential
It doesn’t matter what complaints you may have, the Broadcasting Commission is committed to processing and investigating all reports with sincere priority. So all complaints received are taken to the top of the chain and are reviewed by the board of commissioners.
5. Complaints about cable operators should be made to cable operators first
You may be having difficulty accessing cable service in your area, experiencing interference in your broadcast or you may have other complaints regarding your cable service provider. It is important to note that these complaints must first be lodged to the cable operator.
However, If you are unsatisfied with the response or the lack thereof by the cable operator, you should then lodge your complaints with the Broadcasting Commission to have them addressed.
So the next time you find yourself unsatisfied with the standard of service provided by any licensee of the Broadcasting commission, be it programming content, programming quality or whatever you may take issue with; feel free to lodge a complaint with the Broadcasting Commission. Remember, it is your right! If you have any problems or concerns we are here to help. For more details on complaints, click here
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