Belize government complains about Channel 5 censorship
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| Published on Friday, December 12, 2008 |
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BELMOPAN, Belize: The government of Belize has lodged a complaint with the Belize Broadcasting Authority (BBA) about what it considers to be open censorship by Great Belize Television, Channel 5.
The issue of censorship has arisen in light of Channel 5’s refusal to air paid advertisements in which the government responds to a series of ads by Belize Telemedia Limited accusing the government of over-taxing the company, a direct reference to the proposed amendments to the Income and Business Tax Act to be debated in the House of Representatives this coming Thursday.
Chief Executive Officer of Channel 5 TV, Amalia Mai, on Thursday confirmed to Press Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office Delroy Cuthkelvin that, after one airing of one of the ads in question on the station’s Monday evening newscast, she personally made the decision to discontinue airing the ads on the grounds that she felt the tone of the ads was too aggressive.
She said it had nothing to do with any perception of libel, nor with the fact that the new ownership of Channel 5 and that of Telemedia are closely associated.
Press Secretary Delroy Cuthkelvin said the government is committed to freedom of expression as constitutionally guaranteed to all Belizeans, and that the media is a critical component in the protection of that inalienable right. | | | | Reads : 1077 | | | |
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