By Stephen Cummings
Caribbean Net News Trinidad and Tobago Correspondent
Email: stephen@caribbeannetnews.com
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: The Telecommunication Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) on Monday began its first round of a series of public consultations in Port of Spain on a new draft broadcast code for the country.
The start of the consultations follows widespread concerns arising out of an earlier draft which was developed in 2005, where concerns were raised about what some considered were dangerous elements within the draft policy.
Many broadcasters and stakeholders in Trinidad and Tobago said an earlier draft was too harsh and hinged on censorship of the media and the curtailing of freedom of speech.
The document was then pulled and redrafted, which again has been put out for public comment. The telecommunications authority hopes that this will now generate enough input that would finally form a White Paper or final policy document by government.
The broadcast draft code is basically a broad set of rules that would guide the Trinidad and Tobago broadcast industry and broadcasters mainly in the electronic media. There are six sessions of consultations planned for throughout the country.
Speaking in Port of Spain on Monday, Manager of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, of the Telecommunications Authority, Stephen Bereaux, said that one on the provisions is to protect children from inappropriate programme material.
Another provision is that broadcasters should warn their audience of material which could be called into question. Yet another deals with race and religion which its says should not be used in broadcasting to cause harm or abuse to persons of deferent religious or ethnic backgrounds.
Under news and current affairs news should be accurate and apologies made where appropriate when there are errors . He said the code does not seem that act against anyone regarding coverage of elections. The Authority has emphasized what it says must be standards in the broadcast industry.
The Authority is hoping also that by the end of these sessions and by the end of this year that it will be able to present to the government a final document, which will then be taken to Parliament for debate and possible passage into law.
Meanwhile, the local Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) is calling on the country's Telecommunications Authority to define what it means by standards used to determine what is appropriate or inappropriate for broadcast. |
