PM Meets with Media Association

  June 25, 2010

PM Meets with Media Association

Prime Minister Bruce Golding met yesterday morning, June 24, at Jamaica House with representatives of the Media Association of Jamaica and the Ministry of Information's negotiating team who have been seeking to hammer out new arrangements on the use of the time reserved for Government broadcasts on the electronic media. The Prime Minister had called the meeting in an effort to get the stalled discussions moving again. Among those in attendance were the Minister with responsibility for Information, Mr. Daryl Vaz and the Chairman of the MAJ, Mr. Gary Allen.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the Government is not seeking to get additional time from broadcasters but is seeking to use the time allocated more frequently and in shorter more attractive packages, in ways with which the media would be comfortable and which would not threaten their economic viability.   He urged both sides to negotiate in a spirit of compromise and added that he is prepared to offer his assistance to help to resolve any differences.

The Chairman of the MAJ, Mr. Gary Allen said the Media had presented a proposal which in their view demonstrated compromise while protecting the independence of media and providing a viable approach to sustaining media business. He said the MAJ believed this could form the basis for an agreement.

Both sides will resume the discussions on Wednesday, June 30^th.