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Jamaican authorities ban TV, radio content that 'glorifies illegal activity'

The rules include content like music on TV and radio that contain specific banned topics
Kingston, Jamaica
Posted at 6:10 PM, Oct 13, 2022
and last updated 2022-10-13 19:10:41-04

New rules in Jamaica will now work to ban content on television and radio that "glorifies illegal activity" like drug abuse, scamming, and illegal firearms use.

The country's broadcasting authority announced a list of specific topics that would be banned in content, including music.

As the BBC reported, the move comes amid a spike in violent crime levels.

The rules say a list of specific banned topics cannot be "promoted," and swear words or "near-sounding" words or phrases will also not be allowed.

Expressing or discussing forms of "illegal or criminal activity" is now prohibited, the government says, to help keep the country's airwaves "clean."

Lawmakers say they believe that the "wrong impression" had been conveyed that "criminality is an accepted feature of Jamaican culture and society."