Broadcasting Act Modernization Motivated By New Technology and International Pressures

Marissa Longsworth

Attorney-at-Law Marissa Longsworth is the lead consultant in B.B.A.’s efforts to modernize Belize’s broadcasting regulations. She gave a presentation on the importance of this exercise. Here is an excerpt from her address.

Marissa Longsworth, Attorney-at-Law

“If we look at this from a perspective strictly of equity and trying to make sure we have a level playing field, that alone is reason to edit the act. What happens now is that we are twenty one years late is that now that we are doing the work to update we realize there is so much more that has evolved in media and content in twenty-one years that we have to build up and act and build up regulations that can property put us in the right state to be open to business in the broadcasting industry. Not only that, as was mentioned as one of the reasons is diplomatic reasons, there are diplomatic reasons behind this. One of those reasons has to do with what is called the Caribbean Basin Initiative that Belize and other CARICOM nations are a part of with the United States.”