Belize Broadcasting Authority pushes “must carry rule”

The Belize Broadcasting Authority chaired by businessman Louis Leslie met in emergency session this morning in light of an ongoing dispute over the disruption in cable services in the communities along the Western Highway and parts of the southern highway.

Both Channel Seven, that is owned by Nestor Vasquez who chairs the Belize National Cable Operators Association, and Krem Radio owned Evan Hyde, have been complaining that CBC cable company owned by Robert Reich in agreement with Telemedia as the provider of fibre optics, have cut off cable services in these communities.

In a release this afternoon, the BBA was talking tough and made a thinly veiled threat to cable companies who do not comply with Clause Five of the cable regulations and the must carry rule which in essence obliges operators to carry local on air television signals where it is available. The release also reminds operators that failure to comply can result in fines, imprisonment , non-renewal of licenses or the revocation of licenses by the Minister of Broadcasting, that is, the Prime Minister.