By Vivienne Green-Evans, ContributorTHE GOVERNMENT needs to change current regulation which prevents local cable companies from earning revenues through advertisement, says chairman and recently appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC), Dr. Hopeton Dunn.
The regulation, enforced in 1998 to protect the revenues of local television stations, prescribed that cable providers earn their income largely through subscription. But cable providers have lobbied vigorously against the regulation, which led former Minister of Information, Colin Campbell, to commission a study two years ago, to examine the feasibility of their arguments.
The task force has submitted its recommendation and the Ministry has been reviewing the regulation, but many of the 50 licensed cable operators say it is taking too long for a final decision to be made.
Dr. Dunn's view is that local content providers, including Creative Television (CTV), which CPTC launched three years ago, could become more financially viable and provide better service if revenues could be earned from advertising and sponsorship.
"Government's policy prescribed that local cable companies or cable content providers like CPTC cannot properly put advertising on air and that is holding back the industry," he says in an interview with JIS News.
"Now the media sector has been diversifying and broadcasters can get into cable business if they want. I think it is long past time that that particular rule be changed to enable cable companies and content producers to benefit from local advertising," he adds.
