Dissolve Content Committee, it has no role – MJA

The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has called for dissolving the Content Committee overseeing the private broadcasters, saying the “content review mandate now lies with the Maldives Media Council.”

The MJA’s call came after reviewing the Police Integrity Commission report issued early this week, saying that the private TV station DhiTV has not carried any interview or material posing a threat to the national security.

However, the so called Content Committee has already deducted 5 five points from DhiTV’s broadcasting license after the TV station ran the live coverage of an opposition DRP protest held on 28 January, the MJA said in a statement.

Police then entered the DhiTV studio and attempted to stop the live coverage. The Content Committee later claimed it posed a threat to the country’s security, inciting people into violence.

Yet the Police Integrity Commission report blamed the police over its conduct. “The report also revealed that the police action was against article 245 of the Constitution and article 7(a) of Police Act,” the association said.

The Content Committee administered under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture oversees a point system and in the event the committee deducts more than fifty points from a licensee in six months, the Ministry can suspend their license or fine them.

- Asian Tribune -