Summary:
These broadcasting regulations aim to prohibit certain broadcasts and advertisements in Barbados.
Description:
Scope
The Broadcasting Regulations (“Regulations”) are binding subsidiary legislation made under the Broadcasting Act, CAP. 274B. Any person who contravenes the Regulations commits an offence and faces, on summary conviction, a fine of $5000, imprisonment for 12 months or both pursuant to section 12 of the Broadcasting Act.
Who is covered
The Regulations cover all holders of a broadcast licence issued under the Broadcasting Act, referred to throughout as “licensees.” This includes operators of both radio stations and television stations licensed to broadcast in Barbados.
What is covered
The Regulations outline the operational and content obligations that licensees must follow. They govern station administration (identification, logging, fees, and local content requirements), content standards and the terms under which the government may use broadcast infrastructure for public purposes.
Notable provisions
Section 5(e) prohibits advertisements that the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe contain false or deceptive information. In the food policy context, this provision may apply to misleading health and nutrition claims, exaggerated benefit statements or any advertisement that misrepresents the nutritional profile of a product.
Regulation 8 prohibits alcohol and cigarette advertisements from explicitly urging the purchase or use of those products. This demonstrates that the domestic regulatory framework of Barbados already embraces restrictions on commercial expression to protect public health.
Regulation 10(b) restricts total advertisement time in any programme to 15 minutes in any hour of broadcast. The limit on total advertising volume indirectly constrains audience exposure to food and beverage advertising.