The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party yesterday hit out at a “defamatory and abusive” television advertisement against party leader, Philip “Brave” Davis, that has been showing on a number of Cable Bahamas channels.

In a statement yesterday party chairman Fred Mitchell called on the cable provider to remove the ad, adding the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority should launch an investigation into the situation.

He suggested that should the ad remain on television, Mr Davis would bring a suit against Cable Bahamas, forcing it to withdraw the ad.

The ad states that it is paid for by the Free National Movement.

For its part Cable Bahamas said it was satisfied it had a rigorous review process and that all advertisements meet this impartial standard prior to broadcast.

“The chairman of the PLP called on the owners of Cable Bahamas to take down the defamatory and abusive ad about the leader of the Progressive Liberal Party, Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, currently being played on their network. We also called upon URCA, the regulatory agency, to do their job and ensure that the proper broadcast standards are being adhered to in the ad,” Mr Mitchell said.

“The FNM should withdraw the ad, if they had any sense of decency. Further, we call on URCA to not only cause for this defamatory ad to be immediately removed from REV’s network, but to satisfy itself that if political interference played any role in the placement of the current political ad, that the appropriate steps be taken to prevent a recurrence of this in the future.

“We are concerned that the FNM has conflated its temporary occupation of government which gives the FNM government the majority shares in Aliv, an affiliate company of Cable Bahamas, to force the playing of the ad on the Rev communications network.

“We are satisfied that the professionals in Rev (Cable 12), if left alone, would have properly advised the owners that what is being played is certainly not up to the standards of broadcast journalism.”

He continued: “Our view is that political pressure from the government’s position on the company’s board may have led to a lapse in judgement by management.

“This is all the more reason why URCA must step in. Mr Philip Davis should not have to use his private resources to sue Cable Bahamas and force the ad to be withdrawn.

“The standards of the FNM have sunk so low that after four years of do-nothing government, all they can do is make personal and insulting ads to help save their political hides. No one is fooled by this and the ads will not work.”

In a brief statement yesterday, Cable Bahamas said all television advertisements are subject to review prior to placement on the REV media platform to ensure they meet strict standards set by the governing body for broadcast media, URCA.

“Political ads are subjected to the specified process for political advertisements to ensure they comply with the legal standards set by URCA in the Code of Practice for Content Regulation.

“The company is satisfied that it has a rigorous review process and that all advertisements meet this impartial standard prior to broadcast,” Cable Bahamas said.