T&T radio station warned after on-air interview with inmate

The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) has warned broadcasters there to comply with all the conditions set out in their concessions.

This after a radio station broadcast an interview with an inmate of the maximum security Golden Grove Prison last month.

In a statement, TATT said it conducted an investigation of the Slam Roadblock show broadcast on Guardian Media Limited’s (GML) Slam 100.5 FM on December 1st, 2021 for “inappropriate content and possible breach of its concessions”.

TATT says on review of the programme, it found the hosts of the show facilitated and encouraged an interview with a purported inmate of the maximum security prison. It notes the inmate was permitted to make statements that would have disturbed the general public, particularly at a time when several prison officers lost their lives reportedly at the hands of criminal elements.

The regulatory body says the radio station should have known inmates are not allowed access to mobile phones and that the use of the mobile phone by the inmate to communicate with the station would have been unauthorised and contrary to the law.

TATT says it did consider mitigating factors, namely GML’s general adherence to concessions and its timely assistance in resolving broadcasting complaints, and a warning was issued. The station issued an apology for the incident on January 20th.

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