GNBA advises against profanity and/or vulgarity in songs and audiovisual content
The Guyana National Broadcasting Authority advises broadcasters to desist from the screening and promotion of vulgar content, through songs and videos. The Authority’s Monitoring and Compliance Department continues to report instances where broadcasters are in breach of the Broadcasting Act (Section 19), particular, through the promotion of discourteous content, with evidence of profanity. Moreover, it has been observed that songs and videos are sometimes edited with a significant number of ‘bleeps’, which ultimately affects the value of content and quality viewership.
The Authority hereby advises that such vulgar content be excluded from your Station’s content schedule, particularly during prime time. This is premised on the fact that notwithstanding the evidence that edits are done to songs and audiovisual content, the first letter of indecent languages are pronounced. Additionally, the variation of the edit is similar to the original word, hence, it defeats the purpose of editing.
The following outlines a list of words (not limited to those listed) which should be avoided, particularly, during prime time hours:
• ‘Asshole’
• ‘Balls’
• ‘Bitch’
• ‘Bullshit’
• ‘Shit’
• ‘Son of a bitch’
• ‘Tits’
• ‘Cock’
• ‘Dick’
• ‘Dickhead’
• ‘Prick’
• ‘Punani’, ‘pum pum’
• ‘Pussy’
• ‘bumboclaat’, ‘bumbohole’, ‘bumbocleet’; ‘bumborass’ , ‘Cunt’, ‘scunt’, ‘Ass’
‘fuck and all its variations’
GNBA reminds broadcasters that the Media is a powerful tool and the information screened are considered important and acceptable in the minds of the populace. More significantly, those young susceptible minds that are easily influenced. In a broader sense, vulgar content disrupts public morals and the general, national perception of our youths.
As is customary, broadcasters are encouraged to visit our website (gnba.gov.gy) for vital information, with respect to the necessary broadcasting laws and guidelines. GNBA looks forward to broadcasters’ cooperation, as we endeavour to ensure good broadcasting standards are upheld.
