Media pushing Kartel, Mavado war?

( L - R ) Vybz Kartel, Mavado - File photos

Entertainment Report (ER) has come under heat after a letter, which criticises the 'offensive' content of last Friday's show, makes its rounds on the Internet and in the media.

THE STAR received a letter, addressed to the Broadcasting Commission, from a concerned citizen last Friday night shortly after ER aired on TVJ. The letter blasts the interview which was done with deejay Vybz Kartel. This interview followed the show's previous episode with singjay Mavado during which he discussed the feud between the two.

During the programme, Kartel held a miniature makeshift gun which was an accessory on his belt and pointed it in the camera.

When THE STAR contacted the Broadcasting Commission, a representative claimed the commission was unaware of the email and refused to comment on the matter at the time.

Offensive content

In the letter chastising the show, the writer urged the broadcasting commissioner to not allow offensive content to be aired to the general public. The letter states:

"I am moved to write about the content of TVJ's November 7 edition of Entertainment Report between 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. which carried, in my humble opinion, content that promotes the furtherance of creative work, not news, that is offensive to the general public and dangerous to young minds and therefore possibly contra to the conditions of the broadcast licence..."

The writer continues, "I am sorry that the programme editor considers this to be family entertainment and not a vehicle for cra**, destructive celebrity gossip. It seems to me to be an obvious build-up to another dancehall cass cass in time for Christmas and another money making Sting clash?"

Offensive/violent lyrics

Anthony Miller

The writer further goes on to say that the top three songs in the video countdown, which are by Vybz Kartel and Mavado, contained offensive/violent lyrics and content.

When contacted, ER's producer, Anthony Miller, was not aware of the letter. However, he told THE STAR that he doesn't think the material on the show was offensive.

"Is Jamaican dancehall offensive or dangerous to the minds of Jamaican youth? This is what we have to work with ... at every point we make sure there are no offensive lyrics or reference, if we use a song we bleep out offending references," Miller stated.

"Kartel is entitled to his point of view. Obviously he's in a cass-cass mood with Mavado and Mavado is in a cass-cass mood with him. If they want to feud, that's up to them. We just try to put out what the public might be interested in."

According to Miller, both artistes contacted the show for an interview in which they aired their grievances. Miller also stated that no slanderous material was used on the show and said that one of the media's jobs is reporting what the public is interested in - which at the moment is the ongoing feud.