RAGGA

Ragashanti – File

Popular talk-show host Dr Kingsley ‘Ragashanti’ Stewart had some strong words for the BroadcastingCommission of Jamaica (BCJ) for what he said was a conspiracy against him and his show, ‘Ragashanti Live’.

“I think a grave injustice has occurred,” he told THE STAR. “I will passionately defend anybody’s right not to like my show … they are entitled to that right. The question though is, if you don’t like my show, does that mean you should get rid of my show?”

He said that what had transpired is the result of a compound of issues, involving personal differences, male egos and a misunderstanding of past events.

“I do obey all the rules of the BCJ. Where they have alleged that I have broken the rules, it’s a distortion and a manifestation of an agenda to persecute me wrongfully.”

Ragashanti went on to say that there were unscrupulous individuals who had organised subversive campaigns to call the BCJ to generate a lot of complaints against his show.

“Dem don’t like hear ghetto people, dem think that it is unproductive to hear ghetto people talk the way ghetto people usually talk on the radio. And they arrogantly and incorrectly believe that if ghetto people talk the way they talk then that don’t signify any form of progress,” Ragashanti said.

economics and sexuality

Ragashanti said that the issue is not whether or not sex can be discussed during a programme on radio.

“The truth is, sex is discussed on the radio regularly only that in their ‘language’. Any topic I bring up, nuh care how me try, invariably it a guh back to money and sex. It a guh back to economics and sexuality,” which he said was a fundamental part of Jamaica.

“If anything, my programme is probably the most honest programme in Jamaica right now.”

He further said that the issues have blown up mostly because representatives of the commission, “called out NNN (Nationwide News Network) managers and in a nutshell, punished them for breaches of the broadcasting radio diffusion act. Some serious breaches. When we checked the breaches they did not go over the radio. They told us it had came over the radio, but it came over the Internet, the Broadcasting Commission has no jurisdiction over the Internet.”

In further pointing out that he was set up the talk show host said that; “They told Cliff (Hughes) that we must still be punished. So, rather than admitting that they were wrong … they said NNN should produce something like quarter page ad in the paper and I must read apology on my show three times a day every day for a week.”

Ragashanti said that was where Cliff Hughes got his lawyers involved to deal with the legal aspect of what the BCJ claimed. And according to Ragashanti, they too told the BCJ that the Internet was not under their jurisdiction.

The talk-show host said he didn’t see anything wrong with the content that is being broadcast over the radio.

“If there was something wrong with the content I wouldn’t be doing it. But, I know that people have problem with the content, because they are not used to it.?”

legal side

In the meantime, the popular talk-show host said their lawyers are working on the legal side of the matter, while he awaits an appropriate time to call a press conference to let the public hear his side.

In terms of having his show in a night slot, Raga said that he is willing to examine all options including even online radio.

“I will be having an online adult Jamaican talk radio called Tambourine Radio that will be hosted on the website mixupyaad.com.

“We will be utilising recent technology that will allow people to listen to Tambourine Radio on their phones.

“I have multiple degrees, I have got the highest degree you can get in academia and I tell you this, I am very thankful for my learning, but with all those degrees that I have, I have not learnt anything like what I have learnt by just doing the show.

“It is a lifestyle show, and I make no apology that the primary focus of the show is for humour and jokes.”

When THE STAR tried to get a comment from the BCJ in relation to Ragashanti’s claims, Nicole Morrison, Information and Public Relations Officer, BCJ said “The commission is allowing its press release to speak for itself and will not comment any further on the matter.”