Bermuda Broadcasting Company Ordered To Censor News On COVID-19 Vaccine By Patrick Singleton

This is an important email so please read it carefully. If you have any questions afterwards please feel free to contact me. The BBC has taken the decision that we are NOT going to engage in any anti-vax discussions, or negative conversations around vaccine safety during this crisis. It’s dangerous, cultish and uninformed. We will stick to science and the consistent messaging that the Government is putting, out at lease until the virus is brought back under control, or until vaccines have been made available to our seniors. We are not against free speech. However just as falsely shouting fire in a theatre is not protected by the first amendment in the US and is not considered free speech; anti-vax discussions are also not free speech. Further spreading harmful and dangerous misinformation violates the broadcasting act which is a criminal offence in Bermuda. There may also be additional arguments from the Bermuda Media Counsil. So we are not going to be responsible for spreading dangerous misinformation, or for causing people not to take the vaccine because they get scared, or have doubts and potentially harm themselves or others as a result of hearing a BBC broadcast on anti-vax. If you hear any anti-vax conversations during live radio interviews on our stations then please steer the conversation away from anti-vax or drop the caller. But don’t let it run for more than a second. When you realise that its anti-vax, kill the discussion immediately. The same goes for radio and TV news. Please do not allow any discussions on the subject over the BBC airwaves at this time. Many thanks, Patrick