The electronic media, broadcast radio and television, as well as subscriber television, have profound and wide-reaching effects on many aspects of the daily lives of Jamaicans. The Broadcasting Commission’s role is to monitor and regulate these industries, balancing the interests of consumers, the industries and the creative community in implementing public policy and law. The Commission is a statutory body established by the Broadcasting and Radio Re-Diffusion Amendment Act of 1986. Prior to this, the broadcast media were monitored by the Broadcasting Authority, which was created by the Broadcasting and Radio Re-Diffusion Act of 1949. The Authority’s functions were incorporated into the Commission.