A clause suggesting media workers in Grenada be imprisoned as a form of punishment for violating the rules of a forthcoming Broadcasting Authority Act has been scraped, officials said.

Agreement on removing the controversial clause was reached last week during a three-hour meeting between government's Public Education Committee (PEC) and the Media Workers Association (MWAG).

MWAG's request for the clause to be taken out was contained in a position paper put forward by the association, containing a series of recommendations it wants included in the Bill.

MWAG says the government Committee has agreed to accept nearly all its recommendations to the proposed Broadcast Bill. Agreement was reached on a broad based method of appointing the Chairperson and Directors to a proposed Broadcasting Commission to regulate the industry in the tri-island state.

Both sides agreed on several amendments which MWAG's General Secretary Rae Roberts said was necessary to protect the independence of the media from political interference. A clause, stipulating that media houses hand over information to the commission upon request, has been amended to protect Journalists and current affairs programme producers from revealing their sources.

The PEC also agreed to remove a clause giving a government minister the authority to select members of various committees such as the Complaints Committee, Standards Committee, and Appeals Tribunal, since it was felt that this should be the job of the Commission.

The PEC also agreed to examine a draft Access of Information Act which MWAG wants included in the new Broadcast Legislation. The PEC, which is headed by Public Servant Argar Alexander and includes former Governor General Sir Paul Scoon, says new draft legislation is now to be prepared to go before Cabinet.

Efforts to introduce a Broadcast Bill were revived recently following widespread consultation on the subject initiated by a government-appointed committee nearly 10 years ago.