Michael Jackson’s nephew is downplaying the impact of radio bans affecting his uncle’s music in the wake of the Leaving Neverland documentary.
Taj Jackson says the Jackson family has already experienced such bans during the singer’s criminal trial in 2005.
Radio stations in Canada and New Zealand have stopped playing Jackson’s music following the US and UK broadcasts of Leaving Neverland, in which Wade Robson and James Safechuck share details accusations of child sexual abuse against Michael Jackson.
“This is nothing new for us,” Taj Jackson, who was once a member of the group 3T with his two siblings, told NME.
“In Germany, when the trial was going on, they banned Jackson music, not even just Michael Jackson music. So [3T] were banned and Janet [Jackson] was banned. So I think there was a natural reaction to punish everyone.”
He then called the documentary “one-sided”, echoing previous statements from the Jackson estate, which has denounced the film and denied the claims against Jackson.
In New Zealand, broadcasters MediaWorks and NZME are currently not featuring Jackson’s songs on their playlists.
“Michael Jackson isn’t currently on any MediaWorks Radio stations’ playlists,” director for radio Leon Wratt told CNN. “This is a reflection of our audiences and their preferences – it is our job to ensure our radio stations are playing the music people want to hear.”
In Canada, three major Montreal stations have stopped playing Jackson’s repertoire.
“We are attentive to listeners’ comments, and last night’s documentary created reactions,” network director of marketing and communications Christine Dicaire told CBC in a statement.
Leaving Neverland, by director Dan Reed, aired on 3 and 4 March in the US and on 6 and 7 March in the UK. In the US, it was followed by an hour-long interview of Reed, Robson and Safechuck by Oprah Winfrey.
