In the wake of the controversial Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland, where it was alleged that the late singer sexually abused children, his music will no longer be played on Canadian and New Zealand radio stations.
“Michael Jackson isn’t currently on any MediaWorks Radio stations’ playlists,” MediaWorks radio director Leon Wratt shared in an official statement. “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.”
MediaWorks rival NZME will also no longer play Michael Jackson records. “NZME station playlists change from week to week and right now Michael Jackson does not feature on them,” NZME entertainment director Dean Buchanan explained to the New Zealand Herald.
A publicly-funded New Zealand station, Radio NZ, added that it will only play Jackson’s songs if they contribute to a particular story or “provide color around a commentary piece.”
In Canada, three well-known Montreal stations have removed Michael Jackson’s music from their rotations as well, while many other Canadian companies are monitoring the situation to see how it develops.
