HOLLYWOOD PROGRAMMING

Advertising -

Television programming is oriented toward urban interests.

Prevailing emphasis on trivia and entertainment takes

away airtime that couuld allocated to development issues.

COMMERIAL TELEVISION AND DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMMING

"Hard" stories, The Probe Team - Firing Line.

watch. packaged for limited viewreship because they use the Engis language.
Filipino language used in entertainment programs, giving fale perceptions
Filipino cannot be a lanugage or inntellectual discourse.

Public story programs

Hoy Gising, isumbong mo kay Tulfo

World class eucationalchildren's programs made possible thorugh PCTVF and ABS-CBN
Foundation.
Batibot, Sine'skwela, Hirayamanawari, Bayani, and Moth Tinik.

Peple's Television Network Inc, sponsoer educ program for science teachers

Specialized programmes or specific interest group,

Ecology and related storry suicient coverage only

Television networks have exerted to diversivy and balance creative programming..

SELF REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

The broadcast industry operates under the principle of self-regulation.

The Kapisanan ng mga
Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (National Association of Broadcasters of the Philippines),
or KBP,
organized in 1973, provides the framework for self-regulation through its radio and
television
codes. The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and the National
Telecommunications Commission (NTC) of the government recognize the self-regulatory
principle of the KBP “to police its members on matters relating to the enforcement
of broadcast
rules and regulations.”

The KBP serves as the voice of the broadcast industry in policy matters, government
regulation and in the establishment of acceptable industry practices. Among its
mission and goals
EGE 324: Philippine Popular Culture
are elevating the standards of the broadcast media, promoting and upholding
constitutional
freedoms, developing media for positive social change, establishing guidelines and
standards
with industry partners. and promoting a stable competitive environment for the
broadcast
industry.

The KBP Television Code sets program standards for news, public affairs and
commentaries,
political broadcasts, children’s and religious programming, and television
advertising. It also sets
guidelines on the coverage of sex, obscenity, and violence.

. A similar code was adopted for radio station members. Both codes are
regularly reviewed and updated.

SOME PROGRAMMING ISSUES AND CONCERNS

TV seems to have the most impact on today’s children and youth

who may be referred to as the TV generation. The Portrait of the Filipino as a
Youth, a study
conducted by McCann-Erickson in 1993, validates this observation. It revealed that
the TV
programs, music, pop idols, and books teenagers subscribe to are their sources of
authority on
right and wrong and what is important. The study concluded that “media has truly
become
surrogate parent.”

A political scientist also highlighted the power of TV which he observed has the
capability to
set the standards for success, excellence, achievement and morality and that it
could even
influence individual expectations and aspirations (Brzezinskli, 1993) .

But what do our children see on local television?

The most common complaint is the dominance of sex and violence on television. A
study
conducted by the Asian Mass Communications Research Center (AMIC) based in
Singapore
reported that the Philippines has the most violent TV shows among ASEAN countries.
Thailand
and Indonesia come next respectively.

According to noted Filipino psychologist Dr. Lourdes Carandang, media exposure to

violence,
aggression and meaningless sexual activities stimulates aggressive impulses and
therefore primes
the child to act aggressively
Parental absenteeism, according to the McCann Erickson study (1993) may have forced
children and the youth to spend more time in media-related activities (particularly
watching TV).
But even among the youth who live with both parents, the same study noted the
marked absence
of shared activities and hardly any quality time together.

In 1997, the Children’s Television Act (RA8370) was passed. It provides for the
creation of a
National Council for Children’s Media Education. The functions of the council
include: (1)
formulating policies on, and recommend plans and priorities for government towards
the
development of high quality children’s TV programming; (b) monitor, review, and
classify
children’s TV programs, commercials, movie trailers, and others aired during child
viewing hours;
(c) initiate conduct of policy research and program development; and (d) provide
incentives to
independent producers and broadcasters.

Among the incentives provided for in the new law is the National Endowment Fund for
Children’s Television for the purpose of developing and producing high quality TV
programs that
are culturally-relevant and developmentally appropriate for children

Viewing television essentially as an entertainment medium has limited its

capability to serve
as a forum for “policy debate and intellectual stimulation.” It has been noted that
TV networks
have pushed talk shows to the “margins of oblivion” by scheduling them to the
“graveyard shift”
— from 11 p.m. and beyond. Early this year, two award-winning public affairs talk
shows have
signed off. The remaining talk shows have to introduce more entertaining portions
to keep what
is left of their dwindling “insomniac” viewers.

Media critics also warn of the creeping “tabloid journalism” in news and public
affairs
programs. This simply means applying the success formula of tabloids — crimes, sex
and gossip
— in broadcasting. By catering to what the viewers want rather than what they need,
TV stations
are simply playing the TV ratings game — more viewers means more advertisers equals
more
revenue.

THE FUTURE OF TV
“new media” particularly cable television, direct broadcast satellite (DBS) and the
Internet. Cable TV will affect regular free TV in terms of audience and advertising
revenue. While
free TV channels are available in cable TV stations, there is an increasing number
of cable TV
subscribers nationwide. Considering the far too many regular TV stations already
competing for
EGE 324: Philippine Popular Culture
a dwindling advertising pie, the entry of cable TV further reduces the pie.

Digitalization will revolutionize the television industry. Digital technology

introduces highdefinition television (HDTV) and allow broadcasters to integrate
into one as many as six analog
channels. The number of TV channels will be almost limitless. It will also make TV
programming
accessible to computers or what is called “compu-viewing.” Some predict that “PC is
the future
of broadcasting.”

The digital system will result not only in clearer and better signals but also
allow for
convergence in technology — broadcasting, cable, telecommunication, and computer
services.
Thus, on the same monitor, the media user can watch TV or movie, send e-mail
messages,
perform banking transactions, listen to quality music, publish an e-newsletter, buy
groceries,
videoconference, to name a few.