PHILIPPINES – MAY 2011 – The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), the industry association of the broadcast media, is set to approve new provisions of its broadcast code to reinforce current standards on programming related to children. The new guidelines have been submitted to the KBP Board of Trustees by the Standards Authority, the industry associations’ code enforcement body.
Atty. Rudolph Jularbal, KBP Legal Counsel and spokesman, said that the proposed revisions are scheduled to be presented to the members of the association for approval in June. He also said that the proposed rules also take into account the recommendations of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA).
According to Jularbal, PANA’s recommendations on program content involving children focused on three critical concerns: exposure to violence, appearance and involvement in situations and activities not appropriate to the child’s age, and the use of offensive language. PANA deemed these concerns as starting points to bring focus on the rights of the child in media and to encourage broadcasters and content providers to take responsibility for their program content.
In a special meeting last May 18, the KBP Board of Trustees directed its Executive Director to circularize the proposed amendments to KBP members for their comments and inputs in preparation for the ratification of the new rules during the KBP General Membership meeting in June.
“Once the proposed provisions are adopted as part of the KBP Broadcast Code, the self-regulatory process of the KBP will further assure accountability of broadcasters because the Code provides sanctions for violations,” said KBP Vice-chairman Butch Canoy.
KBP Chairman Herman Basbaño further added that the KBP will hold dialogues and consultations with industry stakeholders and partners to discuss ways of putting the new guidelines into operation at the station level. He said that Industry stakeholders, including PANA, will be invited to join and give their inputs and recommendations to create a more child-friendly broadcast media.
Responding to the action by the KBP, PANA president John Rojo said: “We appreciate KBP’s open-mindedness to PANA’s recommendations to assure child-friendly programs. PANA looks forward to a continuing collaboration with KBP in the area of child protection.”
Send an email
