MANILA, JANUARY 28, 2013 – In a letter to the Commission on Elections, GMA Network has expressed concerns over certain provisions concerning the upcoming election seen to affect the broadcasting industry.
The undersigned – chairman Felipe Gozon, consultant Pacifico Agabin, vice president for legal affairs Maria Luz Delfin and the Belo Gozon Elma Parel Asuncion and Lucila Law Office – urged Comelec to look over the provisions based on certain "procedural and substantive concerns".
GMA puts forward the passage of Resolution 9615, which allows candidates only a total of 120 minutes of television advertising and 180 minutes of radio advertising, encompassing national, regional or local, free or cable television, regardless of the number of stations or networks used.
In 2010, a candidate for a national elective position was allowed 120 minutes on TV and 180 minutes of radio on a per station basis.
GMA is asking Comelec to clarify whether the 120 minutes granted to national candidates and 60 minutes for local electives in television already include all available minutes allowed to broadcast on all TV networks and stations, including cable TV.
If so, the Kapuso network argues that broadcasting companies would encounter major difficulties, primarily in monitoring the minutes spent by numerous candidates for various elective positions broadcast in other TV and radio networks. Compliance with the new rules will be "cruel and oppressive".
Under the new rules, officers of the network could be held criminally liable for any violations of the candidates with respect to the allowed airtime limits. GMA added that even if the candidates were asked to submit a written certification, verifying authenticity would pose “burdensome, oppressive and unreasonable” demands given that the network does not have the required expertise to do so. It could translate to substantial costs for the network.
