ANAK TV COLUMN 2011 (This column appears every Sunday in the Manila Bulletin's Youth Page)

(Released on July 29, 2012)

When the government makes a pronouncement that  “it recognizes the importance and impact of broadcast media, particularly television programs, on the value formation and intellectual development of children and must take steps to support and protect children’s interests by providing television programs that reflect their needs, concerns, and interests without exploiting them,” it is presumed that the very government uttering the statement is serious about ensuring that appropriate children’s programs are presented on television.  

A gratifying and significant article in the Children’ Television Act of 1997 is the creation of the National Endowment Fund for Children’s Television. The fund was established to promote the  development of indigenous children’s television and the creation of broadcast media materials appropriately targeting the Filipino child. A total of sixty million pesos have been earmarked for the purpose, coming from the income of PCSO’s lotto operations and from the gross income of PAGCOR.  

To date only 5 million of the law-mandated 30 million share of PCSO has been released, prompting child advocates and militant lawyers to consider suing the agency for “gross dereliction of duty”. After all, it had been a good fifteen years since the law requiring PCSO to provide its share of 30 million for that purpose was passed.

The historic republic act also stresses that the endowment fund shall be earmarked to develop and produce high quality television programs that are culturally-relevant and developmentally-appropriate for Filipino children. To do this, the National Council for Children’s Television will prioritize independent producers and organizations that do not have access to the resources of a national network but have a sterling track record in child concerns.

The NCCT started a grant application process for qualified producers and organizations interested to pitch in ideas and help fill the chasm in locally produced TV materials for Filipino children.

Program proposals or pitches that qualify should adhere to the tenets of ‘ Charter of Children’s Television’. They should be programs of high quality which are made specifically for children, and which do not exploit them. These programs, in addition to being entertaining, should allow children to develop physically, mentally, and socially to their fullest potential. Children should hear, see, and express themselves, their culture, languages, and life experiences through the proposed television programs and consequently affirm their sense of self, community and place.

These programs should also help promote an awareness and appreciation of other cultures in parallel with the child’s own cultural background. They should be wide-ranging in genre and content, but should not include gratuitous scenes of violence and sex.

For its part, NCCT and the TV stations should endeavor to broadcast them at regular time slots when children are available to watch.

NCCT has begun announcing its pitching session project but only a handful of proposals have been received despite the five hundred thousand peso production assistance for project proposals that win its nod. This is a sorry state of affairs in media considering that in contrast, independent video and film proposals intended for more adult audiences, reach hundreds.

(If interested in the advocacy for family-friendly television, visit anaktvweb.com or email the foundation at anaktv_seal@yahoo.com.)

(Released on July 22, 2012)

It was how education secretary Armin Luistro called media in general and television in particular during the recent presentation and finalization of the Children’s Television Act. The other legs, we assume, were the family and the school.

Strangely, the amiable secretary did not cite any statistics or data that would have underscored the importance of the law that requires TV networks to be more prudent. He also thought it wise to let the law speak for itself rather than emphasize the obvious requirement for TV networks to devote at least 15 per cent of its daily broadcast time to child friendly materials.

It was MTRCB chair Grace Poe Llamanzares who stunned the audience with her CIA-sourced statistics, information she repeated on television when she discussed the need for broadcasters to be prudent in airing materials because children are invariably tuned it most of the time.

In a series of meetings with various TV station heads, we found that there was acute awareness of the law and its specific requirements. What struck us was the curious fixation on the possible sanctions if their networks did not comply. If they were serious about their intention to provide service to their viewers, and demographics point to the unquestionable fact that virtually half the Philippine population is under 18, they would not even fear penalties if their programming grid catered to the majority of their viewers: children! It becomes easy for them to appreciate the law’s peculiar requirements after we remind them that they have children, grandchildren, nephews or nieces; they must have stood as sponsor in some godchild’s christening and most glaringly, they were children once in their lives.

Children are inextricably part of our lives and of society. It therefore makes sense that nearly every single adult activity outside of procreation and vices should involve them. How else explain why we train children to know how to vote intelligently and be ready to drive by 18?

The Sinebata festival in Tacloban happening next week is one such effort to catapult children into the limelight, giving them media space that adults stingily keep for themselves. A short clarion call and we generate hundreds of entries from Pangasinan to Davao. They came as short video clips, as development messages, photographs and as music video. A few of them were mediocre and crass but by and large, the entries were eloquent compositions that captured children’s impressions and presented their true voice about things that affect them.

PTV’s new management, well aware of the sorry fact that they do not have offerings for children, and worried that it somehow reflects how the government regards children, is prepared to offer airtime to blocktimers desiring to produce and air children’s shows. For its part, the National Council for Children’s Television will earmark what is available of its 60 million pesos’ endowment fund to groups that will pitch interesting and sellable concepts for children’s TV. (The pitching happens August 6 th; watch for announcements in the coming week.)

It all looks providential and promising for children who are frequently tuned in to television. We can only wait with bated breath.

(If interested in the advocacy for family-friendly television, visit anaktvweb.com or email the foundation at anaktv_seal@yahoo.com.)

(Released on July 15, 2012)

It felt like a death knell when a top executive of a major network candidly admitted that based on ratings and surveys, child sensitive fare on television do not do well.

Did it mean that the Filipino audience of 2012 has morphed into the sassy kind, attracted by salaciousness, violence and banality on the screen?

If we go by the ratings, the flagship programs of the giant stations are not entirely child-sensitive at all. TV 5 boasts of Face to Face, GMA has Eat Bulaga and its adult drama series while ABS CBN has TV Patrol, The Buzz and its teleseryes.

Where have all the efforts to push for more family friendly programming gone to?

It was coincidental that Dolphy’s demise was being touted as the “end of an era”. Was it referring to the era of family friendly entertainment in the genre of John n Marsha, Home Along da Riles, Buhay Artista and others? If that were so, we dread to imagine what form of TV entertainment will lord over the airwaves. We shudder at the manner by which the next generation of young viewers will take to television and its offerings.  We also can’t fathom the prospect of seeing the likes of Boots Anson Roa and Mikee Cojuangco disrobing and uttering expletives on TV if only to satisfy the audience’s desire for “exotic” entertainment.

It was ABS CBN that was quick to the draw, having quickly prepared a well staged memorial tribute to the king of comedy, clearly leaving TV 5, Dolphy’s other home (Pidol’s Wonderland) eating dust.  One cannot fault the kapamilya station for having started their preparations early. The station had paid loving tributes to him in the past, naming their theater after him in fact. Dolphy was 83 after all, and like any mortal, was bound to go any time soon. And media was rife with stories about his deteriorating condition.

Children of varying ages will find relevance in Dolphy’s passing.  Not only did children of three generations grow up with the comic charm he brought to the screen and on TV. The comedian was known to love children and had over a dozen of them himself, each one showered with equal affection and financial support, we hear. The profuse plaudits spilled during the many tributes staged in his honor since he turned 70 attest to his respectability and comic genius. Like the senior Revilla and the late Lou Salvador, the public glossed over Dolphy’s having sired many children, preferring to focus on his prolific body of work that shaped and nurtured generations of viewers and movie fans.

Unfortunately, the death of Dolphy and the concomitant passing of an era seems inextricably connected to the likely changing of the guards on television. That is worrisome.

(If interested in the advocacy for family-friendly television, visit anaktvweb.com or email the foundation at anaktv_seal@yahoo.com.)

(Released on July 1, 2012)

When the Walt Disney Company decided to stop the licensing of its characters for Mac Donald Happy Meals, it did so with the intention of helping in the now worldwide campaign to reduce the incidence of obesity among children. The colossal entertainment company realizes the connection between advertising and marketing to children and the increased desire among them to patronize unhealthy food products.

Disney did not stop there. Around 2007, it also resolutely introduced more healthful food options at its iconic theme parks in California and Florida. The company added carrots and low-fat milk in children’s meals. The move is along the same line as Michelle Obama’s famous campaign to combat the childhood obesity epidemic by pushing for healthful eating. It was therefore unsurprising that the American First Lady lauded Disney’s move.

“This new initiative is truly a game-changer for the health of our children,” Obama said. “So, for years, people told us that no matter what we did to get our kids to eat well and exercise, we would never solve our childhood obesity crisis until companies changed the way that they sell food to our children. We all know the conventional wisdom about that. ... Today, Disney has turned that conventional wisdom on its head.”

Upping the ante, Disney is now the first major media company to ban all forms of junk-food promotion and advertising on programming that targets children. It now has new standards for food and beverages advertised on Disney XD.  Saturday morning programs on Disney-owned ABC television stations also follow this new policy.

Additionally, food and beverage advertisers who wish to promote their products on Disney Channel or Disney XD will soon be required to observe stringent guidelines regarding serving size, calories, fat and sugar content.

The impact of all these on  broadcasting and advertising excites advocates for children. Finally, a giant is taking up the cudgels for parents who are helpless in pulling away children from the clutches of advertising and media.

The question is: will Philippine advertisers follow suit and finally think of the child as paramount?

 

(If interested in the advocacy for family-friendly television, visit anaktvweb.com or email the foundation at anaktv_seal@yahoo.com.)