‘Our members are jittery’ — KBP

BROADCAST organizations have begun to worry about the possible implications of Proclamation No. 1017 on the country’s media.

"Our members are jittery," Ruperto Nicdao Jr., chairman of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), told ANC tonight. "Are we going to get closed down? Are we going to lose our jobs?" Nicdao quoted the fears of KBP members.

Proclamation 1017 specifically invokes Section 17, Article 12 of the Constitution, which gives the president the power to "temporarily take over or direct the operation of any privately owned public utility or business affected with public interest" in times of national emergency.

KBP held a dialogue with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), government’s regulatory agency. In a statement describing the results of the dialogue, KBP says the NTC gave the assurance that freedom of the press and of free speech and expression will continue to be respected.

KBP leadership enjoins its members to strictly observe the KBP Television and Radio Codes that require balanced programming and presentation of news and public affairs.

Coverage of events, it said, should be accurate, informative, adequate and must present all sides. The “right to respond” must be observed at all times.

KBP’s statement:

In view of the prevailing state of affairs affecting our country and in order not to unduly alarm the public, the KBP leadership enjoins its members to strictly observe the KBP Television and Radio Codes that require balanced programming and presentation of news and public affairs. Coverage of events should be accurate, informative, adequate and must present all sides. The “right to respond” must be observed at all times.

Attention is called to the provision of the KBP Television and Radio Codes that states that rallies and demonstrations are legitimate news events and may be covered at the discretion of the station. However, care must be exercised that the coverage does not provide false information that leads to incite the public to rebellion.

 

In the coverage of troop movements, members are reminded that there are national security implications and lives are at stake. Any coverage of this nature should NOT identify the location of the troops or provide/show identifiable landmarks, give troop estimates, identity of troop personnel and destination or direction of troops.

In a dialogue with the NTC Commissioners, the KBP was assured that the NTC respects the freedom of the press and of free speech and expression protected by the Constitution. Further, the NTC Commissioners stated that in the enforcement of the laws, rules and regulations affecting broadcast, due process will always be observed in tandem with the self-regulatory mechanisms of the KBP. The Commission further committed to a continuous dialogue with the KBP on matters affecting the industry.

Ruperto S. Nicdao Jr.                                                                   Butch Canoy

Chairman                                                                                     President

Meanwhile, the National Union of Journalists (NUJP) branded Proclamation No. 1017 as an "unspeakable danger for press freedom." Following is the NUJP statement:

We demand that the Arroyo government allow journalists and media organizations the fullest freedom to air and print news and information about the current political crisis, and that it desist from undertaking repressive action against journalists and media organizations covering the crisis.

We also urge our media colleagues all over the country not to be cowed by threats, open or veiled, seeking to scare us from boldly performing our jobs as we must.

When unrest and confusion reigns, as is happening at the moment, it becomes ever more vital for the people and members of the media to jealously protect the freedom of the press and expression. Such is a lesson learned bitterly under the past brutal dictatorship, whose downfall, ironically, Filipinos commemorate today.