KBP revises broadcast code guidelines

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 spokesperson, said the proposed revisions are scheduled to be presented t

o the members of the association for approval this month. He also said the proposed rules also take into account the recommendations of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (Pana).

Critical concerns

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 month, the KBP board of trustees directed its executive director to disseminate 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 set this month.

“Once the proposed revisions 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,” KBP vice chairman Butch Canoy
 said.

KBP chairman Herman Basbaño said 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 stakeholders, including Pana, will be invited for the dialogue to give their inputs and recommendations to create a more child-friendly broadcast media.

Pana, through its president John Rojo, was grateful about the KBP’s move.

“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.”