In light of controversies involving the proper treatment of minors in various television programs, ABS-CBN reiterated to its TV production staff the guidelines of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) on protecting the rights of children who are appearing on their shows.In a statement released on Wednesday, ABS-CBN, through its Office of the Network Ombudsman, said it also reminded the TV production group about some provisions of Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
The specific provisions define the meaning of child abuse and the parameters whenever a child is involved in an indecent show.
The network also emphasized that it “strictly adheres to and abides by the code contained in the Broadcast Code of the Philippines.”
The code contains provisions which remind TV networks “that children should not be required, coerced, or bribed to narrate traumatic experiences on shows. They shall not be ridiculed, diminished, or demeaned; and camera angles should not be used to create indecent and inappropriate images.”
Monitoring
ABS-CBN also said the network will continue to maintain “an on-air monitoring team that views all its programs and provides feedback to the program production teams on program content.”
It will also retain its call monitoring system, which is a feedback mechanism that allows its audience to inform the Kapamilya network of their comments, opinions or suggestions on programs and talents.
In this way, the production units of every show will be able to monitor feedback and comments from its viewers, it said.
In addition, a child protection handbook is also being drafted, which “will contain standards, guidelines and operating procedures to cover the employment of minors, and news coverage involving children and related matters.”
Just recently, the KBP, upon the initiative of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA), has started an action to strengthen its Code of Ethics to protect the rights of participants and talents in various TV programs.
The series of consultations is expected to be finished by the end of April 2011.
KBP will then issue appropriate guidelines, taking into account inputs from the consultations with PANA and the TV networks.
Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
