Anak TV filters programs

AN ARRAY of television programs from different local channels in the country have been the subject of judgment during Thursday's Anak TV symposium at the Capitol University.

Those programs are entries of local television programmers for an Anak TV seal.

Anak TV's Sharon Chua said 24 entries from channels IBC, NBN, ABS-CBN, GMA, RPN, and other local networks in the country were featured during Thursday's second-level judging by jurors coming from different schools here. The first level, she said, was conducted last February.

Chua said the winning entries, which are family- and child-friendly programs, will be marked with an Anak TV seal during the awarding ceremonies, set for December 8, 2010.

The third-level judging, however, which will take place before the awarding ceremony, will involve the network directors for final judgment. Celebrities included in the winning programs will also be awarded. Programs with an Anak TV Seal will be highly recommended to educators and parents for children's viewing.

The jurors at Thursday's judging include leaders of Soka Gakkai International Philippines, Capitol University faculty and students of the college of education and students and faculty of St. John Elementary School and Consolacion Elementary School, all in Cagayan de Oro.

The programs were judged for their educational content, lessons or values presented, accessibility for its target audience without adult aid, production values (e.g. story, dialogue, settings and dress), and theme.

The Anak TV e-group is a collegial body of like-minded parents, educators, media practitioners, businessmen and advertisers, religious and lay persons, government officers, youths and workers who profess concern for children and are wary of the potential hazards that unsupervised and irresponsible exposure to television programs might bring.

The e-group liberally shares with its members opinions, information, comments and suggestions for the betterment of TV programming in the Philippines and the enhancement of TV viewing in Philippine households. Additionally, the Anak TV e-group is the official cyber-venue for jurors of the Anak TV Seal.

In his column on anaktv_seal@yahoo.com., the seal's secretary general Mag Cruz Hatol wrote:

"There is a promising development on prime time television this season. The major networks seem to have finally seen that the wholesome genre can also spell big revenue. They are again risking the most profitable time slots by slotting family-friendly material.

"The last we saw of primetime being truly meant for family viewing was in the heyday of Buhay Artista and Champoy. Then came the phenomenal success of Marimar and the local TV landscape abruptly changed. When it made more business sense to broadcast canned foreign programs, TV stations made a beeline for the international screening festivals. The major networks began outbuying each other, filling their inventories with foreign hits, many of which have not even been premiered locally.

"Pinoy audiences suddenly became saturated with serial dramas and comedies from
Korea, China, Taipei, Mexico, and Colombia. These shows took the place of many
American series that fetched higher fees. Game shows from Japan and
America filled the other empty slots.

"The advent of genuine family fare in the evenings is cause for jubilation.

"Wansapanataym is back and we imagine it will be sleeker than the first edition, now that ABS-CBN has a bigger stable of stars to draw from. The alien Kokey reappears with a twist and a furry partner. To be sure, the Kapamilya network is promoting its stellar line and we have yet to hear about the child stars in the series.

"Not to be outdone, GMA has launched its own ploy against Goin Bulilit, but thankfully a tad more child-sensitive, through Watchamakulit, relying mostly on the commercial magnet called Eugene Domingo. We wonder why serials like Trudis Liit have not ventured into prime time the way Momay and Noah have.

"Noah appears to be a frontrunner in Anak TV's family surveys as a top favorite.

"The popular preference is likely because of the exciting combination of Zaijian Jaranilla and Piolo Pascual, both Makabata winners last year.

"There are many programs aired after 9 p.m. that we hope will be moved to earlier slots when younger viewers are awake. One of them is Tara Let's Eat featuring foodie Tonypet Gaba (Tuesdays 10 p.m. on Q TV) and Balikbayan (Saturdays, also on Q TV), featuring the delightful but underrated Drew Arellano.

"These are exciting times for television. Just how long Filipino families will enjoy wholesome primetime fare on their most favored entertainment medium is the question."

Hatol was with the facilitators during Thursday's initial judgment. (Loui S. Maliza)