KBP opposes bill to ban live coverage of crises

THE Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Cebu City Chapter yesterday approved a resolution opposing a bill that seeks to prohibit live media coverage of crisis situations.

The organization said the bill “limits the power of broadcast media in covering the truth during crises” and will “make the broadcast media speechless on the abuses by the police and military that will most often occur during a crisis situations.”

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KBP Cebu City Chapter chairperson Carlo Dugaduga said the proposed law is not needed since the Broadcast Code already put in place enough regulatory mechanisms. Rep. Gabriel Quisumbing (Cebu Province, 6th district) filed the bill.

Dugaduga said the code lists six provisions related to the coverage of incidents like hostage-takings and terrorist attacks.

“So, as of this time, we believe Congressman Quisumbing’s bill is unnecessary,” Dugaduga said.

Quisumbing filed the bill following the hostage-taking crisis in Manila last Aug. 23 that killed eight Hong Kong nationals. Live media coverage of the incident, particularly the arrest of the hostage-taker’s brother, has been partly blamed for the failure of the police to resolve the hostage crisis.

He has explained he is not proposing a total ban, but that media should refrain from covering sensitive aspects, like negotiations to resolve the situation.

The KBP approved the resolution during its Broadcasters’ Congress yesterday at the JSU-PSU Mariner’s Court. The chapter is composed of more than 500 members from 8 AM stations, 18 AM stations and 5 TV stations.

The organization approved three other resolutions: a resolution urging the House of Representatives and the Senate to enact a law fixing the venue of the trial of a libel case at the place where the broadcast center is located; a resolution urging Congress to pass into law the freedom of information bill; and a resolution expressing support for the bill that seeks to protect broadcasters from being compelled to reveal the sources of their news stories or information.

The latter bill is a proposed expansion of the Sotto Law, which already protects print journalists.

The KBP said the proposed ban on live media coverage of crisis situations “runs counter to the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of the media from prior restraint and from subsequent punishment.”