Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Sunshine execs complain over Newks 'poor ad contract' By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
THE act of Primo Esleyer and Amado Villacarlos in calling past presidents of Negros Press Club (NPC) in an emergency meeting Tuesday has nothing to do with press freedom but rather a business concern.
This was revealed by two other NPC past presidents who joined Tuesday's meeting at the Negros Media Center but requested anonymity during an interview with Sun.Star Tuesday night.
Esleyer and Villacarlos were also past presidents of NPC and currently executives of Sunshine Channel, a leased channel from SkyCable.
The duo complained about the alleged arbitrary decision of SkyCable management in cutting off Cosette Villaluz's Musically Yours program without any written order and without any basis.
Villaluz was a block-timer at Sunshine Channel. Although, SkyCable is yet to issue an official statement, sources of Sun.Star, however, said the termination of Villaluz's program was prompted after congressional aspirant Renecito Novero was invited as guest and sang in her program.
Esleyer and Villacarlos then alleged that Novero's rival, re-electionist Rep. Monico Puentevella could be behind SkyCable's decision.
The two cited the solon's letter to Sky Cable dated March 29.
In the letter, the solon asked SkyCable management regarding the guidelines it exerts on its programs or its (host)s who cross the boundaries of courtesy, if not ethical conduct, considering cable television programs as used to personally attack, malign or discredit an individual or group.
But the NPC past presidents saw Puentevella's letter only as plain inquiry and put no pressure on the part of the SkyCable management regarding block time programs.
Later in the discussion, the two past presidents, told Sun.Star that Amado poured out his ill-feelings against Puentevella after the lawmaker only placed a P60,000- ad placement in their channel while Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Novero of Grupo Progreso placed a P200,000-ad placement.
"This is more on the business angle and no longer connected with the curtailment of press freedom," the two other NPC past presidents said.
That's why we came up with a very mild statement in the case of Villaluz's program but not on the issue of P60,000 and P200,000 ad contracts by Puentevella and Leonardia-Novero camps on Sunshine Channel, they added.
Sun.Star tried but failed to contact both Esleyer and Villacarlos as of press time.
On the part of Puentevella, his office and Lakas party issued an official statement Tuesday night, expressing regrets on what Esleyer and Villacarlos did.
"They (Esleyer and Villacarlos) only exposed themselves to complaining about the ad contract that Lakas and Monico can only afford," the statement also read.
Likewise, the Lakas' and Puentevella's statement said both Esleyer and Villacarlos bolstered allegations that some mediamen are acting as "mercenaries" this election period.
Meanwhile, Lakas and Puentevella's office also denied what Esleyer and Villacarlos are peddling around that the lawmaker pressured bus magnate Ricardo Yanson to withdraw his chairmanship over Sunshine Channel.
