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Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Maxey: Wake up, KBP
By Ram Maxey
THE murder of broadcaster Jun Pala, which he himself predicted and did not come as a surprise to many people, would not have happened had the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) faithfully performed its function as watchdog over the broadcasting industry.
Broadcasting ethics as defined by the KBP (composed of all radio/TV station managers) does not allow the use of abrasive, vile and insulting language over the air. It does not allow the use of the airwaves to encourage the use of violence in defense of, or propagation of legitimate social-political-economic causes. It does not sanction the use of the airwaves for illegal gambling purposes, etcetera.
The late Jun Pala violated broadcasting ethics with impunity because the KBP was remiss in its duty. Although the KBP Davao City chapter did actually recommend that Pala be banned for life from broadcasting, not once but twice, each time the KBP national buckled under pressure from certain influential persons and reinstated the controversial radioman. Had his banning for life been upheld, Jun Pala would still be alive today.
The code of ethics which regulates the conduct of media persons in the performance of their chosen calling has had less transgressions by those in the print medium, whether in Davao City or other parts of the country. But in the broadcasting industry, the violations are more rampant and widespread.
One reason for this is the so-called "ratings game" in which radio and television stations compete for patronage ("listenership" and "viewership"), which in turn means that more commercials coming their way.
That is the reason why radio and television stations vie with each other in the race to hire or "pirate" so-called "fearless" commentators as a surefire way of attracting listeners, which doesn't speak well of the Filipino psyche.
Pala himself had admitted over the air a number of times of having been "on the take" from politicians and businessmen who would rather be his "friends" than be his "enemies". Once he told his legion of supporters over the air to attack and kill all Chinese nationals for some reason or other.
That alone should have merited sanction by the KBP. No such thing happened. Another time, accompanied by a bodyguard, Pala barged unceremoniously into a meeting of the KBP city chapter itself at a downtown hotel, aimed a gun at the startled gathering that was considering sanctioning him for his antics over the air, and dared them to do just that.
That was Jun Pala, the maverick broadcaster. And that was, and is, the KBP.
Had the KBP been true to its mission, Jun Pala would most probably be still alive today with his wife, Louise, and his four kids.
(September 10, 2003 issue)
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