THE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has said a radio station can be closed if it is found guilty of misleading the public in its herbal alternative medicine commercials.
Speaking during the 888 News Forum, NTC Director Jesus Laureno made the statement after he was asked why radio stations aired misleading advertisements, such as herbal supplements that claim to cure cancer, diabetes and other serious illnesses.
Laureno said that if there is a complaint, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) can investigate.
Laurteno said that if the MTRCB will find the radio station guilty and order the NTC to close it, they will implement the order.
He said that while NTC has authority over a radio station, the Optical Media Bureau (OMB) is in charge of reviewing and approving contents of radio advertisements.
Herbal alternative medicine is under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Management
Laureno said that a waiver of the radio station’s management that they have nothing to do with the broadcast of a block-time commentator, including those selling herbal supplements on air, will not free them from liability.
That is the reason the NTC reminds the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters ng Pilipinas (KBP) to police their ranks, otherwise, the NTC will investigate erring commentators and recommend the filing of charges against program handlers if evidence warrants.
“We can still penalize both the broadcaster and the station even if there is a waiver aired,” Laureno said.
It was also raised during the 888 News Forum that because the Bureau of Food and Drug (BFAD) and the Department of Health (DOH) failed to stop the misleading herbal supplement advertisements on radio, the NTC should do something about it.
However, Laureno said MTRCB is tasked to do it and NTC will only implement its decision.