Kids' TV council, DepEd launch guidelines for child-friendly television

The National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT) and the Department of Education (DepEd) launched Tuesday the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the Children’s Television Act, to advance child-friendly programming in the country.   The IRR provisions were revealed after months of consultations with network executives and producers, parents, educators, non-government organizations, and the media.   Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Chair Grace Poe Llamanzares highlighted the need for more child-friendly programming in the country, saying “35 percent ng ating populasyon ay below 14 years old.”   She also noted that the average Filipino child watches 21 hours of TV a week, and will have seen an average of 18,000 simulated murders on TV by the time they turn 18.   “So sinasabi ng NCCT, dapat magkaroon ng mas maraming programa na pwede sa mga bata,” Llamanzares said.   One of the guidelines in the IRR stipulates that 15 percent of daily airtime on all local TV networks should be allotted for child-friendly television shows.   According to Llamanzares, certain child-friendly shows are given incentives, such as being exempted from review by the MTRCB.   “In support of the Department of Education, hindi na sila dumadaan sa review ng MTRCB, so walang fees,” she said.   The guidelines also recommend child-friendly TV programs to be shown between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.   News programs are also recommended to censor sensitive or violent images.   “Kahit 'yung mga news programs, halimbawa, mayroong murder, mayroong saksakan–mayroong paraan, at nakalagay ito sa guidelines, nakalagay ito diyan sa IRR, na sabihin talaga ang nangyayari, pero hindi graphic, at hindi masyado nakakatakot, hindi nami-misinterpret ng mga kabataan,” said Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, who was the keynote speaker at the launch.   Luistro also introduced and inducted prominent couples in media and entertainment as NCCT’s “champions” for child-friendly television.   Among them are Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan and Anthony Pangilinan, Gladys Reyes-Sommereux and Christopher Sommereux, Tintin Bersola-Babao and Julius Babao, and Suzi Entrata-Abrera and Paolo Abrera.   “Alam ko po na napakalaking impluwensya ng telebisyon sa isipan, kung papaano magsalita at kung papaano isagawa ng mga kabataan ngayon,” said Reyes-Sommereux.   “Kaya nga dapat siguro mas maging vigilant ang mga magulang sa paggabay at pagpatnubay sa ating mga kabataan sa ngayon,” she added. — ELR/KG, GMA News