Wanted: Child-friendly programs
When television comes to mind, I remember that as a child, I had the liberty to spend as much time watching TV because there were specific hours devoted to child-friendly programs. During those days as well, we only had four channels and would actually be lucky to watch all of them when the antenna was not working. It was quite a task to keep on changing the dial as one would have to get up and change it, as opposed to having a remote control. Nowadays, children have access to more than 50 channels and at their disposal are a variety of shows, depending on what delights them, at a flick of a finger.
So if I shared with you that I spent 18 hours a day one summer watching television, you would be shocked and very disturbed, but if you think of it in the context of having just four channels to choose from and being exposed to the best of Tagalog movies of all time, you would then realize that I have been blessed to have actually been part of history. Of course, when my mother learned of my addiction to television, she immediately gave another option — books. She gave me money and challenged me to have a life and that led to my being a bookworm, which I can share with you in another article.
My husband Anthony and I were recently asked to be celebrity champions for The National Council for Children’s Television. Because the NCCT is under the supervision of the Department of Education (DepEd), we were asked to have our oath-taking with Education Secretary Armin Luistro last July 17.
The event was highlighted by the Secretary’s speech exhorting all stakeholders to faithfully abide by the tenets of Republic Act 8370.
Republic Act No. 8370, also known as the Children’s Television Act of 1997, was created as a monitoring body for the promotion of developmentally-appropriate television programs for children. Ideally, television networks are supposed to have ample programs that develop the following in a Filipino child: critical thinking, communication skills, moral values, and a strong sense of national identity.
According to the implementing rules and regulations of RA No. 8370:
a. Children are referred to as all persons below 18 years of age.
b. When talking about children’s television, it means programs and other materials broadcast on television that are specifically designed for viewing by children.
c. Child-friendly programs, therefore then, are specifically designed for viewing by children but which serve to further the positive development of children and contain no elements that may result in physical, mental, and emotional harm to them. These include various formats and genres that appeal to children and that are made available for all ages from early childhood to adolescence.
d. Child-viewing hours mean hours, which are considered to be the appropriate time for children to watch television, taking into account other activities, which are necessary or desirable for their balanced development, as may be determined by the Council.
Sec. 23 of the Act talks about the allotment of airtime for educational children’s programs which is a minimum of 15 percent of the daily total airtime of each broadcasting network.
As celebrity champions, I find it a huge privilege and a big responsibility to help ensure that the children of today are given their rights to view programs geared towards their positive development. I am also happy to help promote something that we feel very strongly about. Being media personalities, we have decided early on that we will use our media connections as a platform for change. This is one way and, of course, all of what we shall uphold starts with what we stand for at home.
Change begins with us, dear parents. Television is an ally if we make use of it wisely. Happy viewing!
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