PTV 4 to have commercial ads soon

MANILA, Philippines -  The House of Representatives has approved on 3rd and final reading a bill allowing the People’s Television Network to generate revenues from advertizing and airtime sales for self-sufficiency and commercial viability.

House Bill 6703, the substitute bill of House Bills 5061 and 5147 filed by Reps. Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez  (4th District, Leyte) and Dakila Carlo Cua (Lone district, Quirino), aims to enhance the network’s role as a government arm in nation-building in the communication and information industry.

Torres-Gomez said the passage of the measures will allow PTV-4 to engage in commercial advertising to support its operation and rehabilitate its dilapidated facilities.

“We all know that government does not have the luxury of public revenues. We must find ways to fund its operations,” Torres-Gomez said.

This measure seeks to amend the PTV-4 charter that currently prohibits the network from generating funds through advertising and airtime sales.

The bill is one of the additional 13 priority measures laid down by the President during the most recent Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting held in Malacañang.

Torres-Gomez said the proposed amendments would allow the needed leeway to source out funds for operations and capital expenditures without too much burden on public money.

The lady legislator added that the earnings from advertising can jumpstart the rehabilitation of the network and help restore the viability of its operations.

In 2001, Republic Act 7306, which created the PTV-4, prohibited the television station from engaging in commercial advertising making it difficult to meet its daily expenses for operations.

“The network stopped airing commercial advertisements, as stipulated in its charter. PTV-4 which adopted the name National Broadcasting Network (NBN) in 2001 and received government subsidies released as needed based on requests made by the network from the national government to augment its operational requirements,” Gomez said.

Torres-Gomez said PTV-4 airs Teledyaryo, the flagship newscast of the network and information, public service shows  and  documentaries.