Manila councilor says MTRCB’s reprimand of TV host a blow to press freedom
Can admonishing a TV host for his “indecorous language and demeanor” be considered a threat to press freedom?
Manila Councilor Joel Chua believes this to be the case as he has issued a resolution expressing his disappointment over an order issued by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) admonishing a TV network, its morning show and one of its hosts.
Saying the move was tantamount to preventing the TV network from coming out with a balanced report—which according to Chua was a violation of the freedom of the press and of speech and expression—the councilor criticized the Dec. 4, 2013, order of the MTRCB that issued “a grave and serious admonition” to GMA Network Inc., its morning show “Unang Hirit” and one of the program’s hosts, Arnold Clavio.
The order came after Clavio, in the Nov. 5, 2013, episode of “Unang Hirit,” interviewed on air Alfredo Villamor, one of Janet Lim-Napoles’ lawyers.
When Clavio asked Villamor if Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the P10-billion pork barrel scam, would be attending the Senate hearing scheduled in a few days, the lawyer said that he was representing Napoles only in her serious illegal detention case.
Villamor’s answer apparently irked the TV host who told him: “Panira ka ng araw (You ruined my day).” Clavio later made other comments that earned him the ire of netizens, who called him rude and unprofessional.
The MTRCB said that “with ample preparation and prudence, the program and its hosts [could have treated] Mr. Villamor with more respect and courtesy.”
It fined the program P20,000 and ordered the people behind “Unang Hirit,” particularly Clavio, to undergo a mandatory seminar at the MTRCB.
Chua, however, said the agency’s order could have “a chilling effect” on media practitioners like Clavio, especially when the purpose of the interview was to extract information for the benefit of the viewing public who, according to the councilor, are clamoring for fair and impartial reporting.
The councilor added that the TV host had “sincerely and humbly” apologized in public to Villamor for his unpleasant remarks and improper behavior during the live interview. But despite this, Chua said, a case for offensive language and behavior was still filed against Clavio in the MTRCB.
