THE RATING GAME

The TV industry in the Philippines is extremely competitive. There is fierce rivalry between the two biggest networks – ABS-CBN and GMA 7. And now, trying to snatch the airwaves is a newly-reformatted TV network – the TV5. Their competition for ratings is so intense that what goes into the primetime newscast is often determined by an evaluation of which stories will rate better than the competitor’s. When ABS-CBN news team created a tagline “Panig sa Bayan, Panig sa Katotohanan, GMA then took a clash back by formulating a slogan: Walang Kinikilingan, walang pinuproktektahan, serbisyong totoo lamang.” This was the start of the relentless battle of the two giant networks to win the favorable stand of its viewers. There was a time when ABS-CBN accused GMA 7 of infringement of copyright when the latter allegedly used footages owned by channel 2 without its permission. Another case that is too glaring for us viewer to notice their rivalry happened when an informant divulge an information purportedly GMA’s giving out freebies in different households in exchange of watching to their shows. This was categorically denied by the GMA network stating that they were maliciously degraded in attempt “by ABS-CBN’s desperate move just to ruin the credibility of their station.”
Apart from the paramount importance of ratings, many of the networks also had to deal with the biases and preferences of their owners and top news executives. These channels are too protective by its talents who also had a post in government positions. Take the case of former Pres. Joseph Estrada. ABS-CBN was too sympathetic to him, who was then undergoing impeachment trial. The reason: Erap’s daughter is married to a son of the network’s owner. We are not also blind how then senator noli de castro took refuge to his station in light of his candidacy to run for vice president. It would be for his best interest to advertise his candidacy free of charge without exerting much effort. Networks claim they do not favor any political candidate, including those who were once or still are in their employ. But the perception that the networks favor their own is becoming increasingly hard to dispel.
Now, what is your take regarding this issue? Write a 500-word essay regarding your observation on the rating games and networks biases. Make sure to acknowledge your REFERENCES. Send this to my gmail account on or before FEBRUARY 18, 2011.