Ruel Hechanova, SkyCable Visayas chapter president and Glynda Descuatan, SkyCable Visayas area manager and Allan Macaraya of the regional National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) answers questions at public hearing of the Cebu City Council. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Cable TV subscribers who are annoyed by too many commercials on air should complain to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
In a public hearing at the Cebu City Council, cable TV firm representatives said sometimes they had “no control” over advertisements loaded by certain programs.
“There are programs that designated SkyCable as their advertising representative in the Philippines and advertisements shown on other programs are inserted by the programmers or other advertising representatives, over which we have no control over,” said SkyCable Area Manager for the Visayas Glynda T. Descuatan.
Councilor Sisinio Andales said he received complaints from subscribers who were annoyed by “excessive” advertisements inserted during and after programs in Cebu Cable Television and SkyCable even though they pay premium subscription fees.
Descuatan said that without advertisements, the cost of cable services would be higher, and translate to higher cable subscription fees.
SkyCable Visayas chapter president Ruel Hechanova explained that they are allowed to insert advertisements in some programs like Cinema One, Cartoon Network, ANC, and CNN.
Political ads
SkyCable also inserts global advertisements before and after movies on channels like HBO and Star Movies.
Program providers like Star World and Star Movies insert advertisements within the program itself.
Councilor James Cuenco asked Descuatan if SkyCable can regulate the volume of political advertisements during calamities.
Councilor Gerardo Carillo asked if political advertisements will be aired during the May 2 Pacquiao-Mayweather fight.
“I find it so disgusting that there were many political ads on Cebu channels when Typhoon Ruby hit the country. There were more of those ads than warnings about the typhoon on television,” Cuenco said.
Descuatan said they may block political advertisements after an agreement is reached with the program providers.
She said there won’t be any political advertisements inserted during the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight coverage.
Section 2 of Executive Order no. 436 that covers cable television services in the Philippines states that the regulation and supervision of the cable TV industry is vested solely with the NTC. /Silliman University Intern Andrea D. Lim