Pnoy should do something about IBC-13 and RPN9

A brief scuffle happened inside the Broadcast city compound yesterday between members of the IBC13 union and its president. Union members want an audience with their president. A certain presidential appointee by the name of "de Asis" allegedly refused to face his detractors.

Apparently, my good old friend, Joe Javier already resigned and replaced by a certain de Asis, whom, many of my friends there said, is allegedly and patently, corrupt. Some of the union members accuse the IBC 13 board of draining the coffers of the already cash-strapped TV network.

Since the government took over the operations of IBC13 and RPN9 in 1986, it has pretty much been downhill ever since for the two stations. Before 1986, both stations have lorded it over the ratings game. Now, due to years of mismanagement, both stations have totally disintegrated. Appointees from the palace drained it of its funds and made both stations their milking cows.

I was part of the RPN9 news team during the Ramos and Estrada administrations. I enjoyed my stay with RPN 9 since we were like family. It broke my heart though when the Arroyo administration assigned unscrupulous people to head the RPN9 board (with the exclusion of one, Ichu's husband Kata Flores). I made the heart-breaking decision to resign my post as Producer/Reporter and went on in a struggle to fight them.

Now, ten years had past and the situation in my beloved TV station remains the same. RPN9's funds are being enjoyed by other people who bought its primetime airtime. IBC 13 is worse.

It is time for the new administration to change both stations' fate by allowing its full privatization. Or, if the administration does not want to privatize, then, subsidize its operations and allow it to recover.

The situation of both IBC13 and RPN 9 are reflections of government ineptitude in management. It would be best if government decides to lend a hand in rehabilitating both stations.