CMFR: Party-list coverage by media is dismal, but Palace-backed groups enjoy edge

Party-list groups are getting “dismal coverage" by major television news programs, even as a handful of party-list groups linked to the administration are getting the most of this measly coverage anyway, the journalist watchdog group Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) said. “There was almost no coverage of the party-list process, and very few parties received airtime. There was no discussion of the importance of the party-list elections as an opportunity for the marginalized to receive representation in Congress, or stories on crucial party-list sectors such as those on labor, agricultural workers, women, indigenous peoples," CMFR said in a report posted on its website this week. Of the total 187 party-list groups vying for Lower House seats in the May elections, only 23 were covered by the three major news programs from the three leading networks monitored by CMFR, with 1-UTAK receiving the most airtime at a measly 1 minute and 39 seconds, while the others were given just 11 seconds each. CMFR based its findings on monitored television news coverage from February 9 to 27 this year.

In contrast, presidential candidates basked in the full attention of television coverage, with former president Joseph Estrada leading with 36.29 minutes. Even Nicanor Perlas, at the tail-end with 6.15 minutes, enjoyed nearly four times as much TV news coverage as the most-covered party-list group 1-UTAK. CMFR also observed that “party-list groups who did receive coverage can mainly be linked to the current administration, either because they have received tacit Malacañang endorsement, or because they are backed by administration officials and relatives." The journalist watchdog pointed out that 1-UTAK’s first nominee for its Lower House seat is Energy secretary Angelo Reyes. Four other groups in the top 10 most-covered party-lists were those “mentioned in a Malacañang Office of External Affairs (OEA) memorandum last October 2006 as the main party-list groups to receive Palace support in the 2007 elections." The four party-list groups are Agbiag, BABAE KA, Kalahi, and LYPAD. ANAK party-list, CMFR noted, has retired Police General Eliseo de la Paz as one of its nominees. De la Paz himself had been in the news last year because of his alleged involvement in the so-called “Euro-generals" scandal. The other party-list groups mentioned in the report were BIGKIS, identified with Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chairman Ephraim Genuino who also heads the group; Biyaheng Pinoy, which has former Mandaluyong City Vice-Mayor Arsenio Abalos, brother of former Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos among its nominees; and Ang Kasangga, a party-list group with presidential sister-in-law Ma. Lourdes Arroyo as its nominee. In early February, a Pulse Asia survey revealed that seven out of 10 Filipinos remain unaware of the party-list system, with the National Capital Region (NCR) having the highest voter awareness at 51 percent. (See: Pulse Asia: 7 of 10 Pinoys unaware of party-list system)—JV, GMANews.TV