R.A.

7925 :
THE PHILIPPINE PUBLIC
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
POLICY ACT

M em orandum Circular N o.
10-11-2005
Guidelines on the cablecasting of
CATV channels with "Chatroom"
formats

 Pursuant to Executive Order 205

(Regulating the Operation of Cable

Antenna Television in the Philippines),
Executive Order 546 series of 1979, and
in line with the Commission's mandate
on the promotion and protection of
consumer welfare, the following
guidelines are hereby promulgated on
the cablecasting of Cable TV (CATV)
channels with "chatroorn" formats

Section 1 SC O P E A N D
C O V ER A G E
1.1 All Cable TV (CATV) stations cablecasting

channels with "chatroorn formats shall be

covered by this Memorandum Circular and the
measures contained herein in connection with
the operation of their "chatroorn channels.
1.2 Cable TV (CATV) channels with "chatroom"

formats refer to interactive channels that

enable viewers to interact and send messages
via SMS (short message service) for reception
by the viewing public.

Section 2 G EN ER A L
P R O V ISIO N S
2.1 All Cable TV (CATV) stations cablecasting channels

with "chatroom formats are required to employ the use

of Automated Filter Dictionary (AFD) for their "chatroorn"
channels. The software for the Automated Filter
Dictionary (AFD) shall have the following capability:
a. to automatically mask pre-determined words or
phrases not suitable for cablecasting
b. to preview all messages prior to cablecasting c. to
provide the operator the facility to edit or delete
messages, upon examination of the same
d. to automatically screen and block messages from
cellular mobile numbers previous banned from the
"chatroom"

 2.2 Cable TV (CATV) operators with

"chatroorn" channels shall be

responsible for putting up an
Administrator to oversee the
operation of the "chatroom". The
Administrator shall be responsible for
the operation of the Automated Filter
Dictionary and the updating of its
database, among others.

 2.3 The Administrator shall be

operated whenever the channel is

cablecasted and shall be situated at
the head-end station of the Cable TV
or at a remote location duly
registered and approved by the
Commission.

 2.4 All "chatroom" channels shall be

required to place an Advisory

informing all chatroom users to
refrain from sending messages
containing indecent, profane,
obscene, malicious language and
content, and all other words and
phrases not suitable for cablecasting.

 2.5 All Cable TV (CATV) operators are

hereby reminded to strictly comply

with the terms and conditions of
their Provisional Authority or
Certificate of Authority and shall
ensure that their signal shall not
contain any profane, obscene or
malicious language and content

M EM O R A N D U M C IR C U LA R
N O . 11-11-2005
GUIDELINES FOR

SHARING/CONSOLIDATION OF
HEAD-END FACILITIES OF CABLE
TELEVISION STATIONS

 In order to allow cable television

operators to take advantage of

economies of scale and optimize the
use of resources, and to further
improve their service to subscribers,
the Commission hereby sets forth the
following procedure for
consolidation/sharing of headend
facilities by two or more cable
television operators:

 1. The sharing of head-end facilities by two

or more CATV systems shall require the

approval of the Commission.
2. A CATV operator intending to share
head-end facilities shall duly notify the
Commission of its intent. A grantee of a
Provisional Authority or Certificate of
Authority (PA/CA) shall file a motion before
the Commission, while applicant shall
either indicate in its original application or
in a motion filed for such purpose.

 3. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and

a technical feasibility report shall be

submitted together with the petition, motion
or application. The concerned CATV
operator/s shall warrant in its MOA and
demonstrate in its technical feasibility report,
full compliance with the technical standards
for CATV systems, especially with the cable
size requirements, and good signal quality at
all times in accordance with Section 5 of
Memorandum Circular 04- 08-88.

 4. The MOA shall also include an

assignment of liability for violations

of NTC technical standards, rules and
regulations that results from or in
relation to the sharing of the headend, between or among the
concerned parties.

 5. Existing CATV operator serving

adjoining/contiguous
municipalities/cities may be allowed
to consolidate its individual head-end
facilities into a single head-end
station. A motion shall be filed for the
purpose, attaching with it a technical
feasibility report indicating
compliance with the technical
standards for CATV systems.

 6. The concerned CATV operators shall still

secure and maintain their respective TVRO and

CATV licenses notwithstanding the sharing of
head-end facilities.
7. The Commission shall not approve the

sharing of head-end facilities by CATV operators

who have failed to fully comply with the
conditions indicated in their authorities, or
against which there are pending administrative
cases for unauthorized retransmission of cable
programs.

M em orandum Circular
N o.01-03-2006
Program Standards for Radio and TV

Broadcast and Cable TV Stations

 Whereas, the National

Telecommunications Commission
(NTC) is the government agency
vested with the authority to
formulate and implement policies,
plans, programs, rules and
regulations in the establishment,
maintenance, and operation of
broadcast facilities, systems and
services throughout the country;

 Whereas, the NTC recognizes that

the freedom and independence of

the broadcast media is essential to
the broad protection accorded to our
fundamental civil rights to freedom
of speech and the right to true and
accurate information, and must thus
be safeguarded for the proper
performance of its role in a
democratic society;

 Whereas, the NTC reiterates its recognition of

the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas

(KBP), as the self-regulatory body for the
broadcast media in the Philippines, as it had
under the 1984 Instrument of Understanding,
1991 Memorandum of Agreement and the
1999 Memorandum of Understanding, as well
as the NTC's continued adoption of its program
standards in the KBP Radio and Television
Codes which KBP has developed and
institutionalized, as it did since the issuance of
NTC Memorandum Circular 3-4-85;

 Whereas, NTC is not herein issuing a new set of

guidelines since existing KBP program standards,

and this Commission's Memorandum Circular No. 1112-85 and Memorandum Circular No. 22-89, which
are likewise part of KBP program standards,
constitute sufficient and widely-accepted
benchmarks by the broadcasting industry, and
remain to be an appropriate and relevant set of
standards to govern and ensure responsible radio
and television broadcasting, as well as cablecasting,
in order to protect the public interest in times of
normalcy and even during times of armed conflict,
public peril, calamity, or other national emergency;

 Whereas, the NTC supports KBP's

strict injunction for broadcast

stations not to allow their facilities to
be used for advocating the
overthrow of government by force or
violence, and to not allow the
broadcast of materials which tend to
propose/incite treason, rebellion,
sedition, or pose a clear and present
danger to the State;

 Whereas, the KBP shares the

government's concern that the coverage

of troop movements are highly sensitive
in nature for reasons of national defense
and national security implications, and
should thus exclude information that may
identify the location of the troops or
provide/show identifiable land marks, give
troop estimates, identify troop personnel,
or their destination or direction;

 Whereas, the supervision of the

broadcast and cable TV industries by

government or through selfregulation by the broadcast and
cable industry themselves calls for
the thoughtful and reasonable
discretion, and fealty at all times to
the observance of due process;

 Whereas, not only is it the

government and broadcast media's

responsibility to know, but it is
equally the right of the general
public to be informed of the
accepted program standards;

 WHEREFORE, pursuant to the powers vested

upon the NTC, for the reference and guidance of

radio and television broadcasting stations and
cable TV stations, and for the information of the
general public, the NTC hereby adopts the
existing program standards of KBP as set forth in
the KBP Radio and Television Codes and in other
relevant KBP circulars, including those contained
in KBP Circular 06-016 dated 27 February 2006,
and hereby reiterates and adopts all the
provisions of Memorandum Circular No. 11-12-85
and Memorandum Circulars No 22-89.

 All broadcast media and cable TV

entities must conform to the

abovementioned guidelines.

 Pursuant to the Memorandum of Agreement dated

24 September 1991 among the Department of

Transportation and Communications, the National
Telecommunications Commission and the KBP, it is
hereby reiterated that all complaints against any KBP
member directly filed before the DOTC or the NTC for
violations of broadcast laws, NTC rules and
regulations, and KBP Radio and Television Codes and
relevant circulars, shall be immediately remanded to
the KBP Standard Authority for consideration and
adjudication. While all complaints against any other
broadcast entity, upon due notice and hearing, shall
be immediately acted upon by NTC.