Presidential Decree No. 576 (PD 576) — Abolishing the Media Advisory Council and the Bureau of Standards for Mass Media and Authorizing the Organization of Regulatory Councils for Print Media and for Broadcast Media.
WHEREAS, certain conditions existed in the country at the
time of the promulgation of Proclamation No. 1081 which had necessitated
temporary government control and supervision of mass media;
WHEREAS, since the abolition of the Mass Media Council and
the creation in its stead of the Media Advisory Council, the various
sectors of mass media have shown capability for self-regulation and
internal discipline within their ranks and have demonstrated
responsibility for maintaining standards for professional conduct and
excellence;
WHEREAS, the prevailing national situation has become
appropriate for taking a further step towards removal of government
participation in policy determination and news dissemination activities
of mass media.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution,
do hereby decree:
SECTION 1. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the
State to allow mass media to operate without government intervention or
supervision in policy determination and news dissemination activities.
For the accomplishment of this purpose, the Media Advisory Council
created under Presidential Decree No. 191 and the Bureau of Standards
for Mass Media authorized to be created under Letter of Implementation
No. 12 dated November 1, 1972, are hereby abolished.
SEC. 2. For purposes of this Decree, mass media shall be
divided into two groups: Print Media and Broadcast Media. "Print Media"
includes all newspapers, periodicals, magazines, journals, and
publications and all advertising therein, and billboards, neon signs and
the like. And "Broadcast Media" includes radio and television
broadcasting in all their aspects and all other cinematographic or radio
promotion and advertising. The Print Media group and the Broadcast
Media group are hereby authorized to organize and determine the
composition of a body or council within each group which shall be
responsible for instituting and formulating systems of self-regulation
and internal discipline within its own ranks.
SEC. 3. Each regulatory council or body shall be responsible
for the elevation of ethics and the standard of excellence of mass
media in all its phases within each group. Towards this end, each
council or body is hereby authorized to adopt policies, formulate
guidelines, fix standards and promulgate rules and regulations for the
operation and discipline of all mass media under its supervision, and to
administer and enforce the same. Such policies, standards, guidelines,
and rules and regulations shall be in conformity with the provisions of
existing laws, especially those on national security.
SEC. 4. No mass media activity shall be undertaken by any
person or entity in the Philippines without first being registered with
the regulatory council or body concerned, which shall issue certificates
of registration to all applicants qualified under its respective rules
or regulations; Provided: That each council shall have the
authority to suspend or cancel such certificates of registration for
such cause or causes as may be provided in the rules and the existence
of which each council or body shall have duly determined; Provided,
further, That no certificate of registration shall be granted in any
manner or under any condition to any of those engaged in mass media
which were, in September 1972, ordered closed and/or sequestered upon
promulgation of Proclamation No. 1081, by order of the President or the
Secretary of National Defense.
SEC. 5. All existing permits for the operation of mass media
on the date this decree takes effect shall continue to be valid unless
otherwise suspended or withdrawn for cause by the council or body
concerned.
SEC. 6. All government agencies are hereby enjoined to
extend their utmost assistance and cooperation to the councils.
SEC. 7. All laws, decrees, rules and regulations, or any
part thereof, which are inconsistent with this decree are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 8. This Decree shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 9th day of November, in the year
of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-four.
(Sgd.)
FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.)
ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Executive Secretary
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
