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.

• Number: Presidential Decree No. 576
• Sections: 9

Preamble

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

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.

Section 2

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.

Section 3

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.

Section 4

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.

Section 5

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.

Section 6

SEC. 6. All government agencies are hereby enjoined to

extend their utmost assistance and cooperation to the councils.

Section 7

SEC. 7. All laws, decrees, rules and regulations, or any

part thereof, which are inconsistent with this decree are hereby

repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 8

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