“Tough job ahead for GMA-7”

(Scenes by Norma Japitana)

As the war of the two channels heats up even the coverage of the Pope’s visit becomes a contention. “Mel and Jay”, a popular radio and television show on Channel 2 practically lambasted the people behind the granting of the exclusive coverage of the Papal Visit to Channel 7 at a recent program.

Some excerpts from that show:

Jay Sonza: Can you now franchise a television coverage? A live television news coverage?

Mel Tiangco: Ang aming prinsipyo ay simple lang. We are a diversified multi-media company at tungkulin namin sa bayan na ihatid ang mga pangyayari at mga balita. 'Yan lamang naman ko ang prinsipyo ng aming kumpanya.

Jay Sonza: Nakalimutan siguro ang Simbahang Katoliko na Protesante at ang Kompanya ng Teleponong Pangmalayuan ng Pilipinas ang may-ari ng GMA.

(ABS-CBN Background Theme Music)

(Intro ng 1987 ABS-CBN instrumental jingle, with the six-note "A-B-S-C-B-N" signature)

VO: ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation... DZMM Sais Trenta, ang Himpilan ng Malayang Mamamayan!

(Ernie Angeles, himself an ABS-CBN veteran, voiced the original S/ID, but was later re-recorded by Peter "Rabbit/Ka Peter" Musngi himself)

Jay Sonza: You are listening to a catholic broadcast network ABS-CBN. Ang Katolikong himpilan ng ABS-CBN ay kasapi sa KBP... Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster sa Pilipinas... Ang tumpak na oras para sa kapakanan ng lahat na Kristyano at Muslim dito sa Bansa, ay ganap ng makalipas ang alas nuebe... Patuloy kayong nakikinig sa Katolikong palatuntunan ng “Mel and Jay”.

(Commercial gap)

Jay Sonza: Ito po ang Mel and Jay... Ang Pambansang Broadcast sa Radyo... Kasama po ang inyong lingkod Mel Tiangco... Lumaki sa mga madre sa Saint Theresa's isang Katoliko sarado. At ang inyong lingkod Jay Sonza, isang dating seminarian...

Selected members of media listened to this portion. Of course the wit of the Pinoys one came out with something like: "Cardinal Tagle may be living in the house of Sin, while others living…"

The Catholic Bishops Conference of The Philippines has appointed GMA-7 as the official television carrier for the event. The coverage will be live. (No commercials. Can you imagine asking the Pope to pause for commercial breaks! Other television networks may apply for limited rights such as hook-ups. There will be a Broadcast Center to facilitate all other local and international media organizations and their requirements. These events were the first to be produced and broadcast entirely in 16:9 1920 pixels × 1080 lines (2.1 megapixels) temporal resolution of 60 interlaced fields per second digital high-definition)

When GMA won the bid they also carry the responsibility of providing full coverage of the events. This will mean huge investments in equipment, man-hours and other resources. Also, a substantial portion of the revenues that they will be able to raise from sponsors of their coverage, will help pay for the many expenses expected by CBCP as hosts of the two significant events. GMA will put into effect the most comprehensive live coverage of the Papal Visit and Jesus is Lord Church Anniversary Festival 2014 activities with more than 40 hours of live broadcast and specials.

GMA has assembled an army of over 450 production and news specialists together with over 10 remote broadcast teams to simultaneously cover all the sites of the Pope's appearance.

GMA broadcasts live coverages pre-empting regular programming beginning October 23 with the Pontiff's arrival at 2:00 p.m. On October 24, the live coverage of his courtesy visit to Malacanang airs at 9:00 A.M. and the Pope's special message airs at 5 p.m.

On day three of the Papal visit (October 25), the live coverage of the Quadricentennial Mass airs at 8:00 A.M. and the Sapphire Jubilee of Radio Veritas Asia and the 36th Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) at 4:00 P.M. Televiewers will see the Pope and the participants together at the Youth Vigil.

On October 26, the live coverage of the Anniversary Celebration of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide airs at 8:00 a.m. A statement, prepared by the leaders of the International Youth Forum and the foreign delegates to the 65th Session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific region, International Information Technology-Business Process Management Summit and local delegates to the 40^th Philippine Business Conference and Expo 2014, will be presented during the Holy Mass.

Finally, on October 27, televiewers will see Pope Francis’ departure for Papua New Guinea at 7:00 P.M. The Marathon Papal coverages will be anchored by broadcast journalists Malou Mangahas and Cheche Lazaro, plus the pool of GMA Radio and Television reporters stationed at various points all over Manila.