PBA GIVES TV5 ’TIL WEDNESDAY
THE contract between the PBA and its television coveror must be followed or else.
This was the adamant stand reiterated by the PBA Board Thursday to TV5 following the latter’s latest proposals of airing the league’s games between it and IBC13 and then having some games exclusively carried on an ultra high frequency channel starting next season.
The PBA’s stance has already been made known to TV5 through its representatives Thursday, marketing chief Vitto Lazatin and head programming officer Peter Chanliong, and a formal statement will be forwarded Friday.
Two options were presented by the PBA for TV5 to consider. One is for the games to follow their original tipoff times to be aired live on IBC 13. The other is for the games to follow the adjusted gametimes earlier requested by the coveror to be aired live on TV5.
The league gave TV5 until Wednesday, July 17, to make a final announcement on whether it could meet the Governors’ demands.
If TV5 won’t meet said demands, the PBA will consider it guilty of default and start producing the games. At the same time, the station must pay the league around P70 million, aside from being charged a P2 million penalty for each gameday until the PBA finds a new TV coveror.
PBA Commissioner Chito Salud said such clauses are contained in the five-year contract that reportedly amounts to more than P900 million and has until 2016 to run.
“The terms of the contract are very clear, that the games must be telecast on a VHF (very high frequency) channel and that should there be a transfer in channel its strength must be at least equal to the previous one,” stated Salud.
“At the same time, dividing the games into two stations will have a negative impact to our viewing public,” said league chairman Robert Non of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, who added the PBA has already bent over backwards by allowing a proposed change in the usual doubleheader’s timeslots.
“Hindi na sila pwedeng pagbigyan pa ulit,” added Non. “At saka kailangan hindi per conference or per season lang ang program plans nila. Dapat until the end of the contract na.”
TV5, in an earlier proposal, requested that the first games on Wednesdays and Fridays start at 5:45 p.m. with the second game to kick off at 8 p.m. Weekend games are to start 3 p.m.
What riled the Governors was the fact TV5 is offering to air the first game on IBC 13 and the second game on TV5.
“The Governors are one in agreement, that it must just be either one of the channels. Not both,” reiterated Non.
Compounding the stalemate is the fact TV5 plans on airing the first game of each weekday doubleheader only on UHF channel AksyonTV starting next season.
“Mayroon pa silang sinasabing possible simulcast with TV5 sa Aksyon TV, pero add-on na lang iyon and, in the first place, hindi pa rin uubra yung initial proposal,” said Non. (NC)
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