In a meeting in the House chamber last Friday, Dela Cruz and other lawmakers asked Marianas Cable Vision general manager Mark Birmingham how the islands’ only cable TV provider has been accommodating programs paid for by public funds.
Dela Cruz, R-Saipan, said there are government events that should have been aired by MCV at no cost but the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs is paying for them.
According to Dela Cruz, Public Law 15-35 requires cable TV entities to air for free, education and cultural events for 12 hours a day in order to be exempted from paying fees and annual charges.
DCCA Secretary Melvin O. Faisao, who was also in the meeting, could not tell the exact amount but he confirmed they pay MCV for airing cultural and community events.
In fact, he added, DCCA still owes MCV a certain amount.
Dela Cruz said “this should not have happened if we had abided by P.L. 15-35.”
“It’s unfortunate, but now we must look back and see what expenditure DCCA did make in the past,” he added.
He is hoping that DCCA can get “some kind of a credit” from MCV for the airing of cultural events.
The meeting was also attended by Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, Rep. Joe M. Palacios, R-Saipan, Northern Marianas College media services program coordinator James Deleon Guerrero and NMC media specialist Butch Wolf.
“I hope that we understand the situation right now,” Dela Cruz told everybody in the chamber. “How can this Legislature continue to make laws like P.L. 15-35 when the government is still paying for air time?”
Birmingham told the lawmakers that MCV has been trying to be “very proactive” in providing public events access to cable TV.
In an interview after the meeting, Birmingham said MCV is airing a lot of public events.
KSPN 2, he added, also airs the annual Liberation Day parade and provides election coverage.
Dela Cruz said MCV airs government events like legislative sessions on Channel, 60 “but not so many people have access to that channel.”
He said MCV should include Channel 60 among its basic channels “so everybody can have the opportunity to see what’s going on in their government.”
Birmingham told Variety that they will see what they can do to accommodate Dela Cruz’s request.
