MTRCB Revised Its Television Classification Ratings: Will Anyone Care?

Effective today, the Movie Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has formally launched its revised classification ratings for the Philippine television programs.

According to Memorandum Circular No. 05-2011, the classification ratings will be as follows:

General Patronage – Rated G

Parental Guidance – Rated PG

Strong Parental Guidance – Rated SPG

Disapproved for airing on Television – X

The board promulgated the memorandum after a series of public consultations and information campaigns with the different stakeholders.

MTRCB further explained the salient features of the revised classification ratings for TV.

Full-screen written and verbal advisory of the program’s classification rating is shown for at least (10) seconds immediately before the opening credits.

Standard 3D Animation/Motion Graphics of the program advisories for uniformity in all television broadcast.

A standard pictogram advisory is superimposed on screen all throughout the airing of the program.

Pictogram advisory is color-coded: Green for “G”, Blue for “PG”, and Red for “SPG”.

MTRCB chairperson Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares believed that the new program advisories will empower parents to exercise caution and vigilance with the viewing habits of their children.

However, the problem now is — will the public see the importance and relevance of such program advisories or will they just ignored it?