Overview
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The country’s only government television network began operations in 1974 as GTV-4. It was renamed Maharlika Broadcasting System in 1980 and following the People Power Revolution in 1986, became People’s Television 4.
On March 26, 1992, President Corazon C. Aquino signed Republic Act 7306 turning PTV Network into a government corporation known formally as People’s Television Network, Inc.
Shortly after he took over the mantle of government in June 1992, President Fidel V. Ramos appointed PTV Network’s first board of directors. The Network was given a one-time equity funding for capital outlay. Since 1992, PTV has been operating on revenues it generates on its own. RA 7306 stipulates that the government shall not appropriate funds for the operations of the Network.
PTNI is on a full satellite transmission nationwide since 1992 using PALAPA C2. Its flag station PTV-4, which is based in Quezon City, boasts of a 40-kilowatt brand-new transmitter sitting on a 500-ft tower. With its 18 provincial stations across the country, the Network has extended its reach and coverage to approximately 85 percent of the television viewing public nationwide.
As provided for in its charter, PTNI is mandated to give its viewers a balanced mix of news, public affairs, educational, cultural and sports programs.
So far, PTNI has come up with the kind of programs that have earned for itself the Hall of Fame Award for Best Station and for Most Balanced Programming in 1987 and two succeeding years thereafter, from the Catholic Mass Media Awards. It has, to its name, several pioneering and award-winning educational, cultural and public service programs for their relevance and production excellence.
PTNI has pioneered educational and cultural programming. Some of its award-winning programs were Tele-aralan ng Kakayahan, Ating Alamin, Batibot, For Art’s Sake, Coast to Coast and Paco Park Presents. Today, at the core of its educational programming is the Continuing Education Via Television or CONSTEL, a program aimed at upgrading teaching skills of elementary and secondary teachers of Science and English. Institutionalized by DECS, CONSTEL Science and English are being used in teacher training by the Regional and Divisional Leader Schools of the Department of Education, culture and Sports and in Teacher Education Institutions of the Commission on Higher Education.
PTNI has also been the official broadcaster of major international sports competitions. It has been covering the Olympic Games since 1988 with the Barcelona Olympics in Spain missing only the 1992. PTNI was the carrying station of the South East Asian Games in 1991 and 1995 and the Asian Games from 1986 to 1994. During these coverages, PTNI has received commendations from various sports organizations. In 1995, it received a presidential citation from then President Fidel V. Ramos for the successful coverage of the Atlanta Olympic Games.
As of June 2001, PTNI has 394 employees, with seventy-two percent (72%) handling production and production support services, program operations, engineering and maintenance functions, with twenty-eight percent (28%) responsible for management, administrative and financial services.
