When
I was asked to participate at the Netizens’
Choice Awards to write my entry for the Bloggers’ Choice for Most Favorite TV Station, I was faced with a
dilemma. I rarely watch television and I don’t really care much about the so
called “network wars”. My television viewing habit is definitely a whole lot
different from the average Filipino viewer. I was really scrambling to find
some answers until I realized that I do find myself watching a certain network
which is GMA News TV. At first
glance, this choice being my favorite since like it was a decision by default.
But come to think of it, there has to be a reason why I always normally end up
watching GMA News TV.
The
main reason why I watch television is to catch the local news. And GMA News TV airs newscasts
regularly almost round the clock. And they do have regular news updates as
well. Aside from the news, the public affairs programs that they have like the Investigative Documentaries offer
informative and engaging topics that leave me feeling like I’ve learned more
after watching the show. The lifestyle, entertainment and sports programs of
the network also follow the same vein. I have often complained that a lot of
other local entertainment shows only serve to kill my brain cells but the
programs at GMA News TV do otherwise.
They entertain without pandering to the lowest common denominator. Proof of
that is their celebrity oriented show Follow
That Star which doesn’t cater to mindless gossips and instead offers a
glimpse to the lives of celebrities.
I do
appreciate that the programs over at GMA
News TV are very accessible. I don’t need to have watched previous episodes
of shows like Pop Talk or Motorcycle Diaries to appreciate the
current episodes that I happen to have the chance to watch. I can just switch on
to the channel and see whatever is on whenever I find a spare moment to watch
television. Each episode is self contained and yet they leave me with wanting
to check out what they have to offer for next week.
One
more thing that I appreciate a lot about GMA News TV is that they state what
time the shows will be on and they do start on time. The only breaks in
schedule occur when breaking news happen. I think that this is very important
since Filipinos are infamous for their tardiness and basically a lack of
respect for time. Having television programs starting on time is a great way in
instilling the value of honoring time to the general public.
To
sum it up, regular newscasts, accessibility of programs and a respect for time
are the main reasons why I choose GMA
News TV as my Bloggers’ Choice for
the Most Favorite TV Station. The Netizens’ Choice Awards is
conducted by Showbiznest, Starmometer and LionhearTV and will not be possible without the support of Smart Communications, Inc. and DMCI Homes.
