ABS-CBN, GMA to co-host TV conference

In a rare occurence, broadcasting giants ABS-CBN Corp. and GMA Network Inc. are set to co-host a public television conference at the former’s Dolphy Theater on November 6 and the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City on the 7th. 

In a statement, the Goethe-Institut Philippinen said the conference, which it initiated, called Mini-INPUT, “is an offshoot of the annual International Public Television conference (INPUT) held earlier this year in Tokyo.”

The German cultural center explained that INPUT is “organized by a group of public TV programmers and broadcasters from companies like Germany’s ARD, Canada’s CBC, Japan’s NHK, and (South) Korea’s KBS.”

“INPUT aims to gather TV professionals around the world to discuss and challenge the boundaries of TV,” it added.

“Mini-INPUT will follow a simple show-and-discuss conference format, and will feature 13 TV programs and films from 11 countries, which were selected out of the 79 programs presented at the INPUT in Tokyo. The TV programs are grouped into eight sessions and focus on topics like sexuality, racism, ethics and indigenous rights.”

Discussions during the conference will be led by a panel made up of German, Japanese and Filipino moderators. GMA Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Neil Gumban and broadcast journalist Nowell Cuanang will represent the so-called Kapuso network, while executive producer for current affairs Ferdinand Enriquez will represent the Kapamilya network.

They will be joined by senior producer Takako Hayashi of NHK Japan, which hosted INPUT this year, and German journalist, film and TV consultant Elias Rodriguez. TMM 

Registration for the conference is free and open to all TV professionals, but by invitation only. Interested individuals may contact the Goethe-Institut Philippinen via e-mail at program@manila.goethe.org. For more information, visit www.goethe.de/manila.