INTEGRITY

Column title: Kamunduhang Iñigo
Columnist: Niño Jose B. Gonzales

Numero Uno Espesyal


INTEGRITY.
A nine-letter word with three vowels and six consonants. Pronounced as in-teg’ri-ti, meaning uprightness; wholeness; soundness. Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants in the Philippines describes the word as “not mere honesty but fair dealing and truthfulness. Integrity is dignity and reputation. Integrity connotes who we are and what we are for others. Ikanga, “ayaw kong gawin niyan, nakakawala ng integridad, nakakasira ng reputasyon…” At that, we try our best to protect our integrity, and live a life that is of it.
However in a modern fairy tale twist, integrity has now been played to more than being upright, whole, and sound. It is not merely a word in place for dignity and reputation. It has now become a word synonymous with television ratings.
In the ever-entertaining entertainment world, hundreds upon hundreds of programs have been clamoring to be selected for viewing in your television screen. With the power vested upon the remote control, we, the couch potatoes of this universe, have that sovereignty, that defining freedom to view the programs we desire. Tayo ang hari ng ating telebisyon. Walang makakapigil dito.
So television networks try their best to be the chosen one. They equip themselves with different strategies – advertising plugs, promotional gimmicks, shows and tours. The list goes on. All for the purpose of serving the master that is the television viewer.
Now you ask. Why strive to be numero uno, to be atop of this ratings food chain? Why not settle for being number two and still serve the purpose? In the words of Kevin Costner in Luxury Golf and Travel, "second place just means first loser". Is this the philosophy why networks struggle to be on top?
This sensational controversy has transcended more than a game of numbers and trends. A common Juan or Pedro would find it nakakaaliw, nakakabaliw why networks would battle for mere numbers and trends. It is all too common that networks plug their recognitions and achievements as the leading network to televiewers, amply thanking them as they being part of the victory.
Sometimes exaggerated, often overwhelming.
But there is much story to the percentage and trend. The battle of integrity continues.
According to Philippine Auditing Standards 540, audit sampling is done in a manner that the auditor selects sample items in such a way that the selected item can be expected to be representative of the population. From the samples given, auditors would use the same to assess certain audit risks. Applied to the television ratings, the panel homes we hear in the news represent the Filipino viewing population, either nationwide or regional. With the supposed manipulations at hand, the representative aspect of the survey itself is undermined, leading to a less objective result.
Forgive me for being quite technical.
Also, the survey results are used by advertisers investing in proper advertisements to be aired at the proper program hitting the proper market as much as possible. And if the results were not objective enough, clearly promotional decisions would cause the economic domino effect of lesser sales, opportunity cost, lesser profits and lesser less to be perceived.
The battle of integrity continues.
It is not now about being number one. It is now about who’s telling the truth.
If (emphasize if, meaning the possibility or probability of an event or condition to occur) the allegations were true, integrity is definitely compromised. Bakit mo poprotektahan ang iyong integridad kung ikaw mismo ang dumungis nito? Why waste time denying when you could humble yourself and admit the truth. If the controversies lead weren’t true at all, integrity still is compromised. Bakit ka mamumuhunan nang sandamukal na pawis at pagod para lamang manira ng kapwa tao?
It is all to clear that each network is trying to protect its slogan of truth and honesty while equally bombarding the other with new allegations of mischief and conspiracy. It is amusing to note that this controversy has expanded more than just ratings – from issue of the cable company being a related party to a new scandal over radio ratings. Ano sunod? Blaming Britney Spears for this hysteria?
Crazy.
It is all to clear that neither network is willing to stop this battle. Walang gustong mag-surrender, walang gustong magparaya at tumahimik. Why would they, why should they? Their reputation is at stake here. Higit sa lahat, nakasalalay dito ang pag-suporta ng sambayanang Pilipino sa katotohanan at integridad. Ngunit sino nga ba ang tunay na may hawak nito?
Sa huli, isang katotohanan ang mananaig. Sa huli, iisa lamang ang humahawak ng katotohanan, ang isa pawang maskara lamang ang suot. Sa huli, sana maging isa tayong pamilya na may puso at dangal.
As for now, the battle of integrity continues.
Kung hindi kayo, kung hindi sila, sino ba ang may pakana ng lahat ng ito? Ang cartoon network?

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Ang lathalang Integrity ay isinulat
ko bilang kolumnista sa the Weekly Sillamian, taong 2007. Ito ay isinulat sa kalagitnaan ng "ratings wars" ng magkalabang istasyon. Pagkatapos ng ilang taon, biglang tumahimik ang 'tila walang hanggang iringan ng mga dalawang higanteng ito. Wonder what happened to the ratings-integrity wars...