Exclusive: The Philippine Times
Deputy Convenor of 3ZZZ Fred Jover has issued last 21 August 2011 an Open Letter to its members and listeners in relation to the dismissal of the radio’s Filipino broadcasters.
Dear 3ZZZ Filipino group members and listeners, mga kababayan,
As you may have read in the latest news bulletin online of The Philippine Times, the entire Filipino Group Committee Officers and broadcasters was dismissed by the Executive Council of Ethnic Community Broadcasting Association of Victoria, the governing body of 3ZZZ (92.3FM) due the group’s governance problem.
As the former Acting Convenor of the Filipino Broadcasting Group (FBG), long-term member of the group and one of the senior broadcasters of the Filipino programme, I feel obliged to offer the Filipino group members and listeners an apology for the apparent “news blackout” after the dismissal .
We were unable to advise listeners of our three (3) programs (Pinoy Kampus Radio, Sunday 11pm-12am; Hoy Pinoy, Wednesdays 3pm-4pm and Gising na Bayan, Fridays 7am-8am) going off air, as one of the restrictions imposed by 3ZZZ management was “No Filipino group broadcaster or member should speak/broadcast on any of the three (3) programs.”
The official reason offered by 3ZZZ management for the dismissal of the Filipino broadcast group was due to governance problem or issue.
Unfortunately, the lack of explanation for the group’s programs suddenly being “off the air” in the last three (3) weeks is quite regrettable and triggered the so-called “rumour mill” to generate false and unfounded stories about the group at best and toxic and dangerous personal accusations against individual officer and/or broadcaster of the group, at worst.
As one of the former officers of the Filipino group’s Executive Committee, I would like the members/listeners of Radio Pilipino and the Filipino community in general to know that:
- The Filipino broadcast group’s dismissal by the Ethnic Public Broadcasting Association of Victoria is not in any way caused by or related to broadcaster’s commentaries on problems currently affecting another Filipino community group, or
- Broadcasters being engaged in “unprofessional” conduct on or off air, and most certainly;
- No Filipino group Executive Committee officer or broadcaster is involved directly or indirectly in misappropriation of group funds.
I would like to appeal to all members/listeners and “kababayans” in the community to refrain from directly or indirectly engaging in fabrication and/or circulation of false and unfounded comments, suggestions, insinuations or stories relating to any Executive Committee member’s and/or broadcaster’s involvement in any of the above.
Any individual or group of individuals found responsible for spreading any baseless, unfounded, malicious and libelous comments, suggestions, insinuations or story is doing a great disservice to the Filipino community by undermining the credibility of the Radio Pilipino, one of the pillars supporting the Filipino community in Victoria through news, entertainment and public announcements.
Legal action may be pursued against any individual or group of individuals found to be directly or indirectly circulating defamatory stories relating to any Executive Committee member/s and/or broadcaster/s
With kind regards,
SGD. Siegfredo Jover
Member,
Filipino Broadcasting Group
