Sky to TV5: ‘Unfair!’

Cable service provider Sky Cable said on Monday it will request the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to conduct an independent probe to disprove “once and for all” allegations that it has been tampering with signals of free-to-air networks.

Sky reacted to TV5 EVP and chief operating officer Babby Barreiro’s announcement in Cebu City last week that it might file a complaint following reports of bad signal affecting its programs in the provinces.

In a statement sent to Inquirer Entertainment, Sky Cable marketing head Ray Montinola said Barreiro’s announcement was “unfair, unwarranted … We have been cooperating fully with TV5’s team (in Cebu).” Montinola added: “The problem … is a reflected signal, which remains unresolved by TV5.”

Sky, the country’s largest cable outfit, was founded by the Lopez group of companies, which owns ABS-CBN. In March, TV5 complained to NTC about Sky’s alleged refusal to include the new UHF channel (Aksyon) 41, TV5’s 24-hour news and sports channel, in its lineup. This was resolved May 4.

In 2003, GMA 7 also filed a complaint before the NTC, accusing Sky of distorting its signal. Marinel R. Cruz