On Twitter, award-winning photographer Ezra Acayan revealed how GMA News and Public Affairs and The Atom Araullo Specials (TAAS) asked a drone operator to ‘waive the fees’ for his footage.
He shared a screenshot of a letter from GMA Network and The Atom Araullo Specials (TAAS) addressed to the said drone operator, Louie Antonio.
@atomaraullo hope we can find a way to compensate Mr. Antonio. He was one of those affected by the flooding but was amazed to see him donating relief goods when I was in Cagayan. I believe his talent and big heart deserves much more than just "due media mileage" don't you think?
— Ezra Acayan (@eacayan) November 29, 2020
The letter seeks permission from Antonio to use his footage of the flooding in Cagayan for a documentary of TAAS.
GMA also requested to “waive all fees including fees/royalty for the syndication of the documentary” and upon agreement, Antonio gives GMA the rights to sell or license the episode of TAAS containing the drone footage. The network, however, assured media mileage or promotion for Antonio as they will put proper credits.
Acayan then called out Atom Araullo, TAAS host, to compensate the footage owner fairly.
He also pointed out that Antonio was also a victim of the typhoon, so ‘media mileage’ is not enough to recompense for the drone footage.
Thanks for ensuring he's getting paid for his work.
But misunderstandings aside, fact remains that at some point Louie received this letter requesting his footage to be used for free. The language used in this letter is disgusting, and it should have NO PLACE in our industry.
— Ezra Acayan (@eacayan) November 29, 2020
Araullo then responded promptly and agreed with Acayan. But, he said that there’s a story behind the letter, which he chose not to disclose in public. The TAAS host also assured that their team has worked with Antonio professionally and was compensated well.
Meanwhile, Shaila Garde, GMA Journalist and a good friend of Araullo, clarified the issue and divulged the real story behind it.
Accordingly, the team saw Antonio’s footages on the news, so they reached out and hired him to be part of the team to get more drone shots of the flooding in Cagayan. He was paid ₱5,000.
Hi! I don't work on "TAAS" but I know people who do, who hope to get some facts straight:
1. The team paid ₱5,000. They saw his footage on the news, reached out and hired him to get more drone shots of Cagayan FOR THE SHOW. "Naging part siya ng team for this at binayaran siya." https://t.co/llDW54OcXX
— Shai Lagarde (@shailagarde) November 29, 2020
There are two types of footage in the context, the first was used for free with Antonio’s permission as it was already aired on the news. The other one was the paid footage from Antonio as GMA hired him as a drone operator for the show.
There are two types of footage involved here kasi. The TAAS team hired the drone operator to take shots for the show — he was paid for that as part of the team.
Before that, may footage na siyang nakunan na pinahiram niya sa News. That's what he agreed for TAAS to use for free.
— Shai Lagarde (@shailagarde) November 29, 2020
Second, the letter was originally posted by Antonio to express his appreciation for TAAS for approaching him properly to use his footage. He took down his post after some people took it in the wrong context.
2. Louie's original caption for his screenshot was "😍." Nag-post siya kasi natuwa raw siya, maayos siyang nilapitan ng "The Atom Araullo Specials" for his footage. He has taken it down after the pic was taken and used in the opposite context.
— Shai Lagarde (@shailagarde) November 29, 2020
Also, the letter came from the legal team of GMA to polish the agreement and avoid future liabilities in the future.
3. So Louie was hired as drone operator for this story. Hence the wording of the letter, which actually came from GMA Legal. Siyempre mandate nila na plantsahin lahat ng detalye to protect the company from future liabilities. It wasn't the researcher/SP's choice of words.
— Shai Lagarde (@shailagarde) November 29, 2020
The wording from the letter to allow the network to “sell, license or sublicense” refers to the episode as a whole, not to the clip itself grabbed from Antonio for free.
Barnaby, I think this refers to the episode, not the clip in question. Basically it’s saying the finished product belongs to the network, which they can then replay, sell, license, etc.
— Atom Araullo (@atomaraullo) November 29, 2020
She shared that she was a researcher before and she knows the struggle. So, researchers or journalists must not be blamed for this as this depends on the management of the network.
Though Garde believes that the ‘malpractice’ of not compensating creators well must be stopped, she believes that the letter from GMA was taken out of context.
I agree that this practice (not just by GMA but the PH industry as a whole) of profiting off people's work in exchange for credit rather than paying them, needs to change.
But in this case, a pic was posted without all the facts, taken out of context, to get that point across.
— Shai Lagarde (@shailagarde) November 29, 2020
