Impact of ABS-CBN’s TV series ‘Ang Probinsyano’ on the viewers’ perception towards Philippine National Police (PNP)

Philippines, ID LLCE2016-286;      The image of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has been tainted with controversies and scandals. Recently, ABS-CBN, one of the country’s largest networks, launched a television series entitled ‘Ang Probinsyano’ originally written and starred by Fernando Poe Jr., a posthumously-awarded national artist for film. The tv series highlights the PNP’s positive contribution to the local community’s security and welfare. The researchers would like to know the impact of the tv series to its audience’ perceived image towards the PNP; the effects of regularly watching the tv series on their perceived image; and their prior knowledge about PNP. Guided by the Cultivation Analysis Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, and the Self-Perception Theory, the researchers conducted a survey among 100 randomly selected respondents. The results showed that the respondents regularly watch the tv series during their leisure time. Most of the respondents perceive PNP as one of the most corrupt agencies in the Philippines and that they are involved in different criminal cases. Meanwhile, the tv series raised the respondents’ awareness of the PNP and perceive the tv series as a significant tool in promoting Filipino values and tradition. In addition, the results show that the tv series also helped the respondents rebuild their trust towards PNP.

Keyword: TV series, PNP, security and welfare, values and tradition