GMA Public Affairs Issues Statement on Asking Videos and Photos for Free After Revelation of Ezra Acayan

Image courtesy of Twitter: GMA_PA

Here's another disgusting story of a multi-billion-peso network asking for free work: (thread)

— Ezra Acayan 📸 (@eacayan) December 1, 2020

Concerned for the welfare of fellow Filipinos who are out of work and unable to return home to the Philippines, Wilson organized relief drives to help them survive the lockdown.

— Ezra Acayan 📸 (@eacayan) December 1, 2020

https://twitter.com/eacayan/status/1333765591807655937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1333765591807655937%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fashionpulis.com%2F

He was told it would help give attention to his cause, so Wilson agreed.

— Ezra Acayan 📸 (@eacayan) December 1, 2020

They were consistent in praising him and reminding him that it would help his cause. In the end, GMA was able to produce an entire documentary off of his work which he did for free.

— Ezra Acayan 📸 (@eacayan) December 1, 2020

Wilson got in-touch with me after he saw my posts of GMA asking for free work. In our video conversation, I explained how GMA is profiting off of free material, given to them by unwitting people who have little or no knowledge as to how their material is being exploited.

— Ezra Acayan 📸 (@eacayan) December 1, 2020

He recalled an incident where he filmed the Notre Dame on fire, and CNN and Reuters approached him and offered upfront to pay for his amateur footage.

— Ezra Acayan 📸 (@eacayan) December 1, 2020

Wilson's particular episode enjoys nearly three million views on Facebook, while other episodes in the series have millions more.

— Ezra Acayan 📸 (@eacayan) December 1, 2020

This is aside from the fact that GMA now owns rights to republish and profit off of Wilson's work for as long as they want.

— Ezra Acayan 📸 (@eacayan) December 1, 2020

These networks make BILLIONS and often grab content from social media and from unwitting people like Wilson, and they don't pay them a single centavo.

— Ezra Acayan 📸 (@eacayan) December 1, 2020

https://twitter.com/eacayan/status/1333765634006556672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1333765634006556672%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fashionpulis.com%2F

EDIT: Staff did reach out to him after program aired, and pitched in donations out of their own pockets. Confirmed this Wilson. This just makes this incident alot more heartbreaking. The only winner here is the network, both Wilson and the staff are victims.

— Ezra Acayan 📸 (@eacayan) December 1, 2020