PNOY VS. THE MEDIA: BATTLE OF THE ONION-SKINS?

I was following the news today about the 16th National Press Forum by the Philippine Press Institute at the Trader's Hotel in Pasay City wherein President Noynoy Aquino gave a chiding speech on "Media Accountability and Public Engagement". In the speech, Aquino lambasted how some media outfits erroneously reported about his activities, such as one report which surfaced last March about the president's alleged date with Grace Lee in Greenhills during work hours, as well as the recent visit of the Qatari emir.

As if hit in the head, some journalists were quick to cry foul about the President's statements. One TV5 journalist was quick to question in Twitter why the President pinned the blame on them. This tweet was immediately responded by fellow journalists from the Rappler, GMA 7 and freelance news bloggers, criticizing the President for sounding like his predecessor and for being too onion-skinned.

Which figures, because apparently, the media outfits who responded to the President's statements were the one's who proliferated such reports in the first place. After the forum, TV5 News and Information chief Luchi Cruz-Valdez was quick to defend her company's name by emphasizing how media acted in times of catastrophe when the government did not or fell short. If these media platforms are not guilty of inaccurate reporting, why do they have to feel the need to be on the defensive? I guess it wasn't just the President who is onion-skinned after all.

Media platforms must be forgetting the forum was about media accountability. If I were a journalist in this forum, I would have been more eager to learn on how to improve my accountability and integrity as a journalist then haughtily defending my misgivings. The President wouldn't be making such statements on media credibility if there wasn't anything amiss. Besides, noting once more the theme of the forum, it would've have been off-topic if the President simply praised the media in the Philippines as outright "fair and balanced", when some players in the industry are not. Journalists should be even thankful that such sentiments were expressed at a media forum on media accountability, unlike other local politicians who expressed similar statements while wielding a gun.

This is a good sign. It just shows how we are still a working democracy, when government officials like the President still exercise some restraint in expressing their displeasure over the media rather than resorting to violence.

Let us not forget that aside from being the medium of information, media is also an industry. And however has access and control over information wields more power, perhaps even greater power than the government. An industry like this is vulnerable to any attempts at stretching, twisting the truth in order to reel in higher ratings, increased viewership and greater profit, especially for an industry newbie.

Let us not also forget that the media is the mirror of the nation, but if such mirror makes us miss the goodness for the ills in this body we call the Philippines, then such mirror is not working for our best interest as a nation. It's not about creating tall stories just to highlight what is good about the government the majority has elected. It's about fairness, showing both sides of the coin, revealing the whole picture. TSS

VARIETY SHOWS: A VARIETY OF VALUES

Willie and child/TV Grab

Variety shows have been part of our lunch time since the boob tube became a popular way of spending pastime here in the Philippines. It’s multi-million dollar entertainment industry that has become popular to both the poor masses and rich advertisers. It has built up the careers of many stars in the limelight today and remains one of the foundations of income for the major television networks.

But more than these, imagine what one or two hours of your daily variety show can do to someone’s values? You might think its simply entertainment, but that sort of statement would likely come from the more discriminating mind. For the common person, whose mindset has been filled with a gooey mess of oil price hikes, corruption scandals, low salaries and family crisis, it could do a lot – big time in fact!

Take the case of Janjan, the kid who’s making headlines this week after he appeared teary-eyed in Willing Willie while give his best macho dancing stunt on national TV to the coaxing of his parents and the show’s charismatic host. To the discriminating mind, what Willie Revillame did was outright child abuse. No wonder why the flak of bad press came from no other than the experts, scholars and the educated masses. But to people like Janjan’s parents, the immediate response was in support of the embattled show and its host. People, whose only hope for little boost in livelihood is variety shows, will definitely become instant apologetics of the industry. And that is a result of daily values formation from shows like Willing Willie, Eat Bulaga and the likes.

Imagine what variety shows are teaching us. If you see scantily-clad women dancing vigorously and provocatively on live television, what does this teach to our not so discriminating minds? Precisely. That its okay for women to show off their bodies on public in a malicious and temptuous manner. That’s its okay for women to make a living out of exposing their bodies. And if children are being asked to dance the same way, with a promise of a sumptuous reward after, what does it teach to their not so discriminating minds? That its okay at a young age to dance provocatively and earn a living from it. That kid could possibly think of becoming a macho dancer at age 18 and forgo plans of taking vocational courses and become a productive welder or sales manager. That kid could end up becoming a pimp at age 38, forcing other male teens to do the same as he did.

Imagine what variety shows justify in our already damaged values system. That it is okay to have plenty of children since they can always work for us and I don’t have to worry about getting a job at 40, that its okay to exploit women and children, and that its okay to queue in variety shows everyday instead of loaning funds for a small, profitable business or to apply for job.

Variety shows justifies beggar mentality and human rights abuse.

But don’t get me wrong. Variety shows weren’t supposed to be this way. They are supposed to help people help themselves, not help people exploit themselves and others. In the end, it was just a matter of a wrong values system both for the parents of Janjan and Willie Revillame. The show’s suspension and possible cancellation does not change the system. Variety shows will still be in question, and will still affect our values, just as everything we see on TV. The challenge now lies with the producers of these variety shows: what kind of values would you like to impart to your viewers? You cannot simply show anything you want and leave to your viewers the task of extracting whatever values they can get from behind the “parental guidance” label. Remember that majority of your viewers do not a have a very discriminating mind and do not always receive parental guidance. The bulk of responsibility in censoring and screening your content lies greatly in your hands.

Despite its glitz and glamour, the variety show industry could use some substance. I’ll be hoping for a positive response as the Janjan issue rests its case. TSS

Business: None of their Business

Sidelined. Business News figures little in Filipino news channels.

News channels are becoming everywhere on TV here in the Philippines. In just two weeks, two networks launched their own version of an all-news channel, promising to get Filipino viewers in touch with the latest news and information they need when they want it, right at the hit of the bat. One station promises to give you action aside from news, in line with their public service creed. Another vows to make you in the know about what you want and need to know at the moment you want and need it. Of course, these two new stations were launched to challenge the dominance of another network's all-news channel in cable, the forerunner in the race which from the beginning pledges to be in the service of the Filipino 24-7.

These channels are just great. They, in their own right, have provided viewers with excellent news programs, magazines shows, talk shows, sports news, showbiz scoops and even weather updates that are at par with the well-known international news channels. However, there is one important topic that these news channels have somehow failed to give sufficient light in to -- Business News.

Citizen Journalism: An Intensive Look

Media platforms in Facebook. Fishing for comments?

Is Citizen Journalism an empowering tool or a forum for divisive talk and political tirades?

I am forced to ponder this question after observing my fellow participants in various citizen journalism groups in Facebook. I’ve been a member of TV5’s TEN: The Evening News Facebook group, and now of GMA News’ Facebook page, where ordinary Filipinos can comment and give their views about current national and international issues, as well as report on news events unfolding in their own neighborhood.

I am a person who is always thrilled with the experience of debate and exchanging ideas and convictions with other, especially in person. But Facebook is a different playing field. In these forums, there are no moderators, no time limits, and no control. I should have expected that people will always be the worst versions of themselves in this kind of environment, but somehow my naive faith that people will be decent participants prevailed. I was proven wrong.