Good News Sells

Mr. William Esposo again wrote about the current situation of the Philippine mass media in his column at the Philippine Daily Inquirer yesterday. In it, he explained that good news sells, but wonder why Philippine media doesn’t seem to believe so.

Indeed, I believe that good news sells. One proof: the Bible, even known as The Good News, is generally accepted as the best selling book of all time. I have not heard of any book entitled the Bad News, and if there is, I am sure it did not sell as well! Yet, one could say that war is bad news, and it sells books, even newspapers and TV news shows. During the 9/11 attacks, which Mr. Esposo also wrote about in the same piece, many people are glued on CNN. But interests for this bad news would have easily died down if the press has not focused on the heroism of the firefighters and police who died helping other people, and on the leadership shown by people whom Americans look up to, such as George W. Bush and Rudolph Guiliani. What extends the shelf life of war news are the stories of heroism and leadership that rose within them, i.e. bad news transformed into good news.

Everyone knows the advocacy we espouse through this blog-site. I always try to analyze and expose how bad our press has become. Now I also say, that better journalism is also for their own good. Media can easily sell bad news, and profit in the short term. Good news, which is necessarily good news reporting, though, is that which could assure their long term existence.

Ironic Press

Last week, ABS-CBN TV Patrol World had an interview with the brother of Angelito Nayan, who was deeply saddened by his brothers' kidnapping in Afghanistan. It was said that to keep him going, he watched the movie "The Passion of the Christ" (the one directed by Mel Gibson) daily. Nothing is wrong with that, except that the ABS-CBN footage shows the brother showing a VCD cover of the said movie, obviously a pirated version.

Doesn't ABS-CBN know something that is illegal when they see one? Hmmm.

What is Meningococcemia doing?

I was wondering why this infectious disease has been gracing TV news' headlines lately, while the newspapers are short of ignoring it. Well, I was wondering too why TV news is covering this disease now while it did not do the same in the past. This ailment is not new to the Philippines, and it has had as many victims in the past as it is having now.

So why? Is there something going on, not necessary on medical but on the political front, that this topic is trying to divert our attention from?

Black Propaganda versus Mikey Arroyo?

Obviously, 7:30-8:00AM is the prime time in morning AM radio. There are more commercial advertisements at this time than any other time. However, rather than air the best shows, AM radio producers seems to be using this time for propaganda from different interests.

I explained in my previous blog how DZBB’s Mike Enriquez, dedicated this time one day on radio to promote Ritemed, the generic drugs company, which he openly endorses. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to listen to DZMM’s Anthony Taberna and Gerry Baja, whose Dos por Dos program proved to be no better. Yesterday’s program was dedicated to criticize Mikey Arroyo, the presidential son who is also a congressman.

Rather than talk about the big news of the day, such as Nayan’s return home, or the typhoon’s devastation of Dinggalan, Aurora, or the President’s own return from APEC meeting, or the just concluded Jeepney strikes, Baja and Taberna thinks that their most important topic of the day, and which deserved the 30 minutes of their program, is Mikey Arroyo’s supposed endorsement to legalize marijuana. Of course, the news reports from which the duo based and dedicated their program indeed says that the young Arroyo is keen to endorsing a bill on Marijuana but with ifs and buts splattered all over it. It is easy to see where the DZMM program is coming from, and it is definitely not coming from the side of fairness.

The program started with mock praise for Cong. Arroyo’s good heart to support a bill from another congressman from the Cordillera’s. They then presented some internet research on the medical use of marijuana, which, they make sure to say, are not yet confirmed nor proven. Next, they presented some data on the ill-effects of pot use, which of course we all know already and we cannot help but agree. Obviously, the ill-effects outweighs the unproven benefits.

And if it is the most important topic of the day, who do you think will Taberna and Baja interview live on radio? Mikey Arroyo himself? Wrong. Without even an explanation on why they are not interviewing Mikey Arroyo, the program instead had the chief of PDEA interviewed on telephone, who of course furthered the case versus the use of drugs which is not the argument in the first place.

The closing part of the program is where they read some text messages from their listeners, who largely agreed that pot use should remain illegal. While Taberna and Baja wasted their entire 30 minutes of their primetime program on a non-news such as this, they have the guts to say that Arroyo ought to use his time on more important matters… perhaps, such as on Nayan’s return home, or the typhoon’s devastation of Dinggalan, Aurora, or the President’s own return from APEC meeting, or the just concluded Jeepney strikes.

We know it, but can we do anything about it?

I do not know if it is me who started it. Or maybe so many people are already fed up with what media is covering or writing about, that people who has access in media themselves seems to be realizing the situation. There is Mr. William Esposo who I am glad has better (than me) words to write about this topic. Now, I am even happier to learn that Inquirer founding chair Eugenia Duran-Apostol has also campaigned to journalists to stop being puppies (or tuta) and be watchdogs which is what they should be (Article in PDI).

We know the situation. Our media is turned into mere propaganda vehicles and as tool for corruption by people with perverted interests. But as ordinary citizens, there are only few options, if anything, that we can do about it. I am sure Esposo and Duran-Apostol could do something more than we can.

Surveys as headlines?

One way to market a product or an idea is by showing that many other people subscribe to the same. We know that GMA7 and ABS-CBN regulary advertise surveys which put their shows on top spots versus their competitors. With the lack of other good criteria they can present to their viewers, these media outlets try to make surveys seem all too important. This marketing tool banks on the natural instinct of every person to play it safe when making decisions. It also plays on our natural tendency for acceptance. The logic goes that when more people are doing something and there is nothing bad that happens with them while doing it (so far), then it would be good and safe thing to do, too.

Of course, we know that a thing being done or an opinion by more is not necessarily good. If there is a survey during Jesus' time, I am sure the survey would show that more people wished him crucified. And surveys are as good only as those who made them. We know that surveys are even useless unless we know how they are made, interpreted and for what purpose. I think that published surveys, in the Philippines, often has only one purpose, Propaganda.

Sad to say, I smell the same with todays Inquirer headline.

The Death of Philippine Movie Industry

Not only are our TV and print media in deplorable state. The local film industry is even worse.

I am now learning to really like Mr. William Esposo (PDI column) as he again wrote the things I was so eager to write myself. Maybe he is my alterego, or me reincarnated before I die.

Mr. Esposo described how our movie industry deteriorated from a respectable position in the 1960s into such a wretched condition as we have now, mirroring the state of the country itself. He recognized that the film craftsmen are the ones who uplifts the quality of the film. Indeed, even the best directors and actors would not do well in a film with a bad script.

Unfortunately, our film producers prefer to bank only on the popularity of the stars rather than on a good story. Why? Because it is easier to do and they got away with it a number of times before. Of course, they would now realize that they wouldn't be able to do it all the time, for movie after movie they produce now, even with bankable stars with them, are not being watched anymore by the public. These movie producers themselves are paving the way for their own death, much like a suicide.

Our APEC agenda

While there are a lot of coverage by International news networks on the APEC meeting that was held in Chile, it was sorry to note that the Philippine Media did not cover the meeting very well. In fact, the local coverage, aside from the other news with our chairmanship of the anti-terorrism task force, mainly deals on whether President Arroyo will have a meeting with George Bush or not... whether her one-on-one chitchat during dinner for two hours is better than the bilateral talks George Bush held with the other participants.

For the Phil. Press, it seems that the only significance of the APEC meeting is the chance to talk to President Bush. Although, I agree that a chance to talk to the leader of the world's mightiest nation is indeed significant, I do not agree that it is the only reason that our President should be there.

Our problem is we do not know or have an economic agenda for our country, at all, that we also do not know what our APEC meeting agenda should be. In short, our people do not know even why the President is there. The question is, does President Arroyo herself know why?

Missing Details form basis of Inquirer Editorial?

One thing going for bloggers is that you can have your opinions published even if you still lack some details, and can easily be forgiven when proven wrong. The blogger Ca t, for example may be hoaxed by the Fay story, but I am sure other blog dwellers will not blame the 'Cat for that' (nice?).

However, the same forgiving attitude cannot and should not be accorded to established media outlets. They have the means to verify their facts, and it is THEIR JOB to do so.

I am reading today's editorial at the Philippine Daily Inquirer and I think the writer formed his/her opinion based on missing details. Commenting about the Hacienda Luisita tragedy, the writer questioned the presence of the military, and pictured them as trigger-happy people by saying, and I quote

"...What we know is that military men were there, firing their guns at the picketers and just about whomever came within shooting sight."

Obviously, the writer didn't know why the military is there, and who ordered them there. The editorial writer didn't even know whether the police is there but wrote

"...It could also be that the policemen were, like their military counterparts, firing away to their hearts' content."

These are small details, yet it is the Press people's job to verify them, rather than guess. If they themselves cannot form their own opinions with some basis on facts that they should have had, how can we fact-beggar bloggers be able to do it better?

And since we depend on them on facts, poor us. We could only know what is wrong. Yet, we could all miss what is right!

The Dollar Fall

The Filipinos nowadays are having a false sense of security on the value of the Philippine Peso. Well, yes, the Phil. Peso is 'not' falling too much versus the US Dollar. The problem is, the USD has fallen way too much versus other world currencies such as the Euro and the Jap. Yen. That means the Peso is falling as fast, if not faster!

We do not see it, mostly because we always train our eyes on the green buck. We are lay people, that is why. But we have a problem when our media do not see it as well. Is this information not important for the people? I bet it is. I bet it would affect the life of the average squatter-living Filipino more than knowing who Ara Mina's next boyfriend is.

Maybe, soon, the US Dollar will gain some strength versus the other currencies. By that time, will the PHP follow suit? I doubt it. In fact, even the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (as mentioned in this Inq7 report) predicts that "commodity prices will continue to rise and the peso to come under pressure..."

I wonder what'll that mean to the future for us local currency earners?

The country wouldn't grow with Pork

Since the first time that I heard about the existence of the congressional "pork barrel", I came to realize that it is a bad thing. The media painted it as such. Even many politicians themselves say so too. And, even economists say that we would do well if senators and congressmen cut them out from their budget.

For why must our legislators, tasked to create laws, have the funds to build roads, or bridges, or hospitals or basketball courts or even waiting sheds (with their names emblazoned on them)? It is obvious to so many that this is like the state sponsoring the incumbent lawmaker on his/her next election campaign. We have already made this conclusion long ago, the country would do well without the 'Pork Barrel'!

But year in and year out, we are still in the same situatuion. Year in and year out, our lawmakers agree with themselves to approve to retain or sometimes even increase their pork barrel budgets. Year in and year out, the media report it as such without much of a ridicule to the leadership. Year in and year out, the lawmakers do not make a vivid explanation of why it is needed, well, just the old rehashed motherhood statement "for the good of their constituents".

We wouldn't grow up as a nation if we keep coming back to where we were, even on long concluded issues.

Statesmanship

The USA is very lucky to have leaders who know how to behave as such. Reading over the news report on Yahoo, I envy the Americans so much, that they have such leaders, and that statesmanship is what they expect from them.

I took note of the words the the current President Bush said of ex-Pres. Clinton:

(from Yahoo)
""President Clinton led our country with optimism and a great affection for the American
people and that affection has been returned," Bush said. "He was an innovator, a
serious student of policy and a man of great compasison. In the White House, the
whole world witnessed his brilliance and his mastery of detail, his persuasive
powers and his persistence."
Bush's father and Carter also delivered
lighthearted remarks and they sat dutifully on the stage for the 90-minute
ceremony, hovering under umbrellas against the steady, chilly, driving rain.
The president hailed Clinton's rise to power as a "remarkable story ... that
inspires people from every background all over America."
"The William J.
Clinton presidential library is a gift to the future by a man who always
believed in the future," Bush said. "We thank him for loving and serving
America.' "

And then, Clinton responded by congratulating

(from Yahoo)
'...Bush on his re-election, but couldn't help offering some advice. Recalling that his failure to see a lasting Middle East peace accord was the "biggest disappointment" of his White House tenure, Clinton wished the president "Godspeed" in his own efforts on that front.'

Whew.

Media should cover more of Pinoy Programmers

I am very happy to read today about a Filipino programmer winning in an international programming contest which happened in the California. With the Faye hoax hugging the bloglines lately, I took a moment to check the veracity of the report. Well realizing that it was Mr. Joey Alarilla, whom I think has already gained respectability in this field, who wrote the article at the Inquirer, I felt much relieved to believe the report.

And I think that the Filipinos have a chance to make it big in the software writing world. This field does not require physical strength nor stamina, nor height, but only mental capacity, eagerness to learn, and creativity. With the proliferation of Computer schools (AMA and STI) where more and more students are enrolling (meaning we are creating a bigger pool of talents), I can see a good direction for our youth.

Now, what we need is for the Business Community to be aware of this. Our country is now beginning to realize that we have so many talented programmers out there whose services are still relatively cheap. In the international business scene meantime, "out-sourcing" as a strategy has emerged which software programming has one of the biggest potential. Therefore, we have the talent, and there is a market.

These is where help of the mass media could come in. I hope our leading media establishments do their part by covering the accomplishments of our talents. I hope this kind of news goes into the business sections of the local leading papers and in business magazines so that our business leaders would take note. I hope this happens, before the foreign business people are able to utilize our own talents and beat us into them.

The Media on Hacienda

With the way our media is reporting this incident at the Hacienda Luisita, we can immediately conclude that there’ll be no resolution on the problem, ever.

Today’s main story on the Inquirer for example shows how remiss the press coverage was. The headline report is a slipshod mix of news and comments from different sources, not necessarily taken in chronological order, nor printed there to clarify the situation. The report disregards the logic behind the events. Obviously, their reporters are not on the seen when the event took place. They are then left only with hearsay, often spins, to report.

I have no problem with their reporting based on statements by verified witnesses. The problem is when the identification of the witnesses interviewed are blurred and not given importance or weight. Thus, the veracity of the account can easily be put to question. Worse, the paper intersperses the statements with those from people who are not even involved, even those from politicians who wanted to be interviewed plainly for media exposure.

Meanwhile, the TV coverage by ABS-CBN is no better. Their TV cameras showed that before the dispersal, the strikers were already in a war mood, and are agitating the police by volleying at them rocks with home-made slings. Yet, though I am not sure if I just missed it, the cameras seem not to be able to cover the entire dispersal operation.

Meanwhile, The TV media also equates the events to the so-called Mendiola Massacre of 1987, which tend to create an un image unfavorable to ex-President Corazon Aquino. This kind of news surely would not help anyone at this time, if not add to the gravity of the situation.

I am not taking any position – for Hacienda Luisita management or for the farmers/workers. But readily, I can say, with the kind of coverage our media is doing, the victims died in vain.

Paid Radio Time?

I was listening to Mike Enriquez’ Saksi sa Double B yesterday morning when I realized I was actually listening to what seems like a very long advertisement by the Unilab generic drugs firm, Ritemed.

I know that Mike Enriquez is an endorser of Ritemed, which is by the way wrong in itself. Mr. Enriquez is a news reader/reporter and commentator on prime radio and TV time that he should at least maintain some sort of credibility and independence. Is GMA7 not providing their prime talent with a respectable income that he still needs to earn extra from advertisers? Can the network not compel its people not to involve themselves with other activities obviously conflicting with their job? Of course we realize long ago that credibility and independence is the least of their concern.

And yesterday morning’s Saksi on radio is one prime example of how low a priority is credibility for GMA7. For more than 20 minutes, starting around 7:30AM, Mike Enriquez held an interview with some people from RiteMed and from the organization of Municipal Health Officers. We know that that time is prime time on radio, and therefore the time when there are a lot of advertisement being aired. Amazingly, yesterday, there was no other advertiser at that time, but only the supposed interview with Ritemed. The radio show is trying to lead us to believe that it was for the benefit of the people – information on lower medicine prices. But the interview seems to show only that RiteMed is the only credible source of lower priced medicine, that Ritemed is the best, the Ritemed is great, …the works. Well, how’s that coming from people who just lost their credibility?

Even the Municipal Health Officers group easily loses their standing, when they openly endorse Ritemed. Are these health officers there on office time or on time paid by Ritemed? Are they paid to go there by the government (by the people) or do they earn extra from the company they endorse? These are just some of the questions that these government employees should answer. Surely, we cannot get Mike Enriquez to ask them that.

Tell me, who would believe that that interview’s airtime is not paid for by Ritemed? Tell me, who would believe that Mike Enriquez did not do that interview because he is Ritemed’s endorser? Tell me, who would believe that those municipal health officers did not receive anything in return for that open endorsement?

What is the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP) official stand on this? Do they not need to police their own ranks for the benefit of the public? Has the KBP have some concern on their group’s credibility?

A free media is one important component of democracy, for it to work. The people who run our media, needless to say, are part of the leadership of this nation. It is now easy to see where they are trying to lead us to. It is now easy to realize where we are headed.

Arroyo Order, not in order

I am not sure how President Arroyo can publicly order the military on what to do with General Garcia. Is there not a process within the military institution that dictates the treatment for their erring generals? If there is no such process, then we really are in trouble.

If the president is micro-managing the military, it is very easy to conclude that all the military's problem are rooted from her poor management! If the president is micro-managing the justice system, then it is now easy to blame her why the cases against Erap and the Marcoses are proceeding at a snails' pace. Now we know for example that she has a hand on Erap's change of detention site. If Erap is freed, we now know who has a hand in that.

It might do well our country to let the institutions map their own course with their own long established processes.

PR Job for Jawo Jr.

If one day you meet Jawo Jr., what things would first come to your mind? The GreenHills shooting incident involving his brother and whatever happened to that?

Of course. That issue is not yet cleared in anyone’s mind. And if you are a news reporter, that would naturally be right on your list of questions.

Yet our newspaper reporters are a breed of their own. They do not think normally. If they met with Jawo Jr., the one thing that will come up to their mind is something else, say … a Visa Racket supposedly going on in the House (of Representatives). Perhaps Jawo Jr. is now an expert on Visas and Immigration?

Well, we see this kind of reporting many times before.

Representative Loretta Rosales being interviewed about the US Elections (rather than on her Women’s or Leftists’ agenda). Representative Imee Marcos interviewed about other peoples’ supposed graft and corruption (rather than on the status of the Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth).

We call this PR news. It is supposed to make us forget the issues.

So, the next time I see Kris Aquino? Maybe I should ask her about world peace.

Media Bash

Mr. William Esposo again spoke (and wrote) about how bad media has become. If he will go on with this, then I do not anymore need to rack up my brain (if I have one, others might be so glad to point out!) to update this site. All I need is to cut and paste his column from the Inquirer, and maybe even sometimes claim them as my own (he..he..).

His words are exactly the things I want to write myself. He said:

“…media today operate under the cloak of a free press when in truth they're for the most part an extension of the oppressive social structure operated by the oligarchy. Under today's media climate, few are aware that the media are part of the system of exploitation. Name a newspaper in Manila and very likely and for the most part we can tell you whose economic or political interest it protects.”

Wow, those were the exact words I was trying to come up with, only I ended up taking too much time looking up the meaning of oligarchy.

And he also said among others:

“The emphasis is on attracting an audience - ratings for TV and Radio and readership for Print - instead of the mission to inform people of what they have to know. One finds in the two top rating television newscasts an excessive use of showbiz tidbits that should be found in movie gossip programs.”

Blow me down. I was thinking this exact phrase when I wrote how the ABS-CBN and GMA7 report to us supposed news (merely gossips) and been playing on us the ratings game (who is number 1?).

And he went on to say:

“... Philippine media can enlighten and uplift or allow the oppressive structures to continue by not exposing and challenging it. Media can opt to promote a national consensus that in turn will foster unity or it can allow itself to be a tool of the Philippine Caesars who want to divide and rule and exploit the people. Philippine media, therefore, is a part of the Philippine problem but can also be the key to providing the solution.”

…which is what I was trying to say.

I think that the Philippine media is not in anyway helping us get the country up from the mess where we are in. Instead, they put us deeper into the trash with their weight which we have to bear. They are indeed part of the problem (a big part, at that). But yes…. they can also be the key to providing solution. (It should have been my words only that Mr. Esposo beats me into it). And that is why I bash at the media, but read, listen and watch, still.

Journalists Killing Time

I cannot be sure how this can happen. Journalists are getting killed by just about anyone with a gun, and the killer gets away with it. This report from the Philippines Star covered such killing, and amazingly, they did not press for more details.

A photojournalist killed by a Pajero-riding thrill killer? No one saw the plate number of the speeding Pajero? And this information coming from the investigator? Wow. It is as if we are told that the killer is now beyond trace. It is now done and there is nothing more we can do about it. Next, please…

Fiscal Crisis

Today, the Inquirer has as its headline the President's announcement that the government has collected (Jan-Sep 2004) 13.1% more than the same period last year. The report is coming from an angle that proves the President is right to say that the fiscal crisis is over. Well, it is easy to see that the report is trying to make a soap opera out of the fiscal crisis!

Of course, the President did not say that she is announcing the increase in collections to prove that the crisis is over. It is just the Inquirer reports' take on it. On the first place, and again and again, economists say that we are in fact not yet in crisis. The UP economists say that we could be in three years. So what crisis does the President have to prove is over?

Well, the good news is that the government posted bigger revenues for the first nine months of 2004 and surpassed targets, according to the President (well, according to the report). Has it been announced already by the Finance Department? Is the President the first to announce it? Are the figures correct and verified? Is the improvement attributable to some specific tax reforms performed the government? What is the significance of the increased revenues, or is it significant at all? Is there any comment coming from some reputable economists? And where are we headed?

Sorry, folks! No such pertinent details from the newspaper report, as usual. Instead, there is a sad story of the President's popularity going down because she is trying to do things right. Something like... a sacrifice.., against all odds.., for our sake... Cry now.

Sin Tax Lobby. 2

It is amazing how the Inquirer can run a non-news as headline, and then the next day, write as headline the fact that previous days' headline is a non-news! If yesterdays' was a He-said-She-said type of news, today is a He-said-He-deny kind of news!

The fact remains that the Inquirer story doesn't have a story to tell at all. It is grossly lacking of facts. It is pure gossip. The paper should look for something else to headline about, and give their reader's some respect.

On 1B Pesos Sin Tax Lobby

There is the kind of newspaper reporting based on which Mr. William Esposo calls the He-Said-She-Said kind. This is when the press feel that they have done their job when they get the views from the two opposing extreme sides. This is their way of balanced reporting. Of course, they know better than that as they consciously turn a blind eye on the third side, the TRUTH.

Today's Inquirer headline on the Pesos 1B sin tax lobby in the congrees is a prime example of this He-Said-She-Said reporting. According to the report, Rep. Herminio Teves says that Fortune Tobacco is saving a lot from the watered down version of the sin taxes. If Fortune would realize a net income of P900M, at least 10% would have been invested as lobby money - so says Rep. Teves' the logic.

But people already believe that there is lobby money in congress (and even every government institution for that matter). Rep. Teves allegation is therefore nothing new. If he has no proof, then what good would it do us if he alleges it?

Meanwhile, sensing that readers might be interested on the topic, the Inquirer went on to print denials from many different people among them Senators Recto and Drillon (who says this is hard to believe and there is absolutely none, respectively). Denials were also coming from Fortune themselves (of course), from Rep. Lapus who says that Rep. Teves is destroying the congress, and from a Malacanang Political Adviser, Gabriel Claudio. Now, this denials runs contrary to what we believe and understand. What good are these opinions then?

After reading the entire report, one would realize that again we have been had. A headline that promises to provide us facts turns out to be another hoax. The report does not add anything to what we already know. In fact, it muddles our mind.

And what we get from their He-said-She-said reporting? Trash.

Free Press

I am not alone!

People, even those in the mainstream media, are noticing how bad their industry has become. I previously noted Mr. Roy Cimagala's column wherein he dealt with the low state of TV shows, and suggested ways on what to do about them. Now, I take note of a longer discourse on a similar topic this time by William Esposo, also of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

I thought I was a voice in the wilderness. Well, there they are, somewhat louder in voice, but still mostly in the wilderness.

I maintain, that unless we do something about it, the country will not move forward. The press is a very important and integral part of democracy, plainly for democracy to function. As someone has said, they are the watchdog of democracy. Still someone asked, and who is going to watch over the watchdog? Perhaps a job for alternative media, the blogosphere?

To date, a boycott is still the only active solution that has been forwarded and I can think of that has potential. It is a drastic solution, I know, and that is why we have to take more time to contemplate on it.

GMA 7 Blogs!

Does anyone know that GMA 7 are blogging to market their shows through the internet? Yes they do. I checked on their blogsites trying to look for something pertinent written there. I was frustrated.

On one site, they highlight the ratings game and say that "Kapuso" is now No. 1. They might indeed be No.1 and I am sure they are happy about their ratings. What benefit does it give the viewing public, though?

There is another site where fans comments on their favorite stars. There, the comments were mainly kakakilig and ganda-ganda types. Amazingly, in one blog article, there were more than 200 comments, putting into shame the busiest blogs I read!

Hmmm.

After Imbestigador, Idol ko Si Kap

After a taste of Imbestigador, I was not yet content and I stayed on to watch the same channel's Idol ko Si Kap. This TV sitcom stars Bong Revilla, a senator of the republic, and who said in a previous interview that he tries to show some good values through this TV show.

I was wondering what good values the senator was talking about.

The show started with four guys doing mostly nothing (tambays), among them Kuya Germs and Jimmy Santos noticing a sexy girl waiting for someone. One by one, three of the tambays started talking to the girl, inviting her for breakfast, but without success. In came Baranggay Captain "Kap" who tried the same and still without success. Then in came 'Attorney', played by Leo Martinez whom everyone will realize is the 'Popsy' or old boyfriend of the sexy girl.

Then, there was a scene where two kids, a boy and a girl, talk in 'text' (SMS, as in abbreviated) language. Their Grandmother came in and admonished them at the way they talk. The kids continued talking the same way anyway, saying it is what's "in" and grandma can just join in.

Another scene shows "Booba" in her usual revealing outfit preparing some food for "Kap" whom she obviously adore. But a friend started getting a taste of the food, uninvited, thus ruining the preparation.

And then there was again the tambays and 'Booba' gossipping about Attorney and his sexy girlfriend. They went on to pester Attorney about the same when he arrived.

OK guys, got the story? There was none!

Now Mr. Senator, is there something better you have to do which you somehow forgot... say about people dying because of lack of medicine in public hospitals?

Imbestigador

Yesterday, I was witness to some of the worst TV shows one could ever imagine. I really do not watch GMA7's Imbestigador, But I have been blogging about poor shows so I thought I had to sample some. I was really hoping I was wrong about the prevalence of poor shows and silently praying that GMA would be the one to prove me wrong.

Imbestigador looks good. The program's concept is exciting, somewhat playing on being like police work by TV journalists. They have some good computer graphics being played on the TV screen together with some action-movie-type music while they introduce the next segment of the show. The show has been going on for some time and the first segment I saw was about their investigation on some supplies bought by the Fort Bonifacio General Hospital.

Imbestigador was following on three receipts issued by three different companies to the hospital. Their investigation showed that the three companies were all not on the addresses specified on the receipts. Even the printer of the receipts were not on the specified address. They then had an interview with a BIR person who said that the receipts were obviously old types because they still have TAN rather than TIN (Tax Account rather than Tax Identification Numbers). The BIR person also noted that all the receipts from three companies had only one Printing permit number, which should not be so. Then, there were interviews with the supposed bean spillers, the nurses from which the exposes were from, and who apparently were now under some kind of persecution within the hospital. The segment then says they tried to get the side of the hospital management, but they were refused interview.

Funny how Imbestigador did not check the existence of the companies with the SEC or DTI or the Mayor's office! Funny why they need to talk to a BIR person when any businessman could say that indeed there is something wrong with the receipts in question! Funny how they did not verify the authenticity of the existence of the receipts nor did they say how their sources got hold of it. Funny how they were not able to get the side of the hospital, and how convenient for them just say that the management refused interview. Funny why they did not name who among the officials they want interviewed but refused.

The next segment is even worse. It was about Winston Garcia and the GSIS. The issues mentioned were all of those that we already know: the paintings, Garcia's housing and salary loans, the cash advances, the Cebu connection, the 4-month long GSIS computerization, the rallies against Garcia, etc. Yes, there were short interview clips with Garcia's spokesperson and an officer from GSIS but funny how Imbestigador did not get the answers point by point. Meanwhile, the interview with a supposed GSIS Labor Leader goes on and yes laborously long.

Obviously, Imbestigador is a one-sided show and is not there for the truth - a propaganda, from whom and for what we do not know! Shows such as this should not be able to get away with it!

Kidnapped in Baghdad. Part 3

Today, the PDI still had this story as headline. Sad to say, the headline is on the lack of confirmation on yesterday's story about Tarongoy's release. The paper now seems to be playing a bit on the news readers' anticipation and excitement as to how this story would end. Yesterday, the report was about the wife's personal appeal to the abductors aired on arab TV. Today, the report included the stated feelings of the relatives, their initial relief and how the parents were able to sleep better last night because of the uncorfirmed release, the call for prayer by the national goverment and neighbors joining in on prayer.

The drama, the excitement, the anticipation, the emotions. I expect more of this in the coming days. Hmmm, let us see if the newspapers will try to extend the story. They might introduce another character, or bring in another plot. Will they even withold from us some facts for another day? or split the story in parts? or perhaps restructure the story from another point of view? The plot thickens.

I call this type of reporting... the 'soap opera report'.

Another Filipino Kidnapped in Baghdad? Part 2

After being sidelined by the story on US elections for some days, the story of the kidnapping of Robert Tarongoy in Baghdad now took the headlines, only when he was said to have been released by his abductors. The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted the Arab TV network Al-Jazeera as saying that the Filipino was released after his wife's personal appeal aired over the same network.

Hmmm, I am a little bit confused. The PDI thinks that Tarongoy's kidnapping is not headline material, while his release is worth those big letters? Yes, the kidnapping came at the same time as the US elections which is big news, but if you are following the PDI's coverage, it is quite obvious that the articles on the kidnapping is indeed very limited. Why so, I wonder? Is this a conscious effort by the paper to limit said coverage so that the life of a person will not be exposed to more danger? If that is the case, then it is good!

If Tarongoy's release is true, then all's well that ends well.

But hmmm, it still keeps me wondering...

Kerry Concedes Defeat! Part 2

Now it is not only me who is envied by the way America handles their elections and how their losing candidates concede defeat. No less than our Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos, as written in a Philippine Star article, was said to be green with envy!

However, reading further on the article, one would wonder how the writer can say that the Chairman was indeed green with envy, when there are only a few statements quoted from him. The article in fact dealt more on the interview with Cong. Loretta Rosales, on her comments about our and the US elections.

The question is why did Cong. Rosales deserve such news coverage/interview? Is she now an expert on election processes?

Wow. It is really amazing how our newspapers and other forms of media gather their news. We can notice that the congresswoman often had her comments printed or reported even on TV and Radio. The newspaper in this article even try to lure readers into reading the report with its title - using Chairman Abalos' sense of envy when even on that we cannot be sure. Obviously, there is some kind of PR work going on, the intention of which we could only guess.

I have seen many similar PR work in the past. For example, I often wonder why Cong. Imee Marcos gets interviewed even on the issue of corruption. Also, I often wonder why Manila Mayor Lito Atienza gets good interview time about what good things are happening in Manila, when it seems the press could not get in touch with him to ask about garbage, crime and traffic problems.

We can call this type as PR News. Not even just public relations, but press release.

Kerry Concedes Defeat!

I envy how in the US, the losing presidential candidate immediately concedes to the winner, barely a day after the elections. Losing candidate, John F. Kerry, in conceding to George Bush, says that they must find a common ground to unite their country. These are Kerry’s exact words:

"In the days ahead," he said, "we must find common cause, we must join in common effort, without remorse or recrimination, without anger or rancor. America is in need of unity and longing for a larger measure of compassion. I hope President Bush will advance those values in the coming years."

In the Philippines, after about 4 months, we have yet to see FPJ make a similar statement. In fairness to FPJ though, the US candidates behave as they do because they see before them an entirely different set of election circumstances. For example, in the US, all the votes are counted within one day.

But what I think also mattered is how the press did their election coverage. The American press, even while votes are still being counted, are already predicting how each US State will go based on initial counts and their own exit polls. Being timid is not a word their mass media want themselves described. And Kerry could expect that the press will pound negatively on him if he shows any hint that he will take the battle to the courts even when he has very slim chance of recovery.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, our press gives respect even to a candidate who did not have his way and who would want to stir public emotions to his lost cause, at the expense of the nation.

I wonder when will I hear similar words from FPJ as did Kerry?

Something like…“I ask our citizens and urge my supporters, to help our President unite this nation”…

Oh, well…

Another Filipino Kidnapped in Baghdad?

The Philippine Daily Inquirer published today a story about Another Filipino Kidnapped in Baghdad. I wonder why that although they put the report on the front page, they did not banner it as their headline. Instead, their lead story is about the US elections.

I agree that the US elections is indeed big news. But after the very big-news treatment of Angelo Dela Cruz' kidnapping in Iraq, I was thinking along the lines that nothing can be bigger news than another Filipino being kidnapped there.

Hmmmm. Could that tell us something?

Let us see....