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    Media and Philippine Politics

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    7 views9 pages

    8 Media and Philippine Politics

    Uploaded by

    Jinky Jorgio
    Media and Philippine Politics

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 9
    pin Paso acne: Clg en ia of Derpnn aero — ee ¥ The Media and Philippine Politics Perlita M. Frago ‘The disposition of mankind whether s rules o slow citizen to impose their oun opinions and inclinations as aul ofeonduct om ether i so energtally supported by some of the best and by some ofthe wos feelings incident fo human nature that itis hardly ever kept under restraint by anything ut want of power John Stuart Mill, On Liberty Bh Leaming objectives ‘tho ond of his chapter, tho student shouldbe abl te: 1. entity the various roles and uncons thet the medi play in Phippine patios and soca 2, Betarmnar win ie nstoncal evokuton ana cavelopment a tne media ‘tom the Spanish colonial ped tothe post Marl Law ora. 3, Examine the curent and ingoring iaus and challenges hat have boon confronting the media since he 1086 EDSA Poople Power Revoliton. 4 Develop an itrest in tho important contibutons ofthe mac tothe ‘country's pureut of democratization, good governance, and Aovolopment. cemcracy necessitates the active involvement ofthe ciency in running the aur of government. In order to be meaningfully involved, the public need to make elightened choices hat ae only possible though dscernment of relevant information, Access to information i vial in the public scours especialy in a democracy. And asthe recent wave of domecratization ‘tows, the media are more han neutral sourees of information. They ar instrumental ‘nthe ealzation of democratic ideals and the recognition of democraicchllenges by the cizeney. Wonically, they can also be pany responsible forthe publi’ |Bowing cynicism and discontent in government wth their tendency to accentuate he negative. it Equally interesting is that mass media reflect society. just as Society ios 9853 Media ond ther Role Mass moda form part of atypical Filipinos existence. Televison, ‘newspapers, and the Intemet have become daily sources of information, a éneranmennsticion, and advetsing The media are fondly lence ae “gatekeepers” or “watchdogs” of democracy. They are important because. = asson legacy of valves rem one genestion ofa democratic socey oon? “The tratonal ole of mas media is 2pparent Mase media, which are meng of communication dreced w lage numberof people, ake inornae immediately available to them in print and through electronic macia (broadens o¢ telecast). But it can be said that the media have served various roles from. ‘society to another. ms ‘Toe Roles ofthe Media ina Society Phar observed tha the media pay three apparent oes ina democratic society: First, the moda as spectators—more or lass neal conduits for the tow a intrmation among the various “rea” payers in pales, The ‘General public andthe overwhelming marty of media specialists reject uch a view, Du ms! social scence research must accopt it government —tnat works ble interest. Tid, the mos ro ultimately servants ofthe sate which ‘Second, dog on behalf of society to protect the forge consensus on social and pltical values and generate suppor fr 8 rogime.” ‘The media playa significant ole in elections and paty politics. As chalar aptly puts it (heres no mistaking the aesme inuence that ihe mea weld in shaping the process of delson making arin conning pubic aceptnce of any decoy feranating from sich proces ‘Wun the context of national realities, the) media do aot serve 12 srengthen the Gross National Product, but they do mold public opiaion, omever atic ics. Whether that opinion weighs for any periulat {:0up oF interest would depend on whote serie the media ave being saline for? Undeniably, the media can be a powerful instrument of persuasion ot ‘manipulation, They can seve the interests ofthe most dominant body contllng | i : (hea Th Nala sd hpi Pc ee of media it possesses. “Through the mass media, one can read, hea, eons poli economic and soil existence Afer al, words that are heard ‘an easily tansiate fo opinions that may give a glimpse of the ene orvead psion ‘rom a moe pragmatic view, mass media may be seen as instruments that qabe the governed Filipinos to communicate with their governors of leaders ‘Beedia may also be used by the stato disseminate public information. Apart rertnese, the media may alto serve the interests oftheir corporate owners (Bese readership, hence, earn profs i the process. Traditionally, dhe media leet concetved as neutral enies Whote mai funcion Was to record and provide ‘mation on noteworthy events and crcumstances. They may also link those Tho are separated by visible (Le, spatial and geographical and invisible (Le, erboogial, ula bases. i functions of the Media If providing information were the only function of media, what would ceaplain the emergence of, for instance, 4 new paper in an already crowded eld of endeavor Would it ot be redundant Apar from commercial reasons fd the media fever that coincides wih periods of turbulence and uncertainty, ery pane or medium ams to offers owa ine of thinking often jusfied in the name of public service and a¢ 2 new venue forthe expression of public Interests, After all, mass media inal del forms have wo basic functions. Theit fiat and primary function isto serve as “watchdogs” In order to maintain the stability of or monitor the performance ofthe players inthe poitial system. ‘Ts fancon isso refered toa the eurvellanee fonction, Their second function incalled the agende-seting function, This function manifests in their ability 0 fete publie agenda by prioricing and projecting, na postive or negative manner individuals, organizations, and sues that ae worthy of public atention nd media coverage, Iti in the performance ofthe second function thatthe media become powerful tool of influence. ‘A relevant study comparing the power dimensions of different forms of ‘media shows that radio and television tend to have more impact on the less Devileged and less powerful who are most frequent clients of these forms of, media It can be sak, however, that in Philippine society ll these forms of tnedia tend to complement exch other and supply the Flipino’s avid and caily ‘ues for information However, among the vavous forms of media, the print tedia irecly and explicitly “engage every individual asa participant in 2 public dialogue It can be asserted that the print media “may have much ‘ore influence on the political process because they are avidly read by politicians, public officals, corporate executives, and other decision makers fd agents of change in the socity"" On the other hand, though electronic ce ‘inetd oven: Cans emcee al ep ‘media may be less powerful they are more intrasive and inescapable a hy {ust themselves upon acive oF passive viewers while reading dein sequites more engagement, elo, and concentiation from the readers" Ty, ‘chapter focuses on the print media because they fom prt ofthese vial sour ‘of opinion among the tditional sources of information. ‘The Maingveam and Atterative Tradition of Philippine Media “Teodor cites the wo main rations of the Philippine pres: 1) Mainstraam Prose, Thess ara estabished newepaper publishing houses ‘nose ownership may incu varous palical and economic inert. his ‘uaceptbeto pressures rom adverees Likewiee, li civ bythe suri Instn of making money or educing losses. 2) Atematve Poss. A press that exists during parods of gest polis! ‘iso oruphoavals. usual arses when the teres that ule mainaraam ‘media prevent it rom iting foreign ox domestic tyranny Nature of Media Control Complications aie when the interests of media owners conflict with pube Interests. It's, therefore, essential to consider the nature of media ownershi i undersunding the polis of med. Information dissemination ne possible wit the foes that provide its ifeline Invariably the media become beholden to et sourcesof sustenance. There are basically nce kind of media conto or owner publ, semipuble, and pave." Public contol or public ownership mean it ‘government contol the media. Semipublic conto ofthe media is manifesed ‘when they ae pivately and publidly financed and controlled atthe same tine Private contol ofthe media refers to ownership of media operations by ndvials or private corporations. “Tounderstand the power ofthe media ito understand them within the cones oftheir ownership and contllership. I is worthy to analyze them against be backdrop of Phiippine society. Foritcan be said that, (te fundamen fangs of the pre are the Fundamental nections of cur social system as 2 whole, Jt a5 the meuns of lvelbood of the vast Flipino masses ae one and conte by 2 smal conglomeration of fo landowners, compadoss, buesuirt capialss.. the means of poput ‘ommuncatons nour country today are almost eniely nthe hands of te hp ha Py Pet -___--oooo [Bite Media and Potts ‘The relationship between pote andthe media “dependent and almost fic" The government, politicians and poltcal groups communicate their Fenda tothe people dough the media, whereas the media “feed on polis for ‘lence share” and higher ratings inthe name of pbli service. “The media have always checked “excess” of ireulanies commited by icoficals.” They have payed an adversarial role alongside political powess. (Gonsequeny, povemmentshave a stakein the media. Governments must somehow (devise ways to maintain harmonious relations with the media or "regulate" the india, The Philippine government has regulatory agencies for broadcast, lm and. ‘ideo the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC), the Movie and "Hevision Review and Classfcation Board (MTRCB), andthe Videogram Regulatory Board (VRB), respectively. However, there is no formal government regulatory gency that monitors print ournaiss The absence ofa regulatory agency forthe pit media has not stopped the goverament from finding other means to enforce fompliance asthe Japanese and Maal Law pedods ia Philippine history would ee. Hi the Press in Philippine Politics Sommch as been sid inthe name ofthe public'right to know, What ole did the press portray in consolidating democracy inthe county? Did it pancipate in the process of making democracy "broadly and profoundly legitimate" tothe people? “Teodoro a prominent Philippine media scholar, points out thatthe press has long been caught In wo conflicting trdtions." Hisory shows thatthe media have Ida twofold response to the demands ofthe times. The “dissident” tation ‘makes revolution possible. On the other hind, the “pro-esablishent™ wadition prevents ts consummation. The former stokes the fie, the ater atempts to putit Theewokning: Anan press ‘Table 1 shows the diferent print materials that came out during the Spanish period, Most ofthe publications that came out atthe time were predominantly -o-Spnish ord a Spanish orentaton twas only durngthe nineteenth century, ‘hat the print media began to veer away from the pro-stablishment outlook atonal semiments that were previously repressed found expression with the ‘publication of the La Solidaridad and the Kalayaan. The founders of the La Solidaridad opened the discussions about assimlation and reform while the Xatipunan members who published Kalayaan saw revolution ard separation from Spin as vehicles of genuine change i jw aid Gowan: leg Denaetetn Derg T ‘Te Pree (oi as mecasbicwmen | Devon Moraes Pres) | (atemaive res | Dacia cosa (ary 1790) | La Opin (rorcloney see) Sram teen be | tani enue he a ina hh Popes {fo ouster ot aia + fone Canes eaten wang |» Yancey an oma ane See crac rae en Paton as Fete ka $s Sie wo a | PF svnean Faces (887) anon Tagalog (8827 ‘A |e tt Pape nenpepr, more | tuna by Mato de N | sstyanetar spews oy 1 | pints oy Toma Pg | 8 fe Io — | fh [emsieresaens org | sosecaa cumin | he it oy ate nevagaoer |+ puns I Sean, lene | bitin Pte Span + fot he panies tomes [+ seared suey by Fino ‘Sut tagcenge now Spenah | ater | Sataee” ee Hh | eee ca meat C+ Sad Spe poconas | het rn an sain | Storer Mat Penne ot Fert u - p [ta epwaae co) rayon 058) pathos dscnsns on nopaot wen Tegel ‘A |" piss gon, end Metey —_|* purty anees Bonace + state Nrdeauna aa eo Agni TF ERR me] Seid in Sn cose + Ieper nay eee | R [ae maa, to poen ropa mwas tad oy Flo 3 Pn Pept Fino Pee Coarse (80). Paro) Le voce (ore + Bie cmoaor fa Esporrea | by he ctra oa) inapercnc ed tn Etro aoe Santon, Coco octal ELSE etna sare ERS ree nie ere hein Sony oscamconeta anaes oe hp Bh Ma ad Pope es. La Solderded ‘-mentonadis ho fact thatthe Filipino press was bom with he publication cho La Solace content el oly evekaned the national sentiments ‘of Fine, thy seo shaped the futur role af the press Inthe Phippine secity a8 can be conatrued rom he folowing excrps ‘Our program. is very simple: © fight al reactor, 0 hinder all stops backward to applaud and accep al bea ideas, ano doled progress in bret, bea propagandet above a ofthe kes of democracy sothat hese right ign over al nation hore and beyand tho seas. ‘We anal pay special atenton tothe Phiippnes because thse islands ‘aed he most help, having been deprived of represeniaton nth Corts. ‘Wo shall tus fll our pate duty inthe defense of demeeray in those leande.* ‘The growh:Apregmatcpress ‘The Phiipine press dat developed during the Amencan period was part of the cuhurt appar, which helped make the US colonial experiment 50 sucess “Soft pome—the conquest of the subject people va a captive Consciousness—vat 2 instrumental as brute force had been ia the ‘colonization ofthe Palippines..* ‘The contemporary Philippine media system, its business operation and. ass cizculaton, is largely a product of American influence, Table 2 shows the significant papers that came out and continued to be published during the American occupation. La Independencia, the paper that had citiced the Spanish government, maintained is anti-esablishment stand during the period of yet another colonial power, Most ofthe papers that came out at this time were significantly a product of commercial imerests. A renowned writer puts, “he foundations of moderaday newspupering Inthe country were lid ine beginning ofthe 200 century by American colonizers who inode American notons of 2 commercially un, profi-orened press, brought in tmodern printing technology, and schooled a geaeration of Filipino Foumalate in US-syle poring. By the 1920, newspapering wat profiable business with the expansion of the readership and advertising market ‘The mos important US innovation nthe press fl, wrote Nstaian Lewis {leec,fook pice in the frst decades ofthis entry “the conversion of Flipin journalist of opinion run by policlans ito newspapers run a5 ‘busines enters once lege Denon nf Dev a, able ‘Tee Proatablahment and Dison Pres n Pilppine Police ‘22. tne Colona! Peto: American and Japanese Sccupeton im ‘The Press (Print Media) _ Period Pro-Estabiishenent Dissenter seers eaten | Le Democracis Consotaacion [61 Renacimionto | ate pay paar Sport a nh a PET aoe | Seis say |. oa u | Seemann we | saammes ty Pe R E atate i oes a i te ot A | Se enn A Soon. Tom com, See rm, ren, onan Goaner st o56 "|= rane vracirRapeses o | SgmeaSart iy |: eau trateae ire S| co (sn e u Cais News Herald (1820) 7 ce ton e mig tesorce irs Fe fiSteecoan on, + [PRES | Siem ha ta in 1 | Sera meow | eet ean oe + See ec tan | Sets Se hn oO | Raremancecame | eer nr N | Ricetriaanoes” | Sgieds sPome we Find foe Ts 9) Ee Paes ns | The Titune (1842) ‘Talioa ang other clandosti | 4G | Seated yt sapaese potcsana “nsere AE |e cataier, [PST a enwrens Ce | gap is E | cnc pate eee 1 |gevemense Fo | sctenons and oe SS a aera li | r Chap ha od pi en “ea eneefoh, press opertions were primanly therefor business and press © senerp ws concetated in afew bands, These elie had made ict ie presto maintain is objectivity” because (wi these vested interests behind media omer, & woul be nave for eto ay at el mea would be an “objenive obserer of event expecially ‘howe allcing goverment polices which may not rn consonant with the res of meda omnes “The pees had become a strong instrament ofnluence that was uted to urbe the aims ofits private ownes. Manipulation by foreign interests was done (hough the scr implementation of legislations oa bel. These kept dsidence at Toleble level The controversial "Aves de Rapifas” (Birds of Prey), which was Slshed in HT Renacimiento, was one ofthe classic examples ofthe victims of panipolaon as ctedby scholars. The artle contained symbolic dersions such as Jars to refer to ering and comupt American government oficial "then World War broke out, the Japanese took ove the media industry and pu out tabloid version ofthe Tribune (se table 2) It contained news that faoty were wited tothe county by the Japanese-run Domel News Agency ‘Dung this period, the Japanese uted one of major papers, the Tribune, as epropaganda shee” and kept its cost affordable amidst inflation. Thisnewspaper tresalo used to instil fear in the conquered people. Fr instance, there asthe Ioouncement inthe aid newspaper tha announced eat tthe who woul tum ork Japanese soldier” "The Talia showed is disent to the Japanese occupation by featuring in its pagesa picture of siklng Japanese navy ships that somehow projected negative Inge tthe Japanese Some members ofthe Taba were executed forthe subversive views.” Tiwcoing of ape: conservative press “The Philippine press for much ofthe postwar period, ‘mas .20 strongly & impart of elte ad foreign interes, echoing al the

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