#media monitor

[thekriselle]

Pacboards

Published May 11, 2015

Normal heavy traffic in EDSA is back but some advertisers still seem to fail to get over the Pacman hype. Their frontpage for today features a minor banner photo (I called it as such because there is another banner photo in the page) of Manny Pacquiao’s billboards along EDSA. I get the point of framing it in such a way that while your cruising along EDSA, these ads translate to what might have been a grander hero’s welcome had Pacquiao won, as the caption reads these billboards “saluting” the People’s Champ will arrive in Manila tomorrow from Los Angeles. However, it’s interesting to note that both Smart and Rexona’s brand logos are explicitly displayed in the picture. It’s easy to dismiss this as a coincidence, that it is rather an innocent photo of two ads by the boxing champ. However, why capture media from another form of media in the first place? Fishy, eh?

SPJ Code of Ethics holds firmly that stealth advertising which robs space off from legitimate news should be differentiated clearly. Otherwise, the act must be disclosed.

The Philippine Star, where they boldly stress that truth shall prevail, apparently also makes compromises in order to make money.

[thekriselle]

Review of media content created by the “Cultural Industries": In memory of Prof. Florie Mateo

Published April 21

Even if I am broadcast major, I must admit that I rarely watch TV. Ironic, right? If I were to turn on the TV, it is just to serve as a background noise in the house (with a little exception, of course, for news programs). But just this Saturday, there was a different turn of events because of the tagalized Spongebob Squarepants in ABS-CBN.

Last Saturday’s episode is entitled “The Way of the Sponge”, and the program wasn’t modified at all except for the language. The supposed 15-minuter children’s show features violence in the form of karate, with eyes gouging out, and a little shaming of characters as their pants get drop. There is also a scary part where the faces of the characters experiencing hypoxia get zoomed in extremely.

Spongebob Squarepants is a program prominent for integrating these themes into children’s shows. It is a clear violation to some of the provisions written under the KBP Broadcast Code of Ethics, such as: (1) children’s programs shall contribute to the sound and balanced development of children, (2) children’s programs shall not foster violence as a desirable way or a means of resolving conflicts and problems, and (3) children’s programs shall not depict inappropriate sexual subjects or violent actions.

In programming for broadcast, Nickelodeon, Spongebob’s home network, airs the program in a much later time slot since it depicts violence. However, ABS-CBN’s Spongebob time slot of 9:00-9:15 AM is problematic since more children probably have more access to television early in the morning. Well, the fact that it is called a “children’s show” is questionable in the first place anyway.

As if to lessen the guilt, ABS-CBN airs Superbook, a wholesome biblical children’s show, right after Spongebob.

See also: The Way of the Sponge Promo Video in English

[thekriselle]

Taguig and the name “Cayetano”

Published March 24, 2015

Education is a right, not a privilege. Yes, Lani Cayetano, I agree with you, but I don't need any politican to tell me what I already know.

This morning, I came across one news story published on two separate papers under one media organization: 19,705 students graduate from Taguig City public schools (Philippine Star) and Taguig 2015 graduates umabot halos ng 20,000 (Pilipino Star Ngayon).

 It is the kind of news that's supposed to make me feel good and happy due to the lone fact that many students in Taguig get to step up their game in education. However, after reading the whole news item, it left me with the question of 'so what' and a sense of, 'oh, right, I didn't see that coming'.

Both articles never mentioned that Taguig has reached a milestone in making almost 20, 000 students graduate. The Department of Education was not consulted whether this is the most number of graduates the public sector has produced in one local city, so these figures leave the impression of 'so what'

Moreover, these two only featured one interviewee as a source and that is Taguig city Mayor Lani Cayetano. The overall feel of the story went out as a glorification of the official, and not of the graduates or the accomplishment of the education sector as a whole, all the more contributing to the improper emphasis these articles have executed.

These two articles published by the same news organization pose an ethical conflict as to what the authors' and/or the news organization’s motives are. Although these is are assumptions, the news is a propaganda for Lani Cayetano's spouse, Alan Peter Cayetano, who expressed his desire for presidency in the upcoming elections. Lani then needs to make her image more fragrant after being involved in the controversy of ghost employees.

SPJ Code of Ethics values acting independently. Journalists are to "avoid political and other outside activities that may compromise integrity or impartiality, or may damage credibility."

As if to add on to the intrigue, a similar news story is also published by Taguig's official website.

Sources:

Philippine Star (http://www.philstar.com/nation/2015/03/24/1437044/19705-students-graduate-taguig-city-public-schools)

Pilipino Star Ngayon (http://www.philstar.com/psn-metro/2015/03/22/1436089/taguig-2015-graduates-umabot-halos-ng-20000)

Official Website of the City of Taguig (http://www.taguig.gov.ph/taguig-2015-graduates-grow-to-almost-20000/)

[thekriselle]

Bb. Pilipinas, Bb. Poll-ipinas

Published March 17, 2015

The soft news article entitled Wynwyn Marquez tops Rappler poll on Bb Pilipinas 2015 which was published yesterday is problematic and results to ethical conflict. First and foremost, polls like this do not represent the nation’s population in an orderly manner or with proper representation. They are not scientific and no one outside the news organization can verify the poll results. Hence, we cannot rely on statements like this.

Furthermore, since Marquez, the mentioned contestant did not win in the competition itself, the article will just cause nothing but confusion. Rappler should have taken down this article the moment another Binibini has been crowned. Or, I don’t know, maybe that’s what they want - to stir confusion in the minds of the readers.

Source:

Rappler (http://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/specials/bb-pilipinas/2015/86954-rappler-bb-pilipinas-2015-poll-wynwyn-marquez)

[thekriselle]

Why Anon?

Published March 3, 2015

In this report, Manicad chose to grant anonymity to his interviewees who claim to be relatives of killed MILF fighters. The way he conducted the interview and the anonymity itself are both unsettling to me.

First off, I do not get why the interviewees had to be kept anonymous. Hearing the outcome of their interview, they stated not even a single information that may put them in danger. All they wanted to say was that justice should also be given to those killed in the side of MILF. This is a clear violation to the SPJ Code of Ethics, wherein it is stated: "...Reserve anonymity for sources who may face danger, retribution or other harm, and have information that cannot be obtained elsewhere. Explain why anonymity was granted."

Also, the journalist did not describe the interviewees enough. He should have given them more identity - the audience are entitled to it so they can discern truthful sources from those who are not.

Furthermore, Manicad has violated PPI Code of Ethics Provision #1, wherein it states there that journalists are to "report and interpret the news, taking care not to suppress essential facts nor to distort the truth by omission..." He has cut a lot of parts of the interview and chose to air only a small portion of it. 

Source:

 GMA News (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBocnXNlTfU)

[marichulambino]

the 5th weekly media monitor (regular) can be posted here (March 3)

the 5th weekly media monitor (regular) can be posted here (March 3)

the class resumes the media monitor. As usual, the 5th regular media monitor can be posted here with the usual deadline at 7pm Tuesday. [the corrected record of points earned for media monitor work will be posted again in class, that is: Since the purpose of the exercise is to develop the habit of reading or viewing the news carefully, students are not allowed to cram,  or to submit more than one…

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[marichulambino]

Very Superstitious (the supernatural) 5th Bonus or 4th regular media monitor

Very Superstitious (the supernatural) 5th Bonus or 4th regular media monitor

      Very entertaining –-  as movie theme, TV serial, or short story adaptation; but as news and public affairs segment, very perplexing.  

(photo from NBC, Grimm Season 4, used here non-commercially for academic purposes)

     A bonus media monitor (5th) is open starting today up to Feb. 20 at 5pm (deadline) on news and public affairs programs that feature “superstitious and pseudo-scientific…

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[thekriselle]

You are a reporter, not an undercover agent

Published Feb. 5, 2015

In yesterday's episode of GMA News TV's Quick Response Team, anchor Jiggy Manicad featured the current condition of PO2 Lalan, the lone survivor on the side of PNP-SAF during the Mamasapano clash. The report was of good intention, I believe. However, Manicad resorted into unethical documentation when he took a video of a newly-rescued Lalan back in Maguindanao last January 26. The subject of the video, who was bare chested at the time, is unaware of the filming.  Manicad himself admitted that he used his cellphone to document Lalan while conversing with the Intelligence Officer of PNP-SAF. Later on, Manicad said that he had an interview again with Lalan last Tuesday and the officer couldn't even remember their first meeting until Manicad showed him the video - a clear indication that he did not ask for permission to film. This is a clear breaching of the Philippine Press Institute's Code of Ethics, whereas it is stated there that journalists are to obtain news, photographs and/or documents through fair and honest methods.

Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/254352/qrt/p02-lalan-maayos-na-ang-lagay-matapos-sumabak-sa-bakbakan-sa-mamasapano

Furthermore, while viewing other news reports about Lalan, I stumbled upon 24 Oras' and learned that it wasn't Manicad's first time to include the cellphone video in his news package. GMA clearly tolerated this act as they did not advise the reporter to trash the video. 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9DHCcb2luI