THE LOBBYiST : More Than Just Views: Media for the current political controversy

Media for the current political controversy
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Resti Reyes on 03 March, 2008 08:32:00
 
In 1986 it was the "mosquito press" and the proliferation of "Xeroxed" copies of
news items published in the international media that were the main media
channels that allowed what scant information to flow into the country. This
fueled the crowds that gathered in regular protest marches along Ayala Avenue.
But the more visible media that became the symbol of the protests was the yellow
confetti that rained down from the buildings along Ayala – invariably sourced
from the PLDT telephone directories' Yellow Pages.
So what will it be this time? This is a question I now get asked quite
frequently by friends. Is it YouTube? Maybe, MMS? Or videos sent via Bluetooth?
Wiretapped conversations perhaps?
At the moment it is still difficult to tell. For one thing, we do not know how
long this new era of anti-government protests will last. And what eventuality it
will lead to. Will it lead to an unplanned change in government? Or will it
eventually fizzle out like its earlier incarnation in 2005? It could last long
enough for technology to introduce a new medium altogether. There are
speculations that a critical mass is slowly building up and talk is rife about a
"tipping point" as elucidated by Korina Sanchez on her TV show last week. And if
that point is reached anytime soon, how will its arrival be communicated?
My observation is that it is still traditional media that is principally the
driving force in shaping people's minds with regard to the current political
situation. I avoid using the term "crisis" as I am not sure we are there yet. It
is easy to think that the big rally last Friday represents the sentiment of the
entire Filipino nation. But, sorry to disappoint you, it doesn't. Not yet,
anyway.
It takes a while for a message to be absorbed by the masses. It takes time for
it to trickle down to the lower classes and on to the provinces, as it slowly
shapes public opinion. EDSA DOS was prepped by many weeks of the Impeachment
Trial on primetime TV. It built up over time and at the right moment, was
ignited by a dramatic turn of events that was watched by millions on primetime
television.
The two major TV networks have been devoting extensive airplay to the current
controversy, but by their own reportage, they showed that the average Filipino,
the "common tao" as we used to call him or her, has not yet completely absorbed
the message. News segments with person-on-the-street interviews showed that the
average Filipino didn't know what the fuss was all about. They could not even
pronounce the "NBN-ZTE Deal" correctly, let alone explain what it meant.
Jun Lozada's handlers apparently understand this point quite well. It is the
reason why he is on a roadshow among the country's major universities, raising
awareness, preaching his gospel and drawing converts from a new breed of
gentiles among the student population. A roadshow is a medium that delivers the
message directly to the targeted audiences. It generates results quickly, albeit
only within the selected areas (campuses), one at a time. But sooner or later a
bandwagon effect is achieved and they can switch back to traditional media to
address their converts less directly, but having been already converted, they
will readily listen and be easily swayed by future pronouncements.
And just as it was the students that led the protests that eventually toppled
the Marcos Regime, and it was the students again that were at the forefront of
EDSA DOS, it is obviously hoped for that they will once again galvanize the rest
of the citizenry into action. The audience becomes the new medium to reach the
wider target audience. In this light the new technologies make sense, as they
are the media of this new elite group that the opposition hopes will lead the
people in the march for yet another regime change.
On the other side of Mendiola Bridge, the medium of choice appears to be the
"Unity Walk," a staged display of solidarity among key political personalities
like the cabinet secretaries and governors. There are pro-administration rallies
to demonstrate popular support for the administration. As an administration
official was heard saying, "The opposition does not have a monopoly on the
rallies."
There are also paid advertisements – on the administration side, print ads
from groups of supporters, from LGU leaders to Muslim NGO's; and on the
opposition side, parallel expressions of support from their own set of
supporters. One remarkable example was the half page ad of the University of
Santo Tomas that showed alumnus Jun Lozada's graduation photo from his yearbook,
to illustrate the school's position on the current political controversy.
Ultimately it all boils down to a battle for the hearts and minds of your
ordinary everyday average Pinoy – and regardless of the message, the side that
uses the right media will emerge victorious.