"Never argue with a man who buys his ink by the barrel." Quote attributed to Ben Franklin, who did, in fact, would buy his ink by the barrel.
By Paul Farol
I read the book ”News for Sale" by Chay Florentino Hofileña(http://www.pcij.org/bookshop/news4sale.html) when I was still working in the newsroom of RPN 9 as a scriptwriter for its two main news programs. That was a time when it seemed that the leadership of the newsroom was bent on weeding out people who were accused of "selling the news" and people who were engaged in a number of rackets that siphoned money off from the company's revenue.
As Hofileña had said in her book years ago, in so many ways, corruption in the news media is difficult to prove and yet the evidence is sometimes in plain sight. Hofileña points out a number of difficulties in stamping out corruption in media organizations, as she explains that the sort of corruption happens with the knowledge of the media bosses and peers who are also in on the racket.
After the first publication of "News for Sale" in 1998 and after the release of its newer version in 2004, it seems Hofileña may need to come up with an even newer version -- this time, perhaps, with a section dealing with PR firms and social media.
Recently, Margaux Salcedo's article on The Sunday Inquirer Magazine titled "Please don't give blogging a bad name" drew a lot of reactions from people on Twitter, Facebook, and in blogs. It recounted the experience of a restaurant owner who was described as a victim of what appears to be an extortion racket perpetrated by a Public Relations company and someone she referred to as the Big Bad Blogger.
What some people objected to on Twitter was the fact that Salcedo didn't name the restaurant, PR company or the blogger. Some said that this tended to place all Public Relations companies and bloggers under suspicion.
On Twitter (http://twitter.com/margauxsalcedo) defended her decision not to name the blogger by saying: Can't identify BBB, need 2 protect Georgia. Also pt of story not to ostracize/punish,just to raise awareness in hopes they stop bad practice.
Salcedo seems to have a point and calling attention to this atrocious practice through a blind item may actually do some good. If ever, it may actually have the effect of making restaurant owners, public relations firms, and bloggers more sensitive to ethical issues.
Then again, the article also resembles the type of white papers that get posted every now and then in the Media rooms of Malacanang, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and other offices where PR "operators" thrive.
I know of one such white paper that did more than just describe a bad practice, it carried the names of the reporters, editors, and producers who allegedly received regular payola, meals, and other favors. The reporters had their hunches as to who had spread the whitepaper and it dampened their relations with the news sources.
I don't know if Salcedo realized this but sometimes such whitepapers are also used by personalities and companies to COW reporters into not writing unfavorable stories about them.
Moreover, there is some reason to suspect that Ms. Salcedo might have an axe to grind against bloggers, take this story into consideration: http://www.ellentordesillas.com/?p=2791
Vicious Erap rumor
There are vicious email and text messages being passed around about former President Joseph Estrada alleged sexual relationship with his spokesperson, Margaux Salcedo.
It’s not true.
The ugly message was sent to me by a certain “Natividad Balete”. The blog which was opened only less than two weeks ago is titled “Filipina ako so what.”
The writer says he was formerly an Erap fan but is disgusted by what the former president did to his wife, Dr. Loi Estrada. The story is that Loi caught Erap in a compromising situation with his young and pretty spokesperson. It even alleges that Margaux is pregnant and that, just like with other Erap mistresses, he is building her a
house.
The writer says that according to the Estrada household help, Loi went to the United States in a huff and when she came back, she did not stay in the Estrada house in Polk Street. She is reportedly staying with her daughter, Jackie Lopez.
San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito, who was the one who recommended Margaux for the position as Estrada spokesperson, belies the rumor. “Kawawa naman ang bata,” he says of the young, aspiring lawyer who was formerly “Flash Report” anchor in GMA-7.
JV said he knew of Margaux during the 2007 mid-term election because she was the candidate of Partido ng Masa for Congress in Mindoro. When she didn’t make it, she suggested her to his father to replace Rufus Rodriguez, who won as representative of the second district of Cagayan de Oro.
“She is hardworking and a loyal PMP member,” JV said.
Anyway, Salcedo has the advantage here, having had her article published on a Weekly Magazine with a wide readership and in the online version of a newspaper that has millions of visitors a day or so they claim.
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