| Whipped with internecine socio-economic strife, the | | | | 1. Japan (82.2) |
| Republic of the Philippines is teetering to the brink | | | | 87. Philippines (70.7) |
| and mass media plays a vital role. The intricacy of | | | | 177. Swaziland (31.3) |
| circumstances unhinges the media practitioners | | | | Adult Literacy Rate (% ages 15 and older) |
| themselves. So often do we see a practitioner's | | | | 1. Georgia (100.0) |
| struggle with himself and with the system basically | | | | 45. Philippines (92.6) |
| caught in the whirl. He is a small part of the whole, | | | | 128. Mali (19.0) |
| often not knowing where, when and how to | | | | Combined primary, secondary, and tertiary enrolment |
| positively contribute in alleviating a situation even of | | | | ratio (%) |
| his immediate surrounding. | | | | 1. Australia (113.2) |
| So how does a media man uncover his own middle | | | | 46. Philippines (81.5) |
| ground that would protect the integrity of his | | | | 172. Niger (21.5) |
| profession when advocating the cause of the | | | | GDP per capita (PPP US $) |
| common people transgress the power from which his | | | | 1. Luxembourg (69,961) |
| profession's survival is anchored? | | | | 100. Philippines (4,614) |
| SOCIETAL IMMERSION | | | | 172. Sierra Leone (561) |
| In order to fully understand a situation there is a | | | | When poverty, brought about mainly by economic |
| need to immerse or orient oneself with the | | | | downtrend, strikes, everyone is affected. And when |
| circumstances of your immediate environment. In this | | | | anybody gets aware of the sting of scarcity, the |
| process, you seek the help of different mediums of | | | | initial reaction is to refuse or take hold of |
| knowledge that would provide you important | | | | opportunities that are infrequent to come knocking at |
| information, one example is mass media. Today, it is | | | | your doorstep for the sake of survival. The |
| the most accessible purveyor of information playing a | | | | disposition of one's choice, however, becomes |
| vital role in forming public opinions, values, and beliefs. | | | | contentious when the question of the opportunity's |
| It is one of the driving forces of the people, thus it | | | | uprightness comes in. This does not leave out the |
| can make or unmake a nation especially amidst a | | | | profession of a media man. |
| nation's constant struggle in culture building. They are | | | | In the case of print industry, a study on the factors |
| the forces that draw the country together. It is a | | | | affecting the continuity and discontinuity of |
| citadel of democracy. | | | | community newspapers in Legazpi City, Albay, |
| It was only during my college days (taking up | | | | Philippines, reveals that the economic crisis, the |
| Bachelor of Communication Arts major in Journalism) | | | | decline of revenues from commercial advertisements, |
| that I have been introduced to ideas that I find both | | | | judicial/legal notices, subscription and street sales, and |
| doubtful and convincing. The idea that a system of | | | | the stiff competition with other fly-by-night |
| inequality has been perpetuated interminably was at | | | | newspapers that published irregularly at low cost, |
| first a dubious fact for me. But I say, I guess I was | | | | national broadsheets and broadcast media, are some |
| just a little late to be introduced to such idea | | | | of the problems perceived by the publishers of both |
| because it was only during college days when I was | | | | the existing and the already defunct community |
| able to commune with a kind of state university | | | | newspapers. The approximate calculation of the |
| which is considered as a melting pot of vastly | | | | percentage of the papers revenue that come from |
| diversified people. And may be because I was and I | | | | judicial/legal notices ranges between 30%-70%; |
| guess, still am a listless and apathetic person. Blind. | | | | advertisements (10%-50%); subscription (10%-15%); |
| But not knowing, as the adage goes, is a step to | | | | and street sales (.5%- 20%). |
| knowledge. And knowledge gears you up for the | | | | Sometimes it is inevitable that they commit the laxity |
| action. | | | | in upholding their social responsibility because they |
| The United Nation's Human Development Index is | | | | have to, needless to say, survive in order to perform |
| never an indicator of existence of inequality, human | | | | vital tasks as a strong medium for social |
| rights violations, political instability or of any other sort | | | | transformation and development. The pressing |
| of difficult indicators of a country's human | | | | concern of community newspapers to keep their |
| development. It merely provides an utterly important | | | | financial ground from stumbling enfeebles the ability |
| account on human progress and the relationship of | | | | to serve its community well, some papers heed to |
| income and well-being of the member countries. | | | | the dictates of the market. Yet, still quite a number |
| However, this index provides information that brings | | | | of community papers in the country continue to |
| forth awareness among the Filipinos of the fact that | | | | publish even if they are losing or just breaking even |
| majority of the country's citizens is in the mire of | | | | with their economy of publishing. An exceptional |
| poverty. Sometimes people tend to play the blame | | | | instance is Nesino "Nonie" Toling's Panquil Bay Monitor |
| game, pointing finger at yourself, your family, the | | | | in Ozamis City. Toling and his staff, motivated by the |
| government, the mass media, the conquistadors, etc. | | | | ideals of journalism and public service, continued to |
| Endless list of people to blame. But what benefit do | | | | protect the public interest and respond actively with |
| we get from this blame game? None. | | | | the people's needs, concerns, and preference. If a |
| United Nation's Human Development Index is a | | | | media man's cardinal principle in his profession is to |
| comparative measure of a country's life expectancy, | | | | uphold uprightness, knowing that alone will bring forth |
| literacy, education and decent standard of living. UN's | | | | social transformation and development, he must |
| Development Program covers only 175 member | | | | advocate the cause of the less fortunate. But to |
| countries including Hongkong (SAR of China) and | | | | make this a reality, mass media need the support of |
| PA-governed territories. Some UN member countries | | | | those who create it which consist mainly of the rich |
| were excluded due to lack of information. The | | | | advertisers, business men, and even the politicians. |
| Philippines ranked 84th out of 177 countries lagging | | | | It's like being caught in a whirlpool. |
| behind other Southeast Asian nations like Malaysia | | | | Thus, is there really a possible third thought that |
| (61st) and Thailand (74th). | | | | would accommodate the best points of view of each |
| 2004 Philippine's Human Development Index: | | | | circumstance? There always is. It is a simple question |
| HDI Value | | | | of precedence - upholding their responsibility to the |
| 1. Norway (0.965) | | | | public over the quest for profit. A choice whether to |
| 84. Philippines (0.763) | | | | operate in order to serve above themselves or the |
| 177. Niger (0.311) | | | | other way around. |
| Life Expectancy at Birth (years) | | | | |