I say this is an interesting thread, also considering the fact that I am a Communications graduate, so there’s some ‘bias’ on my part. lolz

Since the Philippines copy American media practices, our situations concerning mainstream media here and there are very much similar. Slanted, editorialized, sensationalized, whatever you want to call it.

And by taking up my degree in college did I found out how ‘big brother’ (could pertain to either mainstream media or the government) could wag the dog.

It also taught me to not take all information as is but also read between the lines, while at the same time inculcating in me the values of impartiality and objectivity. This I find oxymoronic because you have academicians teach to you the proper concepts but the industry applies a completely opposite dogma.

Which now leads me to opening up my avenues on where I get information, such as the internet and long tail media. Another ironic thing here is that before long tail information (ie memes, since YouTube is the bastion of long tail and memes somehow end up there one way or another, I consider them products of the long tail) gets recognized, it needs to have the blessing and exposure of big media first.

And at least on that aspect we differ due to infrastructure (as of my last count, internet penetration in our country is only up 10-12% of the population, approx 9-10m, still a snall demographic). That’s why the dancing prisoners, noynoypalaboy, Charisse Pempengco, and what other web inanity we upload needs to be reported in the evening news before it reaches the mbumes.

So, yeah, what limits us is logistics and yes, big media controls a large piece of the influence pie. Whereas, in your setting there, you could turn off O’Reilly or King anytime you want and just stay in your internet cocoon (which I prefer because I have the means and technology to do so. If this were not the case, I might be like the rest of the population, a zombie to every big media’s whim).

I know I digressed in some ways but I do hope that my contribution to this discussion helped in the facilitation of information. Log in to see images!