The Mass Media & the YouthShaping Attitudes, Values and Thinking

A Media NationTelevision is King

96% of Filipinos have access to TV; in Metro Manila, its 98%67 % said TV is most credible information source [PULSE ASIA]42% of the poorest watch TV daily; only 37% listen to radio daily [SWS 2003] Radio & Newspapers

78% have radio access but only 24% said radio is most credible information sourceOnly 11% read newspapers daily [SWS 2003] Only 5% said print is most credible information source. [PULSE ASIA]

The mass media are a dominant presence in young peoples lives.No. of Hours Spent with Various Media

MediumTeensYoung AdultsOlder AdultsTV1.9 1.72.4Radio3.03.43.4Internet2.11.31.4Total7.06.47.2

Young people use the media mainly forEntertainmentDiversionLifestyle toolInterpersonal communication

The media and the youth interact in complex ways.The media are considered a primary agent of socialization, together with the family, school, religion and peer groups.The media are sometimes considered surrogate parents authority on what is right and wrong and what is important; more influential now than in the 1970sThe media are the prime source of information on sex and relationships.

The commercial media target the youth asMarket for advertisingMarket for their other programs

The media are a big businessAnnual advertising revenues for all media: about $1 billion $1.2 billion/year, more than the total revenues of San Miguel Corp.Advertising revenues account for 70 to 80% of all media revenues.Media organizations are increasingly integrated (multimedia) and corporatized.Media firms are among the most profitable in the country.

Top advertisers in 2004 accountedfor over 50% of all ad revenues: Proctor & Gamble Philippines Inc.Unilever Philippines Inc.Colgate-Palmolive Philippines Inc.Nestle Philippines, Inc.San Miguel CorporationUnited Laboratories Inc.Globe Telecommunications Inc.Johnson & Johnson (Phil.)Monde Denmark Nissin Biscuit Corp.Jollibee Foods Corp.

The drive for ratings, which are bases for advertising, defines content and style of broadcast news.

News that has entertainment value has drama, emotion or celebrity elementFast-food journalism: Bite-size news, predictable, simple storytelling devices.Bias against issues, matters of policy and complex storiesStress on crime and showbiz

The view from the newsroom

You will not feature a story that you know wont rate.

- TV news executive

The scramble for ratings also defines entertainment programs.ENTERTAINMENT THAT SELLSFollows known genres: soap operas, quiz shows, reality TV, gag shows. Follows formulas in terms of character and plotPrefers celebrity and glamour.Doesnt require much thinking.Caters to lowest common denominator and doesnt divert too much from what the competition is doing.

Top 10 Programs (2nd qtr 2004)** Source: AGB Philippines

PROGRAMViewers%1. Star Circle Teen Quest Grand Questors Night3.9M23.4%2. Marina3.8M23.0%3. Sanay Wala Nang Wakas3.5M20.7%4. Bastat Kasama Kita3.3M19.3%5. It Might be You3.2M18.9%6. Star Circle Kid Quest Grand Questors Night2.8M16.9%7. Ang TV Movie: Adarna Adventure2.7M16.5%8. Extra Challenge2.6M15.2%9. Victim Extreme2.5M!5.1%10. Imbestigador2.4M14.5%

There is a disconnectTo the youth, the media are parent and companion.To commercial media, the youth are mainly a market segment.

The unintended resultsYoung people tuning outThey are becoming more interested in new media that is more interactive (SMS texting or Internet chatrooms)More plurality and multiplicity of media

Commercial media are adjusting to thisUsing interactivity for entertainment programsUsing multimediaUsing more innovative and creative messagesStill, the basic message for commercial media is: buy

The dominant media message appeal to the youth as consumersAdvertising increasingly targeting the youthEntertainment programs propagate a consumeristic lifestyleGlobal media = global consumption society

But media messages are not received uncriticallyGreater media exposure = greater skepticismMessages may have unintended meaningsReceivers interpret the messages in multiple waysAlternative media provide alternative interpretations and messagesMedia consumers now have more choices than in the past and much more information is now more easily available than ever beforeMedia literacy can help decode media messages

But media messages are not received uncriticallyGreater media exposure = greater skepticismMessages may have unintended meaningsReceivers interpret the messages in multiple waysAlternative media provide alternative interpretations and messagesMedia consumers now have more choices than in the past and much more information is now more easily available than ever beforeMedia literacy can help decode media messages. It can also catalyze media reforms.

Some tips on decoding media messagesWho produced the message?What is the intent of the message producer? What does the producer have to gain from the message?What is the track record of the message producer in terms of credibility & public service?How can the message be critically interpreted?

The Philippines is an unequal society.Income distribution is very skewed:

Share of National Income (2000)

Income Group% Share of National IncomeRichest 50%82.2%Poorest 50%17.8%

The inequity is also in the geography.Metro Manila, the capital, has a

disproportionate share of national income

RegionAnnual Income/Family% of Total Natl IncomeNational CapitalP242,34526.7%Autonomous Region of MuslimP 70,375 1.7%CARAGAP 82,008 1.7%Zamboanga PeninsulaP 82,704 2.3%Northern MindanaoP 95,481 3.4%

The mass media reflect the inequities of Philippine society.All the major media companies are in Manila, staffed largely by Manila-based and trained journalists.Media ownership is limited to the wealthy and politically well connected.Media content is largely determined by commercial considerations linked to advertising by big companies.

Media imbalancePerpetuates imbalances in power and wealth caused by geography, ethnicity, and classContributes to molding ill-informed citizenry.Makes policy changesand social reformsdifficult. Media content, with its emphasis on the entertaining and emotive, rather than on what affects peoples lives and what needs to be changed, supports the status quo.

The media will be an even more dominant presence in our livesUse the media. Dont let them use you.Be critical.Tell the media what you think of them.Support alternatives that provide the service you need.Help build a media-literate society.