Payola: Media's open secret

written by: Rem Lucio

(Aileen Tandang, Arnela Almirez, Gwen Kangleon)

Having been around for quite some time now, Payola is an ongoing practice in media. So what is Payola? According to history-of-rock website, Payola comes from the words “pay” and “Victrola” (an LP record player), and entered the English language via the record business. Payola is defined as the illegal practice of record companies paying radio stations and disc jockeys to play particular songs in their stations.

According to Ernie Dela Cruz, who used to work under the Advertisement/Promotion Department of Vicor Recording Company, “Some radio stations receive payola with the station manager, some would go individually (straight to the DJs). Recording companies give out payola as part of promotions of songs. Binibigyan nila ng plugging list (titles of songs) yoong mga announcers na tumatangap ng payola para yoon lang yoong patugtugin nilang kanta.”

Payola comes in different forms. It usually comes in forms of cash or “good time treats”. Good time treats referring to free passes to hotels, restaurants, dinners, dinners, events etc. Even guns are given for protection. The lowest rate of payment one receives for a write-up is 20,000 or 30,000. It depends on the company a media practitioner works for. The amount goes higher if you are a big time reporter.

In the US, Payola goes back as early as the 1920’s. It became more apparent in the 1950’s with the emergence of rock 'n' roll, the introduction of the inexpensive 45 RPM single, radio's shift to Top 40 music once TV commandeered drama, postwar prosperity, and the arrival of teenagers as an economic force. In this period, live performances were taken over by records. The easiest way for artists to gain exposure and sell their records, the labels needed to distinguish their songs from their competitors. Bribery seemed the best way to go thus record companies hired promoters to pay deejays particular amounts to play their records.

One example of Payola done in the US is when in January 1998, Flip/Interscope Records paid a Portland, Oregon radio station $5,000 to play one Limp Bizkit song 50 times over a five-week period. The band was able to generate enough interest to play a successful concert there. Other stations showed interest in their music, and Limp Bizkit broke into the music biz in a big way. However, the argument against pay-for-play, even if the parties are upfront about it, is that it allows big labels to buy their artists’ way onto the charts.

Payola is usually use either for a good purpose or a bad purpose. Either you write a negative or a positive feature on a particular person. It is for either for good publicity or bad publicity. It takes in many forms—apart from promoting songs, it is also done involving writers, editors and reporters to publish particular stories.

It is also done by the government as well. “Yoong mga commentaries, news programs, may mga politicians and government agencies ang nagbibigay para hindi sila siraan sa publiko,” says Dela Cruz.

For Ivy Manat of Ballyhoo Records, she carefully chooses which to receive. “Personally, if you will give me a certain amount, tapos sisiraan ko lang yung iba, di ko gagawin yun. Pero pag binayaran mo ko ng malaking amount pababanguhin kita, ggagawin ko yun kasi still positive.” Furthermore she adds, “Sa akin, ok lang na tumanggap ng payola. If I’m a writer or I’m a journalist, it’s ok na tumanggap ako pero as long as hindi ko sisirain yung tao. Kung i-buibuild-up ko siya ok lang, so kung naiinggit yung kabilang partido, magpabuild-up na din sya. At least hindi kita ida-down. Hindi ko sya titirahin pababa.” She herself has confessed to have done receiving Payolas but only to write good publicity on someone.

In some cases, there are some journalists who will continue to do bad write ups about certain people unless they are given money or “good time treats” in exchange. “May mga ibang journalists na sisiraan ka nila ng sisiraan hangga’t hindi ka nagbibigay. Tapos after mo magbigay mabait na siya sa iyo. Ireretrack niya yung mga sinulat nya and babawiin so nawala na yoong credibility mo. And magugulat yung boss mo bakit ganoon and palalabasin na lang niya may nakameeting siya na nagsabing hindi naman pala talaga sya ganun,” says Manat.

As long as there are people who give out money, there will be people who will continue receiving them. Most media people practices Payola but there are still a few out there who don’t do this kind of practice—those who stick to the ethical side of their careers. When asked if there’s a possibility for Payola to be eradicated from the industry, “No. The saddest part of it [is that] it will be worse, and it will stay forever. Media has lost [its] credibility because of this,” says Dela Cruz.

Memories of My Melancholy Whores - [ Book Review ]

Shattered by the idea of dying alone, a man, in the eve of his ninetieth birthday decided to treat himself a wild night of love with a virgin. Declaring a new life at an age where most mortals have already died, he keenly says, “Today’s the day!”


Most people would rather raise their eyebrows than give Gabriel Garcia Marquez cheers and praises for a work that is so mesmerizing yet so disturbing.


“Memories of my melancholy whores” is a novel written by Marquez. He has masterfully played with words he could utter to give life to an old man who hungers for true love.


The story goes telling of how an old bachelor feels depressed after realizing he had wasted nine decades of his life. His delusions of what his life could have been if only love found its way to him. But then the novel also presents a spark of hope that with old age, love can still take its toll on him and make his life more meaningful and happier even in the simplest way.


The story is mesmerizing with the way the character recalls how he had spent his life in the past, how he lost his virginity to a woman older than he was before. And how he fell in love with a woman that once wished to be married to him, but then left without a word.


He was the perfect lover. He had laid almost 500 prostitutes and still counting. But all they did was to get him through the night, none really showed him the love he needed.


Then it becomes suddenly disturbing when he finally found himself deeply in love with a 14-year old girl that was so frail and so young. But the love he found was so different from the ones he had before.


He had asked for a virgin to spend the night with, but then as he first laid his eyes on the little girl, love and pity suddenly struck him. And finally, he learned to love without lust. Their connection was strengthened as he simply stares at the angelic face of the girl who had always slept soundly beside him.


Marquez’s work is erotic but unexpectedly funny. A page turner, that serves justice to how the author artistically presented an unusual love between an old man and a teenage girl who has yet to experience life.


The ending was surprising yet compelling. The bachelor had proved that it’s never too late to love again and with his friend revealing a truth that was kept for quite a while, “...the poor creature’s head over heels in love with you,” is the perfect way to close the curtains.


Wisdom comes with old age, and who could have thought that true love may also comes with it.
And so I say, No one will ever be too old to fall in love.

The colorful canvass of a painter's life

An empty canvass splashed with a mixture of acrylic plus the artistic stroke from a young man’s hand is already called an art. But if you add some odd shapes and a little of dark shades, they call it a masterpiece.


Gemart Ortega’s definition of an art is the works that not everyone can figure out. “…anything that is unusual. The ones that others think is weird, for me is an art. The unexplainable and strange, that no one can really understand is the perfect art.” He proudly said in Filipino.


Ortega is one of the young artists that give a different perspective of art. Only on his second year in UP Diliman, he already had numerous art exhibits with other Pinoy artists, that, he cannot remember exactly how many. He started painting at an early age of 11 and since then had always found himself holding the paintbrush.


He says his artworks are the reflection of who he truly is. The things that are inside his head are represented by the colors and odd shapes that he includes in every painting he finishes.


His paintings are basically his way of expressing his emotions and that makes it stand out from the others. Being a 17-year-old fine arts student, he has crazy ideas to use as subjects and has his creative hands to make others understand his thoughts.


Walking along the hallway full of different master pieces, Ortega’s paintings can be easily distinguished from the others. With its different strokes used from the different mixture of colors that was splattered in the canvass to show everything that was on his head. One of which was Ortega’s favorite painting, ‘Jesus Christ’, it wasn’t his first artwork but definitely one of his best. Just like an ordinary portrait of the son of God, there was something in his eyes that you would keep on staring.


This exciting play with colors often makes one a millionaire, but the real common connotation of the word ‘art’ is unsuccessful and ‘no money.’


Ortega agrees that being an artist, like any other career is and will never be too easy. There were the continuous discouragements from the people around him that will always push him into giving up. “But you just have to keep your focus and have a strong heart” he explains, because a real artist is the one who loves his craft and will never be defeated by mere human who doesn’t even know how to define the word art.


Anyone who works with his hands alone is a laborer. And the one who works with his hands and head is called a craftsman, but the one who works with his hands, head and his heart is called an artist. Some artists may not be earning as much as a politician earns, but as long as they do the thing they love, is enough to continue on mixing those acrylics from the mixing plate.

The Cervarix power to heal

Abortion is a result of am unwanted pregnancy. But responsibility is way better than to receive a positive result from an HIV test. And using condoms actually prevents both from occurring.


A sexual intercourse is something passionate, done out of love or simply out of lust. It may be between you and a man, but without any protection, it may just end up between you and death.


Most women would freak out at the possibility of having breast cancer. But American Cancer Society’s studies show that the other major cause of death among women is Cervical Cancer.


Cervical Cancer occurs when normal cells in the cervix change into cancer cells. It is usually caused by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) infection that results to pre-malignant lesions and develops to cancer.


Monthly menstruation is normal to a woman’s reproductive cycle. But when cancer cells start to invade the vagina, it may cause an irregular bleeding which is one of the obvious symptoms of cervical cancer.


Exposure to other sexually transmitted diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and having multiple sex partners also triggers cancer cells. While smoking twice a day and the use of oral contraceptives also increases the risk of acquiring cervical cancer.


Cases of cervical cancer each year shows that one of every three patients die within a year after diagnosis and three out of four women will die in five years after diagnosis of cervical cancer.


Cervical cancer is second only to breast cancer as the most common malignancy that afflicts and kills Filipino women. However, cervical cancer is a more deadly disease: For every four Filipino women who survive cancer of the breast, only two or three will survive cancer of the cervix.


Though the sound of Cervical Cancer is frightening, there are several methods by which women can prevent the disease. There are primary methods such as vaccination offered in hospitals and other companies while the secondary method entails a cervical cancer screening.


The GlaxoSmithKline’s cervical cancer vaccine or Cervarix vaccine is consists of three doses. GSK representatives said although they guarantee the duration of vaccine protection against cervical cancer for five-and-a-half years, it’s likely to be effective up to 10 years. The vaccine can be administered to women as young as 10 years old, depending on one’s lifestyle.


“Most people think cervical cancer is a death sentence,” says Dr. Cecile Llave of the Cervical Cancer Prevention Network of the UP-PGH, “But now we know cervical cancer can be prevented. We know it can be treated.”


From all the prevention methods that doctors and promoters have been prescribing, a clean and healthy living is still the best advice you will get. Also with the availability of vaccines, in the future, cervical cancer can be a thing of the past.

SINOSIKAT IDENTIFIES WHO'S WHO

Kat was eager to answer every question that we have asked. But she had to pause when we inquired about the earnings of the band, and then she just gave us her sweetest smile.


A lot of people think that starting out as a band in the music scene without any “pasabog” plans is a waste of time since there are a lot of bands popping in with different styles and gimmicks. But I had to agree with what Nick Azarcon has to say about this; “A good idea is always worth fighting for and Sinosikat is a really good idea.”


The band SINOSIKAT was formed in September of 2004. According to the band’s vocalist, Kat Agarrado, they started out as a jam band and everyone had day jobs. But when they decided to form their own band, everyone had to quit their “other” jobs and focus on their passion and basically earn less.


From weekly jam sessions, they decided to form an official band consisted of musicians with the same visions, missions and priorities. “I called up Reli de Vera who became the drummer who also invited a bassist, and Nick (Azarcon) was on guitars thus Sinosikat was formed.” Agarrado recalled.


Most of the members of the band are graduates of the country’s top universities but because their passion calls them to do this kind of work, they had to give up their diplomas and decided to concentrate on their singing and just make money out of it.


Unlike other bands who poses as mascots and toys just to attract audience, SinoSikat’s music is their only offering. They pose no fancy gimmicks, no funny antics just plain music and it’s a very brave thing to do since they’re not competing like how other bands do, it might fail but might also work. People can expect something fresh from the band and they offer just one thing: a new choice for pinoy music lovers. “Something original hindi katunog ng something else” Agarrado expressed.


SinoSikat’s latest single “Magic” is slowly crawling up the charts, and has received thumbs up from various people. Hopefully these hit singles will give them the assurance that they will be singing for a long time and will survive in this fast track music industry.



“medyo mahirap, pero at the same time kumikita naman kami, enough to support our needs and our bills, to follow our passion.” Aggarado says without batting an eyelash.


Every career, every small time business, starts from scratch. But with hard work and maybe with the help of a pretty angel like what SinoSikat has in the guise of Kat Agarrado, anyone will surely succeed.

THE UNDERDOGS : an article about boys

It would be unfair for girls to be compared with boys. Girls are way too smart while boys are way too sluggish.


Comparison is a crime, but still God created everything differently. So we may all have the same body parts and the same smell after a day’s work, but still we are all far from being the same.


I belong to the female group, I love flowers and hate bees. I love watching romantic flicks and never think its boring or baduy. But this one can still be a two-sided article, girls are great and boys think so too.


Girls are smart, we mature faster than boys do, but maybe we can’t hide the fact that some boys are really good in some things.


Back in highschool I can’t remember any mathematical awards given to a girl but always to a boy by the name I can’t even remember. Maybe because I thought he was a nerd or maybe because I just can’t accept the fact that he’s better with numbers.


Scientific researches explain that boys usually use the right side of their brain to work on abstract problems, which includes mathematical computations. Well that makes sense, so boys really do better than girls? The research further explains, but girls on their part tend to use both sides of the brain making them good in both verbal communication skills and solving abstracts. Now that makes more sense.


Boys are usually the insensitive ones. According to psychological studies, there is some truth in the perceived lack of male sensitivity. Men, more often than women, have difficulty with loving feelings, being vulnerable, and with grieving. These are vital human qualities that men have often lost and that may take much time and therapy to regain. Often men are not even aware that they are hurting. You’ll see them realizing their faults but still denies it and let others suffer because of their incompetence. They don’t even know the word sorry unless it’s them whom you have hurt and in need of an apology.


The denial of pain and hurt is widespread, particularly among men. Other sociological studies show that for them it is often safer to stick with the anger than to face any of the fear and hurt beneath the rage. It is often an important part of men's personal growth to become aware of and sensitive to discomfort, fear and hurt.


They also can’t act directly without a clear command or given rule. This can be a good trait or maybe this is just one way of saying boys were really created to serve, serve thy queens.


I didn’t even want to squeeze in the idea of love since it’s too mushy for such a serious write-up, but then it’s just perfect to relate love with boys. Not because they’re the ideal lovers but because they can’t really define the word, all they think of is lust, lust, lust. Oh ok, maybe not all. But maybe somewhere, somehow, they’ll find what real love really means.


The IQ of girls is likely to rise earlier than the boys’. But there’s always the drop point wherein boys’ tactics and ways beats the brains. I still believe girls are way better, but then I won’t be here without my father’s sperm so I guess I owe it to him.

CAPOTE [ movie review ]

Hours after the murderers’ execution, Truman Capote sat still in his bed while listening to the words of his friend through the telephone “…it’s because you didn’t want to...” she firmly said.


‘CAPOTE’ is a 114 minute - movie about a famous writer in America known as Truman Capote. Truman has authored various books and short stories including “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” published in 1958 and his last non-fiction book entitled “In Cold Blood”.


The movie tells of the story on how Truman (Philip Seymour Hoffman) gets too attached to a troubled murderer named Perry Smith (Clifton Collins Jr.) as he tries to dig deep in the story of death of a farm family in Kansas. Truman decided to write a book out of the dreadful killing but then found himself caring for the two murderers and even tried to help them out after being sentenced to death.


The story unlike any other movie was told not through the setting and actions of each character, but rather it was the dialogue thrown by each of them that completes the thought of the whole movie. Every word counts and every sentence that the characters said gives way for the next scene.


The film was partly shot in Kansas, in the western part of the United States. Most scenes were either inside the prison cell or in a bar with dimmed lights and cigarette smokes everywhere. The setting rather boring compared to any other drama films with the way the Director (Bennett Miller) shot every scenes, it’s like those of a suspense movie minus the eerie soundtracks.


The story also revealed the kind of person Truman was. He was a writer and he did have some attitude that many could have disliked, but as the story goes, the human behind the ‘reporter’ was slowly shown.


As a reporter, he had his own ways to get his source’s trust and made them tell him anything he’d wish to know. But the only problem was that, Truman, in the middle of the story, became too attached to his sources that resulted into a conflict with his real reasons for doing the interviews.

Truman Capote was a well known author and one that enjoys the lime light, but everyone changes and that includes him. His friendship with the murderers changed his outlook and it could have caused him his career but his professionalism did saved him

Truman could have done something for his convicted friends. He could’ve really saved them from death if he wanted to. But its not that he wasn’t able to do it, but because he didn’t want to, he knew that it was over, he got what he needed and no work was ought to be done after that.

Define a Feature Story

Feature story is an article in a newspaper, a magazine, or a news website that is not meant to report breaking news, but to take an in-depth look at a subject. While there are no precise guidelines on the differentiation between features and news stories, features are often significantly longer than news articles, are more likely to be written from a personal perspective, and unlike news stories do not always deal with the events of the immediate past.


Features are written in a less urgent fashion than news stories, sometimes taking several paragraphs to arrive at the main story while trying to engage the reader and keep them reading by employing narrative hooks.


Feature stories often delve deeper into their subjects, expanding on the details rather than trying to concentrate on a few important key points. The writing style of the articles can be more colorful and employ a more complex narrative structure, sometimes resembling the style of a nonfiction book more than a news report.


As the print media faces ever stiffer competition from other sources of news, feature stories are becoming more common because they can be more engaging to read. At many newspapers, news stories are sometimes written in "feature style," adopting some of the conventions of feature writing while still covering breaking events. Wire services such as the Associated Press, which previously made a point of distributing only news, now also include feature stories.



SOURCE: WikiPedia

FINAL: WHAT MAKES ME READ AN ARTICLE

The reason I read an article is not just for the gossips and not because of the excitement whenever I read the lines “rumors has it”.

I read stories in the newspapers and magazines because it helps me fill the spaces in my knowledge box and it keeps me on track with what is happening in the society.

Before, I was reading just to entertain myself. But it changed after I decided to take up journalism and so I had to read, read, and read. But some articles are really boring and corny while some are really worthy of your time.

Articles that use action words and the ones that seem to be retelling a story are the most interesting. Exciting and lively kind of stories are the ones that captures my interest and makes me want to read on.

The ones with facts and background stories keep me reading because it gives me additional knowledge about certain issues. And these issues are explained well when writers use background stories as basis for their opinions.

My favorite genre of reading materials are stories that hold me in suspense. Every words count and every paragraphs and sentences are important to complete the thought of the story. I am always thrilled with every scene in the story that i feel I'm part of it. The enjoyment and fun that I experience makes me do everything just to finish an article.

FINAL: THERE'S MORE TO LEARN

The Manila Times, to some is just the oldest surviving English newspaper in the Philippines, but to aspiring journalists, it’s the perfect place to learn and receive training.

The Manila Times newspaper was revived in 2001 and along with this was the foundation of the Manila Times School of Journalism. A school that is run by professional journalists and the faculty is composed of experienced print and broadcast practitioners.

The School of Journalism also has a similar curriculum to the University of Sto.Tomas (UST), Colegio San Juan de Letran and others.

The school’s programs and training also requires only three years of studying. Because of this, the school attracts numerous students from all over the country to enroll. And the achievements of the earlier graduates of the school had been the greatest proof of the excellent training the school offers.

Just recently, the Manila Times decided to change the school’s name from “School of Journalism” to “Manila Times College” and with this they also changed the school year division from Trimester to Semestral and added another year of training along with additional courses offered: AB English and AB History starting this coming school year 2008-2009.

The question now, would these changes affect the school’s ability to attract more aspiring journalists?

An additional year for training might decrease the number of students enrolling in the school since the shorter year of training have been the reason of some in choosing the Manila Times from other universities. “I checked the curriculum of UST and Manila Times, they were the same. But since Times offers the course training shorter, I decided to enroll here” said Krista Montealegre a graduating student of the Manila Times School of Journalism.

In the part of the administrators, another year of studying means more to learn and more practice before the students face the real world.

Dante Ang II had once quoted during one of his classes “the graduates of the three-year course offered here in Manila Times showed excellent performances but their attitudes toward work is a bit immature”

For the school’s administrators, talent means everything but less training and exposure may affect the students’ attitudes and personalities. Hopefully, these newly implemented changes in The Manila Times College would help develop and nurture journalists and communication practitioners to possess, represent and build upon the values of competence, ethics, social responsibility and truth.

Raising the Dead

Raising the Dead
By Noah Shachtman


1. What captivates you about the story? How does he paint a picture for the reader? Cite the passages that are most compelling for you.

- The story has presented various stories of people trying to solve cold cases even if they don’t earn from it and their perseverance and obsession attracted me to read the whole article. And it was how the writer presented the facts that made the story very interesting, how he illustrated the scenes and how he explains the feeling of each character.

(from the article) Matthews also makes regular trips to the lonely spot where his father-in-law found the tent girl. The trees must have been in full bloom then – it was the middle of May. Maybe the waters of Eagle Creek weren’t sickly greenish-brown, like rust and blood and industrial waste had been collecting there for two generations. But when Matthews brings me along, there are no leaves. The creek looks like liquid cancer. The air is clotted with the smell of rotting flesh.


2. Who is the target audience for this publication? How does the story relate to them? Does the story appeal to other demographic groups as well, and if so, why?

- the target audience for this publication could be the mystery-book readers, those who might find it interesting to read an article of a real-life situation where a simple local solves a cold case and sometimes cops in real life or the families who are suffering because they have the same situation as the people in the story. The story have presented hope for the families of missing people, that what Matthews did before could be repeated and that someday they’ll find there loved ones too.


3. What "rules" did the writer break?

- The writer wasn’t able to connect the beginning of his story with how he ended it. Though he did broke a rule but still he was able to present the story without any missing links or things that could’ve made the story vague. The ending was the best way to end it based on how he wrote it.


4. How does the writer end the story? Why is it effective?

- The writer ends the story as if he was talking about a living girl. It was quite moving, because the story was talking about how a man solves a case of a missing girl, a dead girl and then another phase of his life begins from there and then numerous findings have made him known by many as the mystery solver but then at the end of his story he again remembers the tent girl as if he had met her and had treasured her from then.

Battle Company is Out There

Battle Company is Out There
By Elizabeth Rubin


1. Does the writer hold your attention through a long article? If she does, how did she do it? If not, why?

- No, I wasn’t that interested to finish the entire article because the writer has used a very boring style of writing this feature. It has a very interesting topic but she failed to illustrate the story lively that I wanted to throw it away when I was just at the third page. War, especially if you are where it is happening, is an exciting story to tell, but without using appropriate words to arouse the excitement among readers then the experience would just go to waste.


2. Quote the most vivid and vigorous sentences in this feature.

- When Kearney’s moment of decision came, two of 2nd Platoon’s sergeants, Kevin Rice and Tanner Stitcher, had been shot, and the fight was still going on. Kearney could see a woman and child in the house. “We saw people moving weapons around,” Kearney told me. “I tried everything. I fired mortars to the back side to get the kids to run out the front. I shot to the left, to the right. The Apache” – an attack helicopter – “got shot at the left. Kept asking for a bomb drop, but no one wanted to sign off on the collateral damage of dropping a bomb on a house.” Finally, he said “we shot a javelin and a tow” – both armor-piercing missiles. “I didn’t get shot at from there for two months,” Kearney said. “I ended up killing that woman and that kid.”


3. Write this feature as straight news, 100 words maximum.


- More American soldiers are being killed as the Korengal Valley is raided to defeat Afghan insurgents. In the last two years, American soldiers have increased their presence in the Kunar province but Korengal was tougher than Iraq that lieutenants and captains can’t leave their posts at night in fear that enemies would attack and wash them all off.

The absence of Afghan government made the American’s work harder. Afghans were protecting the insurgents like Los Angeles people would as compared by Kearney, “And were the L.A.P.D. kicking doors, arresting guys, demanding for information about gangs. But we’ve angered them for so many years that they’ve decided ‘I’m gonna stick with the anticoalition militants, who are my brothers and I’m not gonna rat them out.”

After the 9/11 bomb attack the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have used bombs more than the ground troops and as a result the deaths of innocent civilians increase along with the number of dead American soldiers.

Tragedy of Britney Spears

The Tragedy of Britney Spears
By Vanessa Grigoriadis


1. How does this article differ from the usual celebrity and gossip features? Does this article elevate itself from the typical celebrity and gossip feature?

- This article is very much different from the usual tabloid celebrity gossip feature. I didn’t think its also sensationalizing, its more of a ‘real story’ on how Britney fell. It was a story of tragedies, but this time I didn’t hate Britney for doing rude and bad things, instead she got my sympathy. Her life was horrible with people crowding behind her trying to be the hero but at the same time making money out of ‘her’, and it made me feel sorry for her. It was different mainly because it wasn’t another monster out of Britney, but instead, the feature showed the poor girl behind the wild ‘animal’.


2. How does the writer hold the reader's interest about a subject matter that is over exposed?

- The writer used different side of the subject’s story. She used people from the past and from the present. She was able to present the story interestingly with different interviews from different angles. She also added real stories behind the stories that already came out and that made it very interesting to read.


3. How does the writer appeal to readers who are not admirers or sympathizers of this celebrity?

- The writer showed the good Britney and the bad Britney, she was able to illustrate how the celebrity was before and who she had turned into. The writer didn’t even say his own opinion on how Britney should be treated, but instead she left the readers the right on how to judge the actions of Britney from the past until now.


4. What voice does the writer use and does it work for the magazine's target audience?

- The writer used an active voice and it was perfect since he was retelling stories from the past and present and it felt as if she was just in front of me telling me how wonderful Britney’s life could’ve been if not for the people around her. And I think the audience will really appreciate and understand what the writer wanted to say through her choice of words.

REVISED: What makes me read an article?

The reasons I read an article is not just for the gossips and not because of the excitement whenever I read the lines “rumors hast it”.

I read stories in the newspapers and magazines because it helps me fill the spaces in my knowledge box and it keeps me on track with what is happening in the society.

Before, I was reading just to entertain myself and not to be educated, but it changed after I decided to take up journalism. I had to read, read, and read. But some articles are really boring and corny and some are really worthy of your time.

Articles that use action words and the ones that seem to be retelling a story are the most interesting. Exciting and lively kind of stories are the ones that captures my interest and makes me want to read on.

The ones with facts and background stories also keep me reading and hold me in suspense that I’d do everything just to finish it.

What makes me read an article?

It’s more than the excitement I feel whenever I read the phrases “rumors has it”, “…the starlet got pregnant” or “according to scientists…”

The stories I read in the newspapers and magazines even helped me to plan my future. The words I have read have stayed in my mind and had filled up the spaces in my knowledge box, which I failed to do so during my gradeschool and highscool days.

Before, I read articles on the net or on papers mainly because I want to entertain myself with interesting stories, could be gossips or the informative ones and the last reason that I may think of, on why I read them is to get informed. I’m really amazed on how my Mom knows every answer on the questions flashed whenever we watch game shows on TV and she’d always smile at us and say just read and that’s all.

Amazingly, after humiliating myself, trying to outdo my Mom’s knowledge, I started reading stories and short articles on magazines and newspapers. And now, more than ever, I got fond of reading the paper everyday at least for a couple of minutes, because I have to, not that I’m just forced to but I’m s soon-to-be journalist so I need to love reading.

And now, knowing how articles and short stories help me, I can say that I’m reading them to get information and be up-to-date on what’s going on in the society. And also I can now match my mom’s knowledge whenever we watch game shows on TV.

REVISED: There's more to learn

The Manila Times, to some is just the oldest surviving English-language newspaper, but to aspiring journalists, it’s the perfect place to learn and receive training.

The Manila Times newspaper was revived in 2001 and along with this was the foundation of the Manila Times School of Journalism. A school that is run by professional journalists and the faculty is composed of experienced print and broadcast practitioners.

The School of Journalism also has similar curriculum like those of the popular universities in the Philippines such as the University of Sto.Tomas, Colegio San Juan de Letran and many other.

The school’s programs and training also requires only three years of studying and because of this, numerous students from all over the country are attracted to enroll. And achievements of the earlier graduates of the school had been the greatest proof of the excellent training the school offers.

Just recently, the Manila Times decided to change the school’s name from “School of Journalism”, to “Manila Times College” and with this they also changed the school year division from Trimester to Semestral and added another year of training along with additional courses offered: AB English and AB History starting this coming school year 2008-2009.

The question now is that, would these changes affect the school’s ability to attract more aspiring journalists?

An additional year for training might decrease the number of students enrolling in the school since the shorter year of training have been the reason of some in choosing the Manila Times from other universities. “I checked the curriculum of UST and Manila Times, they were the same. But since Times offers the course training shorter, I decided to enroll here” said Krista Montealegre a graduating student of the Manila Times School of Journalism.

In the part of the administrators, another year of studying means more to learn and more practice before the students face the real world.

Dante Ang II had once quoted during one of his classes “the graduates of the 3-year course offered here in Manila Times showed excellent performances but their attitudes toward work is a bit immature”
For the school’s administrators, talent means everything but less training and exposure may affect the students’ attitudes and personalities. Hopefully, these newly implemented changes in The Manila Times College would help develop and nurture journalists and communication practitioners to possess, represent and build upon the values of competence, ethics, social responsibility and truth.

What makes me read an article?

It’s more than the excitement I feel whenever I read the phrases “rumors has it”, “…the starlet got pregnant” or “according to scientists…”

The stories I read in the newspapers and magazines even helped me to plan my future. The words I have read have stayed in my mind and had filled up the spaces in my knowledge box, which I failed to do so during my gradeschool and highscool days.

Before, I read articles on the net or on papers mainly because I want to entertain myself with interesting stories, could be gossips or the informative ones and the last reason that I may think of, on why I read them is to get informed. I’m really amazed on how my Mom knows every answer on the questions flashed whenever we watch game shows on TV and she’d always smile at us and say just read and that’s all.

Amazingly, after humiliating myself, trying to outdo my Mom’s knowledge, I started reading stories and short articles on magazines and newspapers. And now, more than ever, I got fond of reading the paper everyday at least for a couple of minutes, because I have to, not that I’m just forced to but I’m s soon-to-be journalist so I need to love reading.

And now, knowing how articles and short stories help me, I can say that I’m reading them to get information and be up-to-date on what’s going on in the society. And also I can now match my mom’s knowledge whenever we watch game shows on TV.

There's more to learn.

The Manila Times, to some is just the longest running English-language newspaper, but to aspiring journalists, it’s the perfect place to learn and be trained.


The Manila Times newspaper was revived in 2001 and along with this was the reinstitution of the Manila Times School of Journalism. A school that is run by professional journalists including the faculty that is composed of experienced print and broadcast practitioners.


The School of Journalism also has similar curriculum like those of the top universities in the Philippines such as the University of Sto.Tomas, Colegio San Juan de Letran and many other.


Aside from the school’s exceptional academic offers, their programs and training that require only three years of studying has been attracting students from all over the country. And the achievements of the earlier graduates of the school had been the greatest proof of the excellent training the school offers.


But just recently, the Manila Times decided to change the school’s name from “School of Journalism”, to “Manila Times College” and with this they also changed the school year division from Trimester to Semestral and added another year of training along with additional courses offered.


The question now is that, would these changes affect the school’s power to attract more aspiring journalists?


Additional year for training would definitely decrease the number of students enrolling in the school but to the administrators another year of studying means more to learn and more practice before the students face the real world.


Mr. Dante “Klink” Ang had once quoted during one of his classes that though the earlier graduates of the school have showed outstanding performances after the training inside the walls of the school but their attitudes toward work were seemed to be a little immature compared to the graduates from different colleges.


To the administrators, talent means everything but less training and exposure may affect the students’ attitudes and personalities. Hopefully, these newly implemented changes in The Manila Times College would help develop and nurture journalists and communication practitioners to possess, represent and build upon the values of competence, ethics, social responsibility and truth.

Excellent feature writing

Advantage English<br>
By: Art Villasanta (Panorama Magazine March 5, 2006)



When I was Grade 6 back in 1965, we had a “Speak English” campaign at the UST Elementary School.


English was big in the 1960s. It was the medium of instruction in schools. English programs dominated prime time TV and the movies.


My school’s “Speak English” campaign fined violators five-centavos for every spoken Tagalog word. Student “sheriffs” were assigned to enforce the campaign and “arrest” violators.


Don’t laugh but five centavos was a really big deal back then. Jeepney fare was ten centavos, pupils rode free if they stood inside the jeepney or if they made kandong (sat on another person’s lap). A bottle of Cosmos (now Sarsi) cost five centavos; Coke seven centavos.


Being comfortable with English, I had no problems with the campaign until one day.
I was playing tag with one of my classmates. After vainly trying to catch him, I gave up exasperated and screamed “Mansanas!” His family name was Meneses and I jokingly called him “Mansanas.”


Unfortunately one of the student sheriffs heard me as I screamed “Mansanas” which is the Tagalog word for apple.


He “arrested” me and took me to the principal. I told the principal that “Mansanas” was my nickname for Meneses, my classmate.


The principal said “Mansanas” was still a Tagalog word and I could hand over five centavos. I did so with a heavy heart. On the way home, I sat on my best friend’s lap to make up for my lost five centavos.


This mishap didn’t make me dislike Filipino, I love our language. It did, however, force me to ask a difficult question: Is English more important than Filipino?


My father, then an editor for The Weekly graphic Magazine, said English is an advantage. I’d understand this when I grew up.


He reminded me that he spoke English, Filipino, Spanish and Ibanag, as did his father. I spoke only English and Filipino.


He urged me to consider learning Chinese because he believed that China would become capitalist one day. And this was in 1965!



“English is an advantage.”


That made sense to me. But I never did get around to learning Chinese.


For English to resurrect today, however, it will have to thrive in supportive school and home environments. That environment was present in the 1960s when knowledge of English was a skill to be respected.


The pervasiveness of English in the 1960s was acceptable to Philippine society, dominated as it was by the generations that were schooled during the American occupation.


The generation of the 1940s and 1950s now hold sway over Philippine society and these people were English schooled. It shouldn’t be difficult to resurrect English given this fact.
Schools can always hold “Speak English” campaigns or set aside “Speak English” days. They can also do one better by resurrecting the “Spelling Bees” so popular in the 1960s.
What is more important now, however, is to remove the stigma attached to English as a language of middle class homes.


It is a very remote hope that English will ever take root among the poor. To the poor, English is a language of the rich and the mayabang (arrogant). “Spokening dollar” will remain an epithet.


The future of English as a thriving language rests with today’s middle class. Its mothers and fathers, schooled in the 1960s and 70s when English was still respectable, must find the courage to push English at home.


It isn’t necessary to speak English everyday. Parents can encourage their children to read English stories or watch English channels on either free to air TV or cable. Programs that educate and inform should be at the top of the list.


Not all our children will take English seriously. Only a few will, but it is these few who stand to profit from the rewards proffered by a command of spoken and written English.
Our children’s workplace will be dominated by information technology (IT) and IT enabled services. English is the word language of IT.


Their workplace will be dominated by the health and wellness industries and by medical tourism. All these industries will demand Filipinos competent in spoken and written English.


And, of course, the Overseas Filipino Workers will remain a giant in their workplace. More and more of these workers are professionals and managers. English is the world language of management and the professions.


For our children, a command of English is more than an advantage. It’s a matter of survival. We should prepare them for this fight.

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i love publishing stories and my other literary works in the net and i do have my personal blog. Professor Rome Jorge from my Feature Writing class have required us to do another, [good thing because i have lots of non-academic or more to say non-sense posts on my other blog...thanks for that sir !]

and i just wanted to post this as an introduction:

Hello i am a writer, my name's aileen.
i love to write and i love to play.
come and see my world,
read and understand my scattered thoughts.

go0dluck.