Filipinos are top Multiply users

Please visit NPC's Multiply account: http://nationalpressclub.multiply.com/

By DAVID DIZON
abs-cbnNEWS.com

A third of the traffic going to social networking site Multiply, or approximately 300 million page views, is coming from Filipino users worldwide, top Multiply executives said Wednesday.

Multiply president and founder Peter Pezaris said Multiply gets about a billion page views a month, a third of which comes from Filipinos in different parts of the globe. This makes Filipinos the number one users of Multiply, ranking higher than users in the United States where the site is based.

Pezaris said the Filipino culture's emphasis on family and relationships is the main reason why the social networking site is so popular in the Philippines.

"The reason why we are popular here, I think, relates to that notion of friends and family, the fact that our service is much more focused on connecting you with people that you know in real life rather than introducing you to people that you don’t know. It’s a site that really plays into the cultural phenomenon that’s here in the Philippines," he told abs-cbnNEWS.com.



David Hersh, Multiply vice-president for business development, also said the integration of unlimited photosharing in Multiply is very attractive to Filipino Internet users. Most Filipino Multiply users are female, in the 18-25 age bracket, and average about 160 Multiply page views a month.

"Filipinos are just rabid consumers of content. It’s amazing. Those 160 page views aren’t just fluff page views of people bouncing from profile to profile. It’s people consuming photos, videos and blogs from the people in their world. It’s meaningful activity. It reflects the deep level of engagement that we have with our user base especially here in the Philippines," Pezaris said.

Local partner

For the Philippine market, Multiply recently partnered with ABS-CBN Interactive to tap local advertisers and launch mobile services for Filipino Multiply users. (Disclosure: Abs-cbnNEWS.com is run by ABS-CBN Interactive.)

Paolo Pineda, ABS-CBN Interactive managing director, said the company is the exclusive reseller of advertising on Multiply for the Philippines. He said ABS-CBN Interactive will also be actively campaigning to build Multiply's user base in the country.
Related links
• ‘We put a lot of emphasis on connecting with people in the real world’
• (Video) The ABS-CBN-Multiply Trade Event

One of the successful Multiply communities launched by ABS-CBN Interactive centered on the Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus show. The show now has two sites - the official one where profiles and schedules are posted and a Multiply site where PBB fans can go online.

Pineda said one local call center that advertised on Multiply was able to attract recruits through its Multiply community site.

"It’s more of these community building efforts online for Filipinos worldwide. We want to really try to populate the brand and get more people to understand it and work on the advertising and get the brands to see that this is really a safe place to put your brand in," he said.

Real-world relationships

Hersh said Multiply currently has nine million registered users worldwide, of which 2.2 million are Filipinos. He said that while the growth of Multiply has been slower compared to other social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, it is the real-world relationships in Multiply that sets it apart and ensures its longevity.

"If your online social network is full of people that you have no real world connection to, there’s very little reason to keep you there and it’s very easy for you to switch. But on Multiply, it’s your real-world social network online and your content and it’s the discussion that goes on around that content that’s going to keep you coming back," he said.

Adds Pezaris: "It’s closer, deeper relationships which enables the sharing of personal, meaningful content to you and the continuing sharing of that is the personal documentation of your life online. Over a period of time, you build up this history like a living scrapbook of what’s happening in your life and it’s a collaborative effort because while you add to it, all your friends and family add to it also and that’s what really develops the long-term value."

NO HOLDS BARRED

June 2o, 2008

CES DRILON KIDNAPPING. Undersecretary Lorelie Fajardo, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson (third from left) clarifies the government’s stand regarding issues surrounding the kidnapping of broadcast journalists Ces Drilon, her news team and a Mindanao based professor to a crowd of journalists and fellow guest Col. Ernesto Torres, (left) spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and officers at a NO HOLDS BARRED news forum at the Headline Restaurant of the National Press Club (NPC) in Intramuros, Manila.

NPC gives legal and medical help for radio reporter

The National Press Club (NPC) assured yesterday radio reporter Willie Delgado, of Radio Mindanao Network’s station DZXL, who was manhandled last Thursday just outside the office of Bureau pf Immigration (BI) Commissioner Marcelino Libanan by the latter’s policeman-escort, that it will extend all the necessary legal and medical assistance.

In a statement, NPC president Benny Antiporda noted that the NPC will provide Delgado a lawyer for the immediate filing of case against Police Officer 2 Glendo Gabon, assigned with the Police Security Protection Office in Camp Crame, who is on detail assignment as one of the escorts of Libanan.

Libanan immediately asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to terminate the detail order of Gabon, whose order is set to expire by the end of the month.
Antiporda added that the NPC will also shoulder the medical expenses of Delgado, who was rushed to a nearby hospital after he was punched on the face by Gabon.

At the same time, Antiporda said the NPC will coordinate with the office of Libanan for an immediate investigation on the case and prevent such incident from happening in the future.

“The NPC is very saddened by the incident,” Antiporda said, adding that the NPC will always be at the forefront for the welfare of newsmen in the country.
The incident occurred when Gabon did not allow Delgado to enter the office of Libanan, which resulted to an argument.

National Pressed Club

Link

NPC welcome release of ABS-CBN crew, professor

(photos by Jedwin Llobera/Media Affairs Division, Manila International Airport Authority)

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB

June 20, 2008

The National Press Club of the Philippines would like to express its gratitude to government officials and our security forces headed by the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the positive conclusion to the kidnapping of broadcaster Ces Drilon and her television crew.


Despite this however, it once again highlights the risk to life and limb facing media practitioners in the country which has been dubbed internationally as one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. There are stories worth dying for but this would prove horrifying to media practitioners if the news gatherer, as in the case of Ms. Drilon and company, becomes the news event.


Looking ahead and given the security risk inherent among the country’s media practitioners, the National Press Club, in the days to come, wishes to call on other media entities in the print, radio and broadcast segments to a dialogue with the end view of creating a Crisis Action Center (CAC) whose primary objective is to work silently and without funfare or grandstanding to secure the lives of our media colleagues who may become trapped in a situation similar to what Ms.Drilon just went through.


While the National Press Club was among the first media organizations to voice concern over the Drilon incident, we purposely chose to refrain from issuing further statements in succeeding days for fear of being speculative and adding tension to an already tense situation, lest we be accused of grandstanding at the expense of our colleagues.


In closing, we reiterate our call for the creation of the Crisis Action Center focused on assisting our media colleagues trapped in crisis situations and also urge concerned agencies and officials of government to support this endeavor.


Benny Antiporda

President

PPP New Set of Officers Oathtaking with PGMA

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo presides the oathtaking of the newly elected officers and director of the Press Photographers of the Philippines in Heroes Hall, Malacanang Palace. Photos from L-R Reny Pampolina-Director, Carlito Arenas-Director , Bong Son-Director, Boy Matias-Director, Val Rodriguez-Director, Rene Maghari-Auditor, Edgar Montana-Vice-Pres., Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, Gerardo Carual-President, Voltaire Domingo-Secretary, Ver Noveno-Treasurer, Edwin Bacasmas-Director, Andy Valle-Director, Ernie Tenorio-Director and Rene Dilan-Director. 14 May 2008 (RONALD ALLAN NAVARRO/PCPO)

Let’s ‘kill’ journalists

insidetheclub

 

Let’s ‘kill’ journalists

By Roy G. Acosta

The title of this piece was not my idea; it was Joe Burgos Jr.’s, an Ilokano from Ilocos Sur.  I am from Ilocos Norte, the more peaceful region called Ilocos-lovakias, and killing is not one of our cottage industries.  But I must admit my province did produce a “killing machine” many activists blame for hundreds of “desaparecidos” during his dictatorship.  I will not sully this piece by mentioning his name.

 But I am digressing.  As the title suggests, if Joe could have his way, he would have all the journalists killed.  Thank God he was Ilocos Sur officer-in-charge only for a short while.  (He was appointed by Cory Aquino, remember?)  Had he stayed on longer, he might be an all-powered politician now who could order “liquidations” here and there of those who cross or expose him.

           I’m just kidding of course.  Joe, of all people, thinking of murdering fellow journalists?  Never!  He probably had something else in his naughty mind when he suggested the title to me.  He comes from a family of journalists, as we all know, and he counts journalists among his closest friends.  Besides, we all know that he has been hailed as one of only 50 genuine world media heroes today. 

          But even if he really has murder in his mind for his wayward colleagues, I wouldn’t blame him.  I know for a fact that many in our profession who are now sick of the state of Philippine media today feel the same way.

           In my case, however, I have learned to take things in stride.  This is not to say that I have become indifferent.  It’s just that I have come to accept it as a fact of life and have thus learned to live with it … in the meantime.

           I have also just started to learn to treat some of the “sins” of media as a good source of laughter in these trying times, laughter is probably what we need most, aside from the basic necessities, of course, to keep body and soul together. Laughter is the best medicine, they say.  So why kill those who can still make us laugh?

 
            Let’s start with the radio and television news.  The fun begins when the newsreaders start “shouting” the news – some in rapid-fire fashion, some with a voice so shrill, one of them, in fact, once broke the wine glass I was holding – and some tumbling all over the place with tongue twisters but somehow still managing to modulate.  And then there is one who literally lives up to his name.  He is so shallow that when you wade through his thoughts in his morning TV show, you won’t even get your feet wet.  Thank God for cable TV.  At least, when we get tired of laughing ourselves silly after hearing our local newsreader-clowns, we could switch to BBC or CNN or Fox News, among other news agencies, where sober news is read soberly by sober newscasters who conduct sober and intelligent interviews.  Come to think of it, this is probably why this country is going to the dogs. Everybody is shouting. Singers shout their songs.  Labor leaders, legislators, Malacanang officials, hangers-on and hangers-on of the hangers-on shout themselves hoarse at the slightest provocation.  Nobody listens anymore. Everyone wants to hear only his own voice.

    Then comes the news itself:  Why do we say “tatlong katao ang namatay” or “ tatlong kababaihan and nilapastangan” or “tatlong kalalakihan ang nahuling nagnakaw?”  What happens if the culprits are gays?  Would the newsreaders say “Tatlong kabaklaan and nahuli?” We thought all along that katao is used when measuring the depth of water in a river or lake or ocean or the depth of a digging.  Like when one says, “Ang lalim ng tubig sa kinaroroonan niya ay inaakalang aabot sa apat na katao” or Ibinaon ang biktima sa hukay na apat na katao ang lalim.”  We also thought all along that “kababaihan” meant womenfolk and “kalalakihan” meant men folk.  Shouldn’t the newsreader say, “Tatlong tao and namatay,”  “tatlong babae ang nilapastangan” or “tatlong lalaki ang nahuling nagnakaw?” Hoy gising mga patnugot!

The English news items are no better.  That’s why you often hear phrases like “first year anniversary” or “cartographic sketch of the suspect” or “Sunset is at 6 p.m.” or “at this point in time” “God bless,” to cite a few. 

 
            The “anni” in anniversary comes from the Latin “annum” or year.  That’s why “first year anniversary” is a redundancy. It’s first anniversary.  A cartographer is a map makers; his product is a cartograph, most commonly known as a map.  The “drawing” that is often released by the National Bureau of Investigation or police investigators who are pursuing a suspect in a crime is simply called a sketch.  “Sunset at 6 p.m.” is an unforgivable redundancy.   Unless occasionally, the sun does not set in the afternoon.

 
            “At this point in time” is as execrable as “A pleasant good morning to you.”  What is pleasant – the good morning or the morning?

 
            The verb “bless” is transitive (vt in your dictionary) and therefore, needs an object.  So it should be “God bless you,” if you mean your listener.  The verb “assure” is also “vt.”  So one does not say, “President Arroyo assured that she will be a good President from now on.”  One says, “President Arroyo assured the people she will be a good President from now on.”  But that’s for the people to believe, of course.

   
            Kidding aside, are radio and television.  Have you noticed that when there is a tragedy – fire hits a squatter area leaving hundreds homeless, people are killed during a neighborhood rumble, a landslide buries an entire family, etc. – the first question invariably asked by a radio or television reporter interviewing the people affected is: “How do you feel about what has happened?”  Good God!

    Or the news reporters who cannot resist injecting their own @#$^%&* (read that stupid – that’s the kindest translation we can make) opinions in their reports.

 
            When some newsreaders and so-called commentators left media to join the political circus, many, I’m sure, heaved a sigh of relief.  After all, most of their news analysis always seems to come from that part of the anatomy for which such pieces are named.   

 
            But the relief has been short-lived.  They’re back.  Only this time, many of them are now defending the very institution they had been mercilessly blasting.  Talk about truth being the ultimate goal of journalism.  You know who they are!

   
            Our colleagues in the print medium are no better. 

   
            The parade of shaming Filipinisms could make your skin crawl – “lady drug pusher,” “tuition fee,”  “”toll fee,” “payroll money,” “ransom money,” and so on.  Even “carnapper,” “fiscalizer” and “owner-type jeep” should be banished from the Filipino lexicon; they don’t exist anywhere. 

   
             Reading some of our newspapers every day invariably reminds me of what a college long gone to God’s heaven that many editors have a running feud with the English language.  Or Pilipino, for that matter.

 
            And we are not talking about the contents of their papers.

 
            As I said at the beginning of this piece, many of us in media may indeed be justified in wanting to kill wayward colleagues who are giving the profession nothing but shame.  In fact, the way things are going, Joe Burgos may finally get to convince me; it’s beginning to hurt when I laugh, especially when we start talking about corruption in media. But in the meantime, I’d rather that the present state of the media in our country be allowed to continue.  That our media men, especially the so-called “broadcast journalists” be allowed to continue casting their broad net of stupidity and corruption until such time that the people themselves realize their icons are really not as special breed of people but are, in fact, just like those in other professions – the soldiers, policemen and politicians, who, incidentally, are media’s favorite whipping boys. 

   
            When the time comes, Joe, you won’t have to kill journalists; maybe the people – whom they have idiotized and fooled all along – will do the dirty, if extremely necessary, job.  Or perhaps, in an unprecedented attack of conscience, our “journalists” will kill themselves – in shame.  And we hope that from their ashes – we will burn them to reduce the risk of contamination- will rise a better breed of journalists you and I will never think of pursuing to extinction.

            Am I being optimistic, Joe?  Of course, I am.  As I’ve said, in trying times like these, there should be laughter.  And hope.  They’re beautiful when they are al your have.  - THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB: 50 Golden Years

20 NPC members' children recieve Rotary International-Philippines Districts scholarships

The National Press Club (NPC) and the Rotary International-Philippine Districts (RIPD) sponsored the college education, through scholarship grant, of some 20 deserving children of NPC regular members.

The college education support was made possible after NPC officials, led by its president Benny Antiporda and director Alvin Felciano, signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) last May 19 with RIPD officials, led by Danilo Fausto (District 3780), Francisco Atayde (District 3810), Rosita Celis (District 3820), Renato Magadia, Jr. (District 3830), and Joseph Michael Espina (District 3860).

The historic MOA was signed in the presence of Lyne Abanilla, RIPD public image resource group of Rotary International Zone 7 chairw2oman; and Renato Sunico, vice chairman.

The 20 students were chosen yesterday after they undergo a rigid selection process held at the Silahis Arts and Crafts along Juan Luna Street in Intramuros, Manila interviewed by Rotarians Robert Lane and Rose Imperial duly assisted by Antiporda and Feliciano, who is the NPC education committee chairman.

Also present at the event were NPC treasurer Amor Virata and auditor Atty. Toto Causing.

Antiporda noted that the college scholarship will cover tuition fees and other miscellaneous expenses, such as books and uniforms, while transportation allowance will be given on a case-to-case basis.

"The NPC, through my fellow officers and members, humbly accepts the generosity of the Filipino Rotarians in all the participating districts and acknowledge the valuable assistance to our needy members and their children," Antiporda said.

While Imperial stressed that each of the deserving students were obliged to abide with the commitment to finish their studies and are asked to sign a covenant to maintain their grades at the level of being scholars.

At one point during the interview, emotions overcame one of the parents, a widow for six years, of the students after she cried as her only daughter was being questioned by Imperial on how she will described herself.

Angie dela Cruz, of Pilipino Star Ngayon (PSN), could not contain her tears as her daughter, Alice Marie, honestly answered Imperial.

Dela Cruz's husband was knifed dead six years ago and was left to fend the education and expenses of her daughter.

The deserving and qualified 20 students were Luckyboy Alcala, Therese Bianca Baluyot, Christian Paul Bernabe, Michelle Borlongan and her cousin Z Borlongan, Maryjane Borromeo, Jamelle Ann Catapusan, Kiko Cortez, Gian Carla David, Gabrielle Paulo de Guzman, Kristine Lara Virata Espiritu, Jamine Junco, Jahati Leanillo, Eduard Michael Muli, Aldrin Salao, Inah Patricia Simon, Arnesto Son, Jr, John Carlo Vargas, Emmanuel Munar, Jr. and Rochel Rosario.###

Social relevance of tabloids

insidetheclub

Social relevance of tabloids

The identification of people with stories they read makes tabloids more credible to the common tao who can place themselves in such situation.

By Jun Alano

Forget the general perception that tabloids are nothing but cheap entertainment magazines churned out by profit-hungry publishers.  There is more to our tabloids than meets the eye.

 

        There is a world of difference between the supermarket tabloids of Britain and the US on the one side and local tabloids on the other.  While its overseas counterparts focus on really outrageous and fantastic stories, especially when it concerns popular personalities, Philippine tabloids regularly cross over to the political sphere.  They also focus more on street crimes.  But the slant on political stories is what makes local tabloids unique.

 

        Tabloids the world over share a common feature:  they sell more than the snobbish broadsheet, and consequently are read by more people.

 

        It is mass circulation and reach that make tabloids a potent social force in the Philippines.

 

        For one, tabloid readers can easily identify with the sex and crime stories because these stories happen daily in their neighborhoods.  At one time or another, they have been witnesses, or even perhaps part, of the crime stories they have read.  The identification makes tabloids more credible to the common tao.

 

        The same identification can’t be said of the stories in the broadsheets, which are mostly political commentaries, or, in the cases of lifestyle sections, focused on the lives of the rich and famous.  Tabloids follow a set of formula:  lots of movie gossip, the standard crossword, a dash of sports, a sprinkling of household tips, horoscope, and ample servings of sex and violence.  The mix must come across not only as entertaining but also informative so that readers would feel they are getting the best of both worlds:  being informed and being entertained at the same time.  And they will gladly shell out P6 for that.

 

        When the tabloids start building a following, though, an injection of political issues makes the concoction explosive.  Screaming headlines about rumors of coup d’ etat, while generally taken with a grain of salt, cannot be simply dismissed when it comes out in the tabloids very often.  Political scandals, however mundane, can easily unmake the most astute of politicians when the tabloids hammer on them day in and day out.

 

        And this is where the essence of the tabloid rests: they can shape public consciousness in a way no other medium does because once something is printed in the tabloids, it stays in the mind of the masa, the largest segment of the population who may not have the means to have their opinions heard nevertheless easily share the sentiments projected in the tabloids.  Thus, if a public official is linked to a scandal that has been amply covered by the tabloids, rest assured that his or her popularity will dive come next survey time.         

 

        Can the tabloids really shape public opinion?  Perhaps.  Perhaps not.  But the number of popular columnists and political personalities who want to write a column or two in the tabloids speaks for itself.  Opinion-makers want to reach the tabloid readers, the daily jeepney commuters who devour their copies of these sleazy magazines from cover to cover, in an attempt to give masa a piece of their mind on the burning issues of the day.

 

        But do the tabloid readers care that people want to influence them somehow? If they do, they don’t show it.  They don’t write letters to the editors.  Some do text.  They are the true blue silent majority.  And they only get their news that shape their views from the tabloids.  -- THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB: 50 Golden Years

                 

 

       

         

 

 

Gallery of NPC Presidents

NPC Seal symbol of Press Freedom

The Manila Times., Dec. 30, 1955, p11

The seal of the National Press Club utilizes Philippine motifs and symbols with rich historical background to signify freedom of the press.

The dominant motifs and symbols of the seal are the sea lion, the quill and the tambuli, complemented by the sun rayonnant with letter K written in the old Tagalog script.

According to Galo B. Ocampo, member and secretary of Philippine Heraldry committee who designed the seal, the sea lion with a sword with guard and hilt is the heralsdric symbol for Filipinos and signifies "ever alert to defend the fatherland."

The Philippine sun with eight rays and the letter K, written in the old Tagalog script as used in the Katipunan standard, is used to complement the sea lion, thus giving the seal a rich historical background.

National colors of red, white and blue give added significance . Red is the dominant color, signifying "courage to express oneself," and is tempered by blue, signifying justice and white purity. ####

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