Blogging about the Elections Luz Rimban iBlog 4 April 26, 2008

Why blog about elections? Mainstream media can’t cover everything Mainstream media is highly selective about its coverage Bloggers, as citizen journalists, can/must fill the gaps Citizen journalism can help reconnect the public with the political process

Mainstream media can’t cover everything

Mainstream media is highly selective about its coverage

Bloggers, as citizen journalists, can/must fill the gaps

Citizen journalism can help reconnect the public with the political process

The following issues got little media coverage in 2004 Party-list elections Local elections Senatorial elections Policy development issues From CMFR media monitoring of the media coverage of the 2004 elections.

Party-list elections

Local elections

Senatorial elections

Policy development issues

Coverage of 2007 elections Coverage not as extensive Media noted public disinterest, skepticism over electoral institutions Focused on TU vs. GO From CMFR media monitoring of the media coverage of the 2007 elections.

Coverage not as extensive

Media noted public disinterest, skepticism over electoral institutions

Focused on TU vs. GO

Other gaps: Failure to turn key issues into election issues: “ Hello, Garci” Extrajudicial killings Corruption Linking local issues and elections with national issues and contests

Failure to turn key issues into election issues:

“ Hello, Garci”

Extrajudicial killings

Corruption

Linking local issues and elections with national issues and contests

Citizen journalism: “ Journalism done by non-journalists” “ Non-journalists doing random acts of journalism” “ guerilla-style journalism” “ the new alternative press”

“ Journalism done by non-journalists”

“ Non-journalists doing random acts of journalism”

“ guerilla-style journalism”

“ the new alternative press”

Bloggers as citizen journalists can… Spot news stories Report them Take video or still photos Deliver commentary and analysis Engage big media in dialog about news issues: Ethics Inner workings of the media Journalists’ methods of covering the news

Spot news stories

Report them

Take video or still photos

Deliver commentary and analysis

Engage big media in dialog about news issues:

Ethics

Inner workings of the media

Journalists’ methods of covering the news

Questions: How to do it? How do bloggers work with other election watchdogs? How do bloggers get the public interested in the effort?

How to do it?

How do bloggers work with other election watchdogs?

How do bloggers get the public interested in the effort?

What can be done? Brainstorm about blogging on the elections Develop a bloggers’ election handbook Train bloggers in election coverage

Brainstorm about blogging on the elections

Develop a bloggers’ election handbook

Train bloggers in election coverage

The End. Thank you.

The End.

Thank you.