Old and New Media Towards Society Change

New media have invaded the internet and have created buzz in the mass media. Blogs and other social media became platforms where ordinary citizens can freely express their thoughts and could be given privilege to deliver news and other pertinent information for the public.

In the event such as the Interfaith Rally held in Ayala, Makati City, bloggers and traditional broadcast media joined together for one purpose — to gather Information. Of course, the broadcast media are the most visible on the scene with their huge OB vans, broadcast stage, field reporters and pool of cameramen patrolling the place and covering every activities.

So what is this media hyped all about? Its a rally organized that talked about an anomaly involving our topmost politicians and personalities in the government. The involvement of Pres. Gloria Arroyo in the $130 million ZTE Broaband Deal with China. The much talk-about overpricing deal and a certain Jun Lozada's testifying of what he knows about the deal. The media followed up this controversial case since then.

On this day, every corner preparations of print and broadcast media were made. Security precautions and anti-GMA placards are positioned. Vendors also hawked the opportunity to sell all sorts of items like shirts, hats, buttons, and umbrellas. Print mediamen got to interview personalities such as Cory Aquino, Jun Lozada, Joseph Estrada, Satur Ocampo, Bishop Bacani and others. While covering the event, they need to beat deadlines, too. Gathering stories have to be fast and quick to make it for the headlines the next day. Photographers were armed with long barreled telephotos in spite of the difficulties just to get enough photo ops for their respected news agencies. These photos tell more than the stories for it give reflections to the actual event.

On the other hand, fellow bloggers were very much present in the scene backed up with digital point and shoot cameras. They are on the lookout for highlights and do some note taking. NGOs and student organizations participated in also. They served not only as spectators but critics and onlookers to the current situation. They play a big role as disseminators of information in their respective areas.

For a time like this... a time that is full of tension, conflicts and crisis, the new and old media become one. They didn't go there to be typical bystanders or supporters of a cause, but rather an instrument to disseminate the information about the event . They are the eyewitness to an event that may spark a light to a dark past that still hounded us, to an old crisis that has besetting our country for so long— corruption. We have to give credit also to these thousands of people who have attended for their tireless pursuit of the truth.

PinoyExplorer, was there and also have witnessed this remarkable event. I was able to walk around the four major streets back and forth and shoving away people just to get a perfect shot of the crowd in action and of course, every political personalities who show themselves in Ayala. I seldom make coverages like this but this time, I can say that this is the most exhausted coverage I ever had for a rally. It was estimated that there were 80,000 people gathered from all walks of life. And it was a peaceful rally.

For this reason, PinoyExplorer wants to honor our media practitioners who painstakingly worked so hard for covering the said event. They keep us up-to-date on what's happening to our society today. I may consider them as heroes who work tirelessly to enable to give us balance information about many issues we encounter everyday. Without this uproar in the news, I may not be in this rally. Without them, there would be no Jun Lozada who would surface and courageously spill the beans about the controversial ZTE-NBN Broadband Deal. Yes, we all want a clean and good government. We want true public servant that is up to the interest of the masses and not just a few. And, we all want the truth. Thanks that the new and old media are around. They could be instrumental for the reformation that the country is in dire need today.

Students and civic groups gathered for the Interfaith rally. Rain or shine they went to the street to show their support.

TV cameraman positioned in a raised platform to get a perfect view of the event. TV and print news personalities conduct interviews for their stories. Each of them need to to be in the airwaves from time to time to give a beat by beat news report to their mother station.


Photographers find strategic spots where they can document the scene. This needs to be submitted to the newswire and be available in print and web. And of course who could resist to capture the man of the hour...you need to rub elbows to get this perfect shot of Jun.

more power to all of you and let's work side by side for the common good of our people....more photos in my gallery.