OPINION | “Unsupported: The digital struggles of the Philippine media industry and Journalism”

In the Philippines, the enormous battle for press freedom has been an issue for decades, including the gory suppression of Filipino journalists, the pervasive hurdle in misinformation; and these conflicts are merely part of the massive issues that Philippine journalism faces. The adaptability of the media industry, particularly journalism to the Internet age where social media platforms and digital media arise, also contribute to these issues — to the intensifying case of the media industry’s survival fight.

The bond between the media industry, especially the digital news, and social media is undeniably helpful to one another. Mainly because advertisements are the lifeblood of any form of media. Meanwhile, Facebook, one of the most Filipinos used applications as a news source (Statista Research Development, 2023), gains profits through selling ads. Basically, Facebook needed news and other publishers hence the platform could keep the audiences on it for advertisement’s views.

However, the emergence of various digital media such as Tiktok, other streaming sites, and video content creators paves the way for marketers to search for another digital arena, whereas they could purchase more attention from the audience for advertisements. The preferences of the Filipinos to entertainment over news content also open fact that marketers opt to pay publishers, and platforms focused on entertainment rather than digital news media. In fact, a marketer like Meta and other social media platforms merely do not care about journalism, the news industry is not in need of the advertising industry. What’s important for them is the digital advertising revenue from every eyeball they get.

Consequently, if the marketers choose to leave the digital news media and news media behind, it implies a direct impact on the profit of a particular media whether it's digital or not. Adding to that is the implication of removing the Facebook News tab on 2023 by Meta; and the blocking of the news content on Instagram. Moreover, if this struggle of the media industry continues to deteriorate, the possibility of a huge revenue loss could occur, and worse, it will push a grim closure for a media company, like what happened to CNN Philippines.

The farewell of CNN Philippines is a reflection of how underrated and unsupported the media industry is. Its absence as well is a massive loss for Philippine journalism, as its contribution is undeniable in disseminating information for the public; as our nation also combats the issue of attacks on press freedom, and misinformation.

In fact, social media platforms, the marketers, especially Meta have a huge role in every news media’s losses; and upon supporting the publishers, the video content creators in their hunger for digital advertising revenue, it paves the way to exacerbate the chronic issue in misinformation mostly from content creators in different social media platforms like Facebook, Youtube, and TikTok. Again, Meta and advertisers do not care about it. Their primary goal is to earn views and profit by landing our eyeballs from their advertisements.

Yes, it could be understood that advertisements and entertainment content are essential for the economy and to the people, but still, the media industry, specifically the news media, should not be abandoned. Its vitality is beyond what we think. Journalism is a part of humanity, it keeps us informed about crucial events, and it narrates our tales and even our struggles. Thus, journalism must be supported due to its enormous significance around the globe. On one hand, the news media is also a business that needs to pay its employees, especially the journalists who serve as a frontline amid catastrophe or war, and by doing so, they are putting their lives in danger and facing death threats to serve the public.

The advertising industry and Meta have no room for Journalism, and this act resembles the deeds of an opportunist who only cares for the benefit they could get. This modern and digital struggle between the media industry and journalism is a manifestation that the fight for Philippine journalism wouldn’t just end in repression and killings.

Hence, if the digital battle of the media industry persists and degenerates, where would be the place of journalism? To whom we, the public could run for truthful and accurate news stories if the resources of the media industry are limited where we only have a few journalists to report an imperative story? Undoubtedly, it would be the doom of the public, and a society where freedom and justice are difficult to attain, like the Philippines. Remember, a supported free press equates to the liberty of a nation and its people.