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Within the years earlier than social media turned the main supply of reports info for Filipinos, mass media was the king. Newspapers, tv, radio — these platforms had been the makers and shapers of public opinion and the channels via which the minds of the general public could possibly be molded and formed. And it was in the course of the years of Martial Legislation that this artwork of controlling hearts and minds via the mass media was perfected by Marcos and his media allies.
When Martial Legislation was declared on Sept. 21, 1972, the primary order issued by the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos was the take over and management of all privately owned newspapers, magazines, radio and tv services and all different media communications. Editors and journalists had been among the many first to be arrested and incarcerated in navy jail camps. Of the pre-martial legislation papers, solely the Day by day Categorical and Bulletin In the present day (Manila Bulletin) had been allowed to reopen. A brand new newspaper, Occasions Journal, was allowed to open one month after the proclamation. These newspapers had been later to be referred to as “institution press.”
As anticipated, the press in the course of the Martial Legislation interval was extremely managed. Virtually in a single day, the print media modified its conventional adversary relationship with the federal government to that of “cooperation.” Many journalists realized to apply brinkmanship and even self-censorship so as to survive or keep away from direct confrontation with the regime.” (Ramon R. Tuazon, “The Print Media: A Custom of Freedom”)
It was on this period of managed journalism that many Filipinos, myself included, obtained their information info in the course of the Martial Legislation years. And understandably, with “reality” being on the mercy of what the federal government thought of to be good for “nationwide improvement,” many of the info to be discovered within the mass media was at finest uncritical of the Marcos administration.
And but, manipulated or not, the Filipinos quickly discovered methods to be taught the reality. Campus publications just like the Philippine Collegian started reporting on tales that the mainstream newspapers wouldn’t cowl, both on account of being expressly complicit with the administration, or afraid of the repercussions that any essential content material may deliver upon them. However the reality did set us free, when in 1986, the dictator Marcos was pressured to flee the nation in shame, leaving for Hawaii in the course of the night time aboard a US navy plane, as throngs of protesting Filipinos descended on Malacañang Palace.
In the present day although, with two in three Filipinos getting their information from a supposedly “impartial” social media, the identical thoughts management trick that the dictator Marcos performed on the hapless Filipino nation, is being repeated by his son and his minions with equally devastating penalties.
Which ought to come as a shock proper? Solely that it doesn’t.
Social media’s obvious freedom, in any case, is something however. In reality, the pace at which lies unfold via the web has given Goebels’ mantra of “repeating lies many instances till it turns into the reality” a steroid increase.
However simply as Filipinos then sought out the reality even on the expense of their very own security, Filipinos right this moment should do the identical factor. Arguably, there isn’t any private danger anymore to in search of out the reality, it simply takes one getting out of their consolation zones, and listening to the true tales of those that had been there throughout these darkish and harmful years.
It’s all a matter of public file. Individuals who lived in the course of the Martial Legislation years are nonetheless very a lot with us, and we owe it to ourselves to at the very least attempt to discover out the true horror story of the Martial Legislation years.
As a result of solely the reality shall set us free.
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