INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Alimannao Hills, Peñablanca Cagayan
Learning Area Media and Information Year Level 12
Literacy
Subject Teacher Jesrael U. Jimenez No. of Hours: 2HRS
Shiela Mae De leon
Marinie M. Daquioag
Learning At the end of this lesson, the students are expected to:
Objectives
a. identify the influence and power of media;
b. distinguish the threats and risks from the abuse and misuse of media and
information;and
c. create a campaign add to combat digital divide, addiction, and bullying

LESSON 7 OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, PROBLEMS, AND ISSUES

INFLUENCE AND POWER OF MEDIA

Economy In the past, people had to personally monitor the stock market. However, nowadays, they
can monitor their investments in real time by logging in at the website of the Stock Exchange. For
businessmen who are always busy and on-the-go, they use their mobile phones to get in touch with
their stock brokers and instruct them whether they want to buy or sell their stocks.
With various social media like Twitter and Facebook, a businessman can easily receive notifications
about local and global news which could affect his investment. In addition, more companies are now
putting up websites to get more clients. Nowadays, there Is an influx of business process
outsourcing (BP0) companies, which are responsible for providing technical support and customer
service agents, medical transcriptionists, marketing and real estate agents, and many others.
Different media platforms also allow government agencies to improve their services. In the past,
requesting for a copy of birth certificate from the National Statistics Office (NSO) could be stressful
because of the long queue of people and the manual process that used to be implemented.
However, transactions can now be made over the phone as the information has already been stored
in an online database. More importantly, people can now have their documents delivered to their
doorstep for a minimal additional fee.
With the use of the Internet, government agencies like the Department of Tourism (DOT) and
Department of Agriculture (DA) can inform the public about their programs, new policies, and
announcements. In this way, it a farmer or a researcher has a concern over an agricultural product,
sending inquiries can be done remotely through e-mail.

Education
There are different ways on how teachers can use modern
technology in presenting their lessons to students. Gone are the
days when they do not have any other choice but to manually
make their visual aids in order to impart knowledge to their
pupils. The following are some examples of modern visual aids
that can be used by lecturers all over the world.
An example of visual aid is the pocket chart, which
teachers often use when discussing lessons to young learners in
order to catch their interest. However, some teachers who have very limited resources only need to
have a piece of chalk, blackboard, and manila paper in order to aid them in conducting their lessons.
There are also educational toys that suit different subject areas. With their vibrant colors and
artistic designs, these educational materials have become an effective way in instructing the learners
as they allow them to engage themselves with the subjects being taught. These objects also help
students learn faster as they get to apply the concepts learned in the classroom while they operate
these items.
Apart from these educational toys, educational compact discs (CDs And digital versatile discs
(DVDs) also provide powerful means to educate the students with interactive lessons, and allow
them to watch films and documentaries, which cover a variety of topics relevant to their course.

In addition, there are sites available on the Internet which

allow teachers, students, and Parents to interact with one
another for the purpose of learning.
For example, the website ww.cdmodo.com gives
users an opportunity to discuss about their school concerns
without having to meet in person.
Some websites can also be used to in a reliable
supplementary learning materials such as
www.quipper.com. This website holds a portal or notes and
quizzes about subjects covered in school.

Society
Mass media, may it be in print, broadcast, or the Internet, have become very powerful tools in
influencing people’s perception on certain things like beauty. Due to I V commercials and print
advertisements, many people tend to base their perception of beauty on a person's physical looks
instead of his talents and intrinsic qualities.
This is the reason behind the increase on the sales of products and services endorsed by
famous celebrities, even though they are expensive and their quality is not yet proven effective. As
most people have the hobby of watching TV programs, the things they regularly see have somehow
influenced their values and behaviors.
For example, a child who sees violent TV shows on a regular basis might become a
troublemaker at school because he might perceive violence as something acceptable.
Moreover, teenagers might believe that engaging in a serious romantic relationship and
neglecting their studies are agreeable because teenage love is usually portrayed in most
dramas on TV.
Therefore, with media being a very powerful means to send and receive messages, the
people must be more careful in choosing the kind of media to patronize, so that their values and
standards will not be compromised.

Politics
The power of media and information is strong and wide enough to reach all people from
different fields. As a matter of fact, citizens who have Internet connection can easily have access to
the latest local and national news wherever they are. Local officials even use media in informing their
constituents about the upcoming projects which would be beneficial for their community.
As information has become easily accessible using the Internet, the profiles and other
intimate personal details about a public servant or a political leader can be easily leaked and shared
online. While these pieces of information can help citizens assess the kind of leader they should vote
for, this can also violate these politician’s privacy.
In the past, when people wanted to express their dismay over a political or social issue, they
had to wait for months for it to be resolved. Now that different media platforms are available,
ordinary citizens can use their social media accounts to appeal to government authorities regarding
the problems in their locality, like crimes and road reconstructions. Within the medias power and
influence, they are now able to voice out their complaints and get immediate attention, public
support, and help.
During calamities, the dissemination of useful information on how to prepare for disasters can be
uploaded on websites and posted on social media.
A good example of this is the notable super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan),
which hit Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, on November 2013. Help from different parts
of the world poured over the devastated parties, primarily because of the regular updates and posts
in social media about the extent as to which it affected certain places and left numerous people
homeless.
Therefore, asking citizens to support relief operations by volunteering and giving out
donations has become easier because of the IV advertisements and social media posts that they
regularly see.

THREATS AND RISKS FROM THE ABUSE AND MISUSE OF MEDIA

AND INFORMATION
The Article III of the 1987 Philippine Constitution is about the Bill of Rights. Section 4
specifically states that, "No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of
the press, or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for
redress of grievances.
This means that as a democratic country, all citizens are entitled to freedom of expression and the
state ought to protect that constitutional right. Due to this, we are free to express our ideas and
beliefs through writing, speaking, or demonstration without any fear of being sued.
Despite of this, we should never abuse and misuse our freedom of speech. We also need to take into
consideration the rights and feelings of other people. Thus, freedom of expression does not give us
the permission to hurt others because that is a violation of their rights as well.
For further details, the following are some laws against the abuse and misuse of media and
information, which violate the rights of others and threaten them in some ways.

Libel
A person commits libel if he publishes in public, either in print or online, anything that is deemed
malicious of a vice or defect, real or imaginary or any act, omission, condition, status, or
circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit, or contempt of a natural or juridical person, or
to blacken the memory of one who is dead. In the Philippine Constitution, libel is a violation of Article
355 of the Revised penal Code. As stated in this article, libel can be committed in writing. printing,
and under similar means.
Would a person be accused of libel if he posted an angry comment about the heavy traffic on social
media? According to the Doctrine of Fair Comment, a citizen is entitled to express his views and
opinions on public affairs. The Doctrine of Fair Comment, which is based on the First Amendment of
the US Constitution, grants a form of qualified privilege applied to news media publications when
discussing issues for the legitimate concern of the public.
The journalist’s commentary would not be considered libelous if the comment is about the work and
not directed to a specific person whose reputation can be damaged because of a certain post. In
addition, the writing should arise from an honest opinion, be tree from malice, and aim to serve the
public interest.

Slander
refers to a malicious act of Spreading untrue statements about someone or something else, in a way
that is intended to cause harm.
Calling someone names or saying derogatory remarks about a person is considered slanderous.
For example, if a TV host gives a false statement damaging to the guest's reputation, he will
be found guilty of slander. Like libel, it is considered offensive and damaging to someone's
character; therefore, it is also punishable by law.
Libel and slander laws also constitute policies against misquotation and mislabeling.
1. Misquotation
 It refers to quoting someone for having said something, but without using the exact words
spoken. Misquotation can also mean quoting someone for something he did not say. This
can happen when a celebrity or a famous personality was quoted for saying a particular
statement, but later claimed that he did not actually say the same lines that were
reported.
 When a person is quoted, it means that he stated the exact words in front of the
interviewer. Sometimes, misquotation takes place if the one transcribing the interview did
not write down the words uttered verbatim or word-per-word.
 When some words are deliberately or carelessly omitted, the message could change. Also,
a reporter might paraphrase the quoted words of the interviewee in order to shorten it or
to imply a different meaning. In this event, it can distort the original message and affect
its context without the interviewee’s knowledge. Therefore, reporters should observe
diligence to provide accurate information and avoid misquotation.
 A person who commits misquotation can either be charged with libel under Article 355 of
the Revised Penal Code, or slander under Article 358 of the Revised Penal Code.

2. Mislabeling
 Whether it is done deliberately or unintentionally, mislabeling a person or organization
can be considered misleading, hurtful, and damaging.
 A person guilty of mislabeling violates one's honor under Title 13 Crime Against Honor
of the Revised Penal Code.

o For example, if an unknown new school has been described as a "fly-by-night in

a newspaper, it can be deemed as improper labeling. Fly-by-night is an
idiomatic expression which means unreliable or untrustworthy. Thus, labeling
the school as a fly by-night could put the school's credibility at stake.
o Moreover, an old actress labeled as a "falling star” in a celebrity magazine could
be offensive to the actress. Even if it is just an opinion, it could affect the actress
reputation. Mislabeling, if done in writing, is a form of libel and is slanderous if it
is expressed verbally.
A person accused of mislabeling will be judged according to Article 353 of the Revised
Penal Code under the definition of libel as it causes dishonor or discredit to one's reputation.

Anti-Obscenity Law
According to Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code (as amended by PD. No. 960), material would be
a violation to the anti-obscenity law if it includes immoral doctrines, obscene publication or
exhibitions, and indecent shows. Materials that have content glorifying criminals or condoning their
crimes; promotes violence, lust, or pornography; offend a race or religion; promotes the use of
prohibited drugs; and encourages acts contrary to the law, public order, morals, good customs,
established policies, lawful orders, decrees, and edicts also vio1t the anti-obscenity law.
Would a poster from the Department of Health (DOH) showing a mother breastfeeding her
baby a violation of the anti-obscenity law? The poster is an information awareness campaign and not
intended lust or pornography. Therefore, it does not violate the anti-obscenity law.

Sedition
Sedition pertains to subversive acts, such as rebellion and insurrection, which incite people to go
against the government and resist its lawful authority and jurisdiction. According to Article 158 of the
Revised Penal Code, any person who is found to be inciting a rebellion shall be penalized because
this will endanger the security, safety, and stability of the State.
During the American Period in the Philippines, the Sedition Act of 1901 was first passed. Its main
purpose was to hinder people from saying anything against the American colonial government. The
people who were charged with sedition at that time were arrested and imprisoned, exiled, or
executed.

Contempt of Court
As explained in Section 1, Rule 71 of the Rules of Court, contempt of court refers to the
disobedience to the court where a person exhibited acts opposing the court's authority, justice, and
dignity.
 For example, a journalist can be accused of contempt of court it a material he
published impedes the administration of justice as the case is still pending, which then
can affect the magistrate's decision or solicit unfair opinion about the court. A
publication could merit contempt if it accused the court of being biased or unfair.

 Another example is if a newspaper reports that the Supreme Court is biased and
incompetent in giving its final verdict for a celebrated case, its writer and publisher
could ger contempt from court.

Piracy
Some people buy pirated copies of albums and films, instead of purchasing the original ones because
those are cheaper and more practical for them. However, piracy is considered illegal under the
Philippine law. Piracy is the unauthorized distribution and reproduction of a copyrighted material. It
is also a violation of the Anti-Camcording Act of 2010 or Republic Act 10888.
Under the Anti-Camcording Act of 2010, it "prohibits and penalizes the unauthorized use, possession
and/or control of audiovisual recording devices for the unauthorized recording of cinematographic
films and other audiovisual works and/or their soundtracks in an exhibition facility, providing
penalties therefore and for other purposes.
Just like plagiarism, piracy is a form of stealing because it robs the producers and artists of
the compensation that they deserve based on the sales of their product. Though original copies
are usually expensive due to the high cost of production and professional fees, buying original CDs
can show one's support and appreciation for their favorite artists. In addition, producers will be able
to make better music and films from the profit earned on the sales of original CDs.
Although pirated CDs can be sold in a cheap price, its quality cannot be guaranteed.
Downloading music and sharing movie copies online are also forms of piracy. Although one may
think that downloading for free is not a big deal, the user's computer can be vulnerable to virus or
malware once the material has been downloaded.

REREFENCES:
Christine Marie Magpile - Media and Information Literacy - The Inteligente Publishing,
Inc.-2016-pp. 80-89