FILAMER CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

College of Teacher Education

Accredited Level IV– ACSCU-ACI
Roxas Avenue, Roxas City, Capiz 5800

GE10 PHILIPPINE POPULAR CULTURE

Lesson 4: Popular Culture and the Media

Establish link between media and popular culture

How Does Media Spread Pop Culture?
Media largely influences how we engage with pop culture because it is pop
culture. Memes, trending topics, and fandom communities are all examples
of how pop culture has expanded into online spaces.

How Does Pop Culture Affect Filipino Lives in Political-Economic Aspect?

 Political - culture that is made popular by media can be very
persuasive, and often works to change or influence opinions when it
comes to political views because of the abundance of ideas, thoughts,
and opinions circulating through the social media platform.
 Economic - They create the urge for a particular thing among the
people and then procreate the thing. As popular culture is fluid, it
constantly entices the consumers with new goods as per the
necessities of the consumer and it keeps the market vibrant in most of
the situations.

How Does It Affect The Sociopolitical Aspect of The Filipino Lives?

 In democracies, the media is fundamental to political life. It provides
facts to allow us to be better informed about the issues that matter to
us. It provides criticism and debate to ensure that that information is
tested and examined from all points of view.
  The media greatly influences society. They inform people about what is
happening. It permeates people's lives by creating their own criteria
and opinions. In this way the media moves the masses, creating
different social movements.

Agenda theory
The Agenda-Setting theory of McCombs and Shaw can simplified by saying
that he media influences people to focus its attention on something under a
certain agenda. It can make people think that something is actually
happening when something is not, or give special attention or focus on
certain subjects or topics and hype it to make an impression that something
big is going on.
In the 1970s and 80s, when the newspapers and television outlets had a lot
of control over what was considered the important topics of the day. Getting
news onto TV or the newspapers was a way of giving authenticity and
importance to an issue.
First proposed in 1972 by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw, professors
at the University of North Carolina, the agenda-setting theory has 2 core
assumptions:
1. Media Controls Reality: The mainstream media does not report the
“reality”, it only acts as a filter allowing some aspects of the “reality” to
reach their audience while blocking others.
2. Media Gives Topics Importance: The more the media reports on a
certain issue, the more likely is the public to perceive that particular issue
as being of greater importance than others.
McCombs and Shaw (1972) in their formulation defined two levels of
agenda setting by the mass media:
 First-Level Agenda Setting – This is the process through which the
media filters events as being worthy of being reported.
It is characterized by object salience. An object in agenda setting theory is
the thing towards which our attention is directed.
Salience refers to its impotence relative to other objects. Thus, the more
the media reports on a particular issue, the greater its “object salience”.
 Second-Level Agenda Setting – This is the process through which the
media attempts to influence how people think about certain issues,
having already articulated what to think about in the first level.

History and evolution of Media (Traditional/ Legacy and New Media)

Long before the media became a huge part of society’s development,
people have already found ways to communicate. Despite the lack of
electricity and technology in the ancient times civilizations were able to
share information, which in turn helped in the continuous evolution of the
human knowledge today.

Prehistoric Age

Back when there were no newspapers, radio and television around, people
found ways to tell a story. Humans shared information by talking and
making sounds, and it developed into something later on. The prehistoric
age of media basically consisted of records created by our ancestors, long
even before writing was even invented. They have made use of stone tools
to craft – and thus leave a record of their lives back in the old days. The
first traditional communication tools came in the form of art – the music and
poetry spoken, the images and scriptures which our ancestors had written
to pass relevant knowledge to the future generation. The simple talking and
symbols evolved into something more complex in order to meet the needs
of the society.
The Egyptians, for instance, were among the first to use symbols as a form
of written communication. There was also the cuneiform used by the
Sumerians, which they used not just to jot down important details, but also
to write relevant literature, among them the famous Epic of Gilgamesh.
Later on, ancient civilizations used written communication in order to make
the trade more convenient. This is what the Phoenicians became well-
known for a society that survives through trade, they formed the alphabet
which was adopted by the Greeks, who further developed it by adding
vowels. The spread of news was mainly by mouth; not everyone was able
to read or write, hence there were heralds who announce relevant events.
In the Philippines, the umalokohan or town crier served as the messenger
to the people, making them aware of new laws or policies implemented by
the datu.

Rome and China began to develop their own forms of written news.
Rome’s written news came in the form of acta, their daily handwritten new
sheets, which were posted by the Roman Forum to inform people of
subjects such as political events, trials, scandals, military campaigns and
executions. China, on the other hand, have the tipao, which were
government-produced new sheets circulated among officials during the
Han dynasty. Media and literacy further evolved as technology had
improved. Back in the Medieval Age, books and other reading materials
were written by hand, hence there were limited number of literary materials
which were mainly accessible to the clergy and the nobles.

The German metallurgist Johannes Gutenberg was known for creating an

important milestone in the history of printing: the movable metal type, a
relevant invention that helped in the development of mass communication.
While printing has been a known technology in eastern Asia since the
ancient times, it was around mid-1440s in Europe that the mass production
of words became possible for the first time. By 1500s, there were around
40,000 books published all over Europe. This revolutionary invention made
it possible for more people to learn.

Industrial Age

The Industrial Age was said to have begun around 18th century in Great
Britain. It was a period that was characterized mainly by the revolutionized
way of mass production, as hand tools were gradually replaced by power
driven machines like the steam engine. During this period, there was a
remarkable shift from agriculture and handcraft to machine and machine
manufacturing.

From transportation (steam locomotive, steamship, and automobiles) to

machines utilizing new sources of energy (coal, steam engine, electricity,
petroleum, and combustion engine), the Industrial Age was a brilliant age
for numerous inventions which changed people’s lives.

Media further developed in the 1800s with Thomas Edison’s invention of

the phonograph, and it was also during this period that William Dickinson
devised motion picture camera.

In 1836, Samuel F.B. Morse along with Joseph Henry and Alfred Vail
further advanced the way people communicate with the invention of an
electrical telegraph system that enabled people to send messages from
distant places. The Morse Code was remarkable as it can transmit
messages by means of onoff tones which can be understood by a skilled
listener.

Around this time books, newspapers and magazines became relevant in

the spread of information. Education became mass-based, hence there
were more literate people than in the past ages. This, of course, paved the
way to further development in technology, media and information.

Electronic Age

When humans have further advanced in terms of technology, it was

inevitable that the media had to keep up. In 1895, Guglielmo Marconi
transmitted the first radio waves. By 1901 he was able to perfect a radio
system which transmitted the Morse Code system across the Atlantic
Ocean.

Communication was expedited in 1876, when the Scottish-born American

scientist named Alexander Graham Bell was granted the first official patent
for the telephone. This invention further revolutionized the spread of
information.

The era of television began in 1927, when the use of the first electronic
television designed by Philo Taylor Farnsworth was successfully
demonstrated. It became an important medium of information and
entertainment ever since.
Information (New Media) Age

New media started out its development in the year 1969, as internet was
first created to aid the U.S. military in disseminating information. During this
period communication has become cheaper and better, thus making
information faster and more widespread than ever before. In 1998, the
telephone evolved into something more portable, that is, the cellular phone.

But it did not take long until the internet grew into one of the most important
platforms for digital media today, an essential pathway which helped
spread information through millions of people every day. With computers
and the internet, we are able to do more than just access information; we
are able to include it in our daily lives, from online shopping, conducting
business transactions, even for entertainment.

Social networking sites (SNS) also occurred during this period. Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, and other websites allow people all over the world to
communicate and interact with each other online, creating friends and other
forms of connection via internet.

In the age of New Media, people continuously disseminate information in all

parts of the world, making life faster, better, and more efficient than ever.
And despite all these things, the mass media still continues to evolve.
History of Media in the Philippines

The Philippines also had its own history when it comes to media and
information. In the pre-colonial times the Filipinos already have a writing
system (baybayin) which they use to communicate, particularly on basic
things such as documents and receipts for transactions.

When the Spanish arrived and colonized the country, they also brought
with them the technology for printing used in Europe – which led to the
Doctrina Cristiana, which was reportedly published in the 17th century
(Viduya, 2010). The first newspaper in the Philippines was the Succesos
Felices which was published by Tomas Pinpin in 1637.
But perhaps one of the most influential media in Philippine History was the
newspaper, particularly the La Solidaridad which was written in Spanish
and published in Spain. A pre-revolutionary newspaper, it was supported
by Filipino intellectuals, the landed natives, and even some Spaniards who
sympathized with the Filipino cause for independence. Among the writers
for La Solidaridad were Jose Rizal, Graciano Lopez Jaena (also La
Solidaridad’s first editor), Marcelo H. Del Pilar, and Mariano Ponce.

Today, media continues to develop, becoming broader and deeper. With

the help of technology, media can distribute information, be it local or
international event.

Traditional and New Media

Traditional media refers to the forms of mass communication that people

utilized before the advent of new media. They came in various forms which
most of us wouldn’t have realized. Traditional media includes the following:
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Television
• Radio
• Books
One form of traditional media is the folk media. These forms of
communication helped spread the culture form one generation to another,
thus including them among the forms of traditional media. These include
folk music and dances, symbols, art, among other things.

New media, on the other hand, has the same purpose as traditional media:
it was created to inform the people, to pass on knowledge into the
audience. But the new media is different – it uses technology to spread
information through more interactive means. They also provide two-way
communication and easier to access. The spread of new media relies on
the power of the internet and the computer. Websites, social media, digital
videos – these are some of the new media platforms of today.
How the evolution of media shifted the power of the people in crafting
mass media

The Function of Media in the Society

Media plays a relevant role in the development of the society. The

foundation of our society’s progress relied on humans’ abilities and
understanding, and these depended on how well knowledge was
distributed among them. With various forms of media, people gain access
to information, which in turn helps them gain the knowledge and skills they
need. This leads to more individuals capable of changing the society, either
for better or for worse.

The role of media in our society varies; it depends on how people used
them. We use media to learn. We use media to know the current events in
real-time. We use media as basis of our opinions and decisions in life. In
the Philippines, the media has greatly influenced our society. The La
Solidaridad, along with other publications that occurred at the time of
Filipino revolution during the Spanish colonization period in the country,
helped in raising the awareness of Filipinos, who were suffering from the
cruelty of Spanish authority.

Today, the mass media upholds its duty as the Fourth Estate, especially in
a democratic country such as the Philippines. This is due to the idea that its
power is co-equal to the other three branches of the government. Media,
particularly the mass media consisting of today’s journalists, serves as the
nation’s watchdogs, keeping an eye out for the relevant events which can
influence people’s lives. It is an undeniable force to check corruption that is
happening in the government; it can announce information about the
presidential candidates, a factor essential to the voters in the upcoming
election. Media can provide information which can change people’s opinion
on various matters.
CURRENT STATE OF PHILIPPINE MASS MEDIA
PRINT MEDIA
Based on a recent survey by Synovate, the readership of contemporary
Filipino newspapers and magazines is mostly from the upper
socioeconomic classes, with this class making up more than 50 percent of
newspapers‟ recorded audience. This has remained consistent over time
as it can be recalled that most Filipinos who read newspapers during the
Spanish occupation were also from the higher socioeconomic classes, with
the majority of publications at the time in Spanish language thus requiring a
higher level of education (Oxford Business Group, n.d.).

However, with the introduction of more advanced media platforms, the print
media experienced, and is still experiencing, a steady decline. The same
survey showed that the readership of print media is on a downward trend.
The readership population fell from 36 percent in 2007-08, to only 29
percent in 2010-11. A similar case is being experienced by the magazine
industry, with readership from 32 percent to only 22 percent of the total
population.

RADIO
The radio industry is one of the leading businesses with the largest income
from advertisements, second only to Television. According to the World
Association of Newspapers (WAN), P53.24bn was spent on radio spots in
2010, a leap from P22.12bn in 2005. These figures prove that for the
longest time, the radio industry has been a staple in product advertisement.
The medium was far from the Americanized style it once catered upon its
arrival in the country. Filipino radio stars pervaded the air with their
relatable, more casual tone. Based on the global market research firm, AC
Nielsen‟s, “Media Radio Audience Measurement” survey, the top FM
station is DZMB, also known as 90.7 Love Radio which is famous for its
DJs entertaining barker style – a tone which may remind one of the casual
Filipino.
TELEVISION
Among all other forms of media, the television was hailed as the leading
platform for the past decade. AC Nielsen reported that between January
and September 2011, television‟s share of advertising spend averaged
77% of the national total. This coincides with the said medium‟s expanding
viewership. According to a recent survey conducted by the media
intelligence firm Kantar Media, 96.6 percent of Filipinos watch TV daily, a
huge increase from 91.2 percent in 2014 (Arcangel, 2017). However, as the
viewership increases, so is the tension between networks to attain the
highest viewership or ratings.
The title of premiere Filipino network historically belonged to the ABS-CBN
Corporation network owned by the Lopezes. This has remained unchanged
since the establishment of the network in 1957. Its fierce competitor, GMA
7, has undergone changes in management but still remained as the second
largest network in the country.
The ratings war between the networks paved the way for the so-called
“tabloid TV” which used pretty women and sensationalized content to
garner audiences, amassing criticisms from its more conservative viewers.
But the networks remained undeterred. After all, Wilma Galvante, the head
of the entertainment division of GMA network, said that it is a “necessary
ingredient” to make a show entertaining. This rationalization of the
exploitation of women, according to Del Mundo, Jr. (2003), makes it
apparent that commercialism is “still stronger than one‟s principles.”

INTERNET
The youngest media platform, the Internet, has already gathered a huge
following since its introduction to the Philippines more than 20 years ago. In
fact, a Social Weather Station (SWS) survey in 2019 revealed that more
Filipinos get news from Facebook than from radio and newspapers
combined. The survey showed that 13.9 million adult Filipinos consume
news daily through Facebook, in comparison with the 9.7 million who get
news through radio and around 1 million who read the newspaper daily.
The same survey revealed that most of the people who use Facebook as a
news source are mostly college and high-school graduates, thus relating
Facebook news pages to positive educational attainment. Filipinos also
widely use social media to express their opinions regarding political and
societal issues. The same survey found out that approximately 9.4 million
people use social media to like or promote materials related to political or
social issues, despite the seemingly ubiquitous posts containing false
information (Cabico, 2019). The internet indeed catalyzed the shift from
traditional to new media.

Information literacy, media literacy, and technology literacy and their

roles in Philippine Popular Culture

Media and Information Literacy (MIL) represented as the capability to

access, analyze, and invented media. It is also a mandatory for people to
know their human rights, as indicated in Article19 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, which states that “Everyone has the right to
freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold
opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information
and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Media and Information Literacy includes information and Communication

Literacy and Digital Literacy. It is defined as a set of Competencies that
empower citizens to access, retrieve, understand, evaluate and use ,
create, as well as share information and media content in all formats, using
various tools, in critical, ethical and effective way, in order to participate
and engage in personal professional and societal activities.

Media Literacy is the 21st Century advent to education. Media literacy is

the understanding to access, analyze, evaluate, create, reflect and act
using all forms of communication. Media Literate people are better able to
figure out the complex messages we get from television, radio, Internet,
newspaper, magazines, books, billboard, video games, music and all other
forms of media.

Media Literacy Skills can help people to:

1. Develop critical thinking skills.
2. Understand how media messages shape our culture and society.
3. Identify target marketing strategies.
4. Recognizes what media maker wants us to believe or do.
5. Name the techniques of persuasion used.
6. Recognize bias, spin, misinformation and lies.
7. Discover the parts of the story that are not being told.
8. Evaluate media messages based on our experiences, skills, beliefs and
values.
9. Create and distribute our own media messages.
10. Advocate for media justice.

Information Literacy has been called the “Information Age” in the beginning
21st Century because of the explosion of information output and
information sources. Information Literacy is a set of skills requiring people
to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate
evaluate and use effectively the needed information. Information is
available in libraries, community resources, special interest organization s,
media and the Internet. Information is also accessible through multiple
media, as well as graphical, aural and textual and these pose new
challenges for people in evaluating and understanding it.

Information Literate Person is able to:

1. Determine the extent of Information needed.
2. Access the needed information effectively and efficiently.
3. Evaluate information and its sources critically.
4. Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base.
5. Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
6. Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use
of information, access and use information ethically and legally.

Technology Literacy

Technology Literacy is the skill of a person, working independently and with

others, to responsibility, appropriately and effectively uses technology tools
to access, manage, integrate, create and communication information.

Learners who have obtained technological Literacy are able to:

1. Problem-Solve
2. Communicate
3. Locate, use and synthesize information found using technology.
4. Develop skills necessary to function in the 21st century.

There are main benefits of MIL which are:

1. In the teaching and learning process, it equips the teacher with

enhanced knowledge to empower future citizens.
2. Media and Information Literacy imparts crucial knowledge about the
functions of media and information channels in democratic societies,
reasonable understanding about the conditions needed to perform those
functions effectively and basic skills necessary to evaluate the performance
of media and information providers in light of the expected functions.
3. A society that is media and information literate foster the development of
free, independent and pluralist media and open information systems.

How information literacy, media literacy, and technology literacy can

be used to identify fake news

Media and information literacy are very essential for lifelong learning,
especially in socializing and becoming more active citizen but, as a user,
we must responsible for it, so that we will enjoy Media and Information
benefits. Although Media and Information provides us advantages, we
cannot assure that it has no disadvantage therefore, we must be preparing
for it and it is becoming responsible user of Media and Information.
Media and Information Literacy helps to raise awareness of human rights
on the Internet, fight hate speech, false news, and online bullying, and
utilize media technology to foster equity and self-expression.
Fake news is any article or video containing untrue information disguised
as a credible news source. While fake news is not unique to the Internet, it
has recently become a big problem in today’s digital world.
Fake news typically comes from sites that specialize in bogus or
sensationalized stories. It tends to use provocative headlines, like
"Celebrity endorses not brushing teeth" or "Politician selling toxic waste on
the black market". These headlines can seem suspicious or even
unbelievable to the point of being silly, making it tempting to think of fake
news as harmless.
Al zou’bi (2022) stated that the recipient must diversify their preferred
trusted media outlets. When they detect a fabricated story or false news,
they must inform others about it. Simply refraining from publishing the
story is not sufficient; they must be proactive in stopping the spread of false
news (Devlin & Pohjola, 2020; Parikh & Atrey, 2018). Al-Zubidi (2018)
advises checking elements of the image or video of the news such as
timing, location, visible signs, sound, the language used, and the general
appearance of people; he also suggests checking the name of the
publisher or the website that published the item and checking the URL or
the comments.
REFERENCES:
Philippine Popular Culture | PDF | Radio | Popular Culture (scribd.com),
April 7,2024
Lesson 2 Evolution From Traditional To New Media | PDF | Mass Media |
Media (Communication) (scribd.com), April 1, 2024
Media in The Philippines | PDF | Audience Measurement | Mass Media
(scribd.com), April 2, 2024
Media and Information Literacy MODULE | PDF | Mass Media |
Technological Convergence (scribd.com), April 2, 2024
studocu.com/ph/document/laguna-state-polytechnic-university/senior-high-
school-ict/understanding-media-and-information
literacy/24438107/download/understanding-media-and-information-
literacy.pdf , April 2, 2024

Digital Media Literacy: What is Fake News? (gcfglobal.org) , April 4, 2024

(PDF) The impact of media and information literacy on students’ acquisition
of the skills needed to detect fake news (researchgate.net), April 4, 2024
SHS MIL Q1 W3 Responsible Use of Media and Information | PDF | Mass
Media | News (scribd.com), April 4, 2024