BREAKING NEWS

‘Where are the citizen journalists of Mindanao?’
08/29/08
Posted under Citizen Journalism, Elections
Journalist Dana Batnag put out this question in a blog entry dated August 11.
She writes:

Where are the bloggers of Mindanao, the citizen journalists who we have hoped would keep us updated on the ARMM elections? The ARMM elections are the first automated elections in the country. If all goes well, the government hopes to also automate the 2010 national elections. I was expecting blogs on the elections — how the machines worked and how the people reacted to them, even pictures on the voting precincts and the voters. I was told there had been no posts as of lunchtime, but maybe that was because the voting wasn’t over yet at that time.
This question is indeed very relevant if we compare this to what is happening in the United States. In a recent CNET article, bloggers were among those actively participating in the delivery of news and information to constituents. The article says:
It is true that the Democratic National Convention Committee handed credentials to a record number of bloggers for the Denver convention this week, but more nevertheless appear to have gathered at the Big Tent. Adding to the lure of the unofficial venue is that the workspace’s location on Wynkoop Street is around the corner from a multitude of restaurants and private parties, including a massive Tuesday reception organized by Emily’s List, a late-night jazz festival, and an AT&T-sponsored brewery bash.
With blogs allowing anyone who can write to publish their thoughts on the Internet, Batnag was expecting bloggers to be blogging about the first automated elections in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. She says:
The ARMM elections would have been a good time for citizen journalists to show what they can do and how much better a job of it they can do.
A quick search on Google produced this blog called, “Philippine Elections Journal,” which announced as early as April 4 that it was looking for ARMM Election bloggers. It didn’t get any reaction despite the promise of “$100 payment for every 20 approved articles.” This blog was set up by Filipino blogger Janette Toral.

--**REACTION**--

Blog can be a way where people can express their suggestions and opinions. This can be a way where they can practise their freewill. It can help them to develop those things. Moreoevr, through Blog also, many people especially journalist or bloggers can have brain storming talking about the current issues of his/her country. Several people alos are expecting that BLOGS are usually updated and every current isuue is being published and asking for information , suggestions and so forth, but how is it there were no bloggers nor journalists who prefered to post some insights about the Automated Issue held last ARMM election. Maybe and probably all journalist and bloggers tend to post some information about the current issue also about ancestral domain, the BJE issue and which is more interesting. They also need to choose some issues that they know that will really lead to the curiosity of other readers of their blog and some other journalists and bloggers. So that conversation will be more interesting.