Diatribes gone online

Internet and blogs have immensely changed the media landscape in the country. Alecks Pabico, an online journalist said in a 2005 blogging conference sponsored by UP that: �Blogs may yet become the Filipinos� new tool for ventilating dissent and waging activism.� These online journals have also complemented or become an alternative to mainstream media.

With its phenomenal rise, many speculate that the Internet and blogs blogs will eventually supplant traditional media.

However, this is not the likely scenario here in our country. Instead of countering the phenomenal rise of the Internet, Filipino broadsheets and TV networks created their online versions instead. Examples are Philippine Daily Inquirer�s www.inquirer.net and GMA-7�s www.gmanews.tv These websites also generate additional advertising revenues for traditional media outfits.

The Internet, not regulated by editors or publishers, gives online journalists greater freedom. They are free to write on whatever topic they want. Audiences are also empowered since they can easily post comments and feedbacks on the online articles. Through its interactive or participatory nature, Internet has greatly empowered audiences

Internet has also made data-gathering fast and efficient. It also served as an alternative source of news and information to the public.

According to Technocrati, a new blog is created every second and the blogosphere doubles in size every five months.

Moreover, blogs have greatly expanded the pool of online knowledge. Time magazine named "You" as the 2006 person of the year because anybody, practically, can utilize blogging and other online applications.

The new media offered a lot of benefits to its audience. Online news, enhanced by video and audio clips, is now one click away. Blogs, which are interactive and multimedia, aid readers in understanding online news. Lastly, hyperlinks help contextualize a news story through providing background information.

Unfortunately, the potential of the Internet as an instrument for mass education is limited by fundamental problems. Because many Filipinos live below the poverty line, only 4.5 million are Internet users according to 2005 AC Nielsen data.

To access the World Wide Web, one needs a computer and a modem for Internet connection. Because of its high price, new media is only accessible only to those who have money, particularly the upper and the middle class. This widens the technological and the information gap between the �haves� and �have-nots.�

Internet cafes, described by UP communications graduate Peter Sy as �oases in the desert of digital poverty�, are a booming business today. Internet rentals provide the masses with a cheap venue for using the Internet.

Lastly, the new media is still hounded by a lot of problems. One is the difficulty in confirming the veracity of online information. Another dilemma is the deluge of information available on the Internet. Ethical issues are also a perpetual problem.

To avoid being deceived, readers must refine, filter and establish the truthfulness of online information. On the other hand, it is the duty of online journalists to contribute to a meaningful public discourse. They should provide readers with socially relevant information and analyses.