“Early one Sunday morning, I came across a program called “Be Alive” on GMA News TV. At first glance, it seems to be a typical lifestyle show, with guests and medical experts discussing health conditions that went from poor to excellent, thanks to some alternative treatment or medicine. I deemed it a noble effort, seeing as more and more people are in need of safe and afforadble ways to treat various diseases, which range from the common to the rare.
“Just this week, I got to watch “Be Alive” again, and the product being discussed by the hosts caught my attention. The natural supplement, called Laminine, sounded vaguely familiar–and for good reason. Upon researching about “Be Alive” I discovered that each episode focuses only on this product, a questionable practice given the disclaimer flashed at the start of the program:
“ “Our television program is not here to sell a product or to offer medical advice but to show that there are natural ways to address our ailments through information and healthcare prevention… and to give hope to our televiewers watching Be Alive.”
“This practice is highly similar to the presence of “advertorials” in newspapers and magazines (discussed previously), in which a write-up or press release for a product, service, or another similar subject is disguised as a feature piece that serves to review the subject, when it really is more of a publicity ploy than a true analysis of its subject. Upon doing further research, I learned that the production of “Be Alive” is actually driven largely by the company that manufactures Laminine. Be that as it may, the production team has still not been entirely honest about its goals, seeing as it has made a claim that goes against what it actually does.
“Better that the people of “Be Alive” honestly acknowledge the show’s leanings towards the company–like a cooking show that prominently features the same ingredients each episode, or an entrepreneurship program that carries a specific organization’s name–than claim to be neutral while subtly ingraining themselves into the televiewers’ subconscious. Honesty, after all, is the most important feature of any promotional material.” Posted by 2012-12727
“Commentary 2 (24 June 2013) Rappler and Philippine Daily Inquirer Review of Samsung Electronic Products
“Last June 19, Samsung Electronics premiered nine (9) new products and other innovations for its annual media launch held at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London (Concepcion, 2013). Samsung executives, corporate partners, and journalists alike attended the event, which featured a slew of gadgets, including the Galaxy NX, “the first 3G/4G LTE-connected compact system camera”, and the Ativ Q, “a tablet which allows Android apps to be accessed from a Windows-based PC” (Concepcion, 2013). Among the local media institutions that covered the event were Rappler and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
“The Samsung Premiere 2013 and the two gadgets named above received at least eight (8) minutes worth of coverage in the 15-minute weekly technology-centered program of Rappler called ‘Tech Rap’. Furthermore, Rappler extensively reviewed four (4) of the nine (9) gadgets launched in London, namely the Ativ Q, Galaxy NX, Galaxy S4, and Galaxy S4 Active. Likewise, the Philippine Daily Inquirer featured the new gadgets under the Technology section of its publication last June 22.
“In the purported ‘reviews’ of both Rappler and the Philippine Daily Inquirer, only the positive and innovative aspects of all gadgets were highlighted. Both media institutions released reviews, which centered on the specifications and other developments of the product offerings; however thorough analyses of both the negative and positive aspects of the featured products were absent.
“According to the ‘Code of Professional and Ethical Conduct’ of the Philippine Press Institute (n.d.), “all efforts must be exerted to make stories fair, accurate, and balanced. Getting the other side is a must, especially for the most sensitive and critical stories” (p. 117). This is to assure that readers are aware of all sides of the story, and are thusly not subjected to false or misleading information. In the context of product reviews, media establishments are mandated to report on good and bad observed qualities of products, so as to give potential buyers a more holistic view of the products in question. Focusing only on the positive qualities while ignoring the negative may sway consumer behavior
“Because of the emphasis on only the positive and innovative features of the nine (9) gadgets launched, it may be argued that both Rappler and the Philippine Daily Inquirer are at fault for engaging in unethical journalistic practices.” Posted by TDP
