Written by Xanthe “Pointing Fingers or just Pointing Out”
youtube.com/IhBDUrp5HnM
“(“GMA 7’s Hologram not really hologram according to ABS-CBN report” uploaded by PinayScandal2009)
“This is an old video but really my first time to have encountered this report. Intrigued by the video title, I decided to give it a look. Funnily enough, it gave me more questions at first than it did answers.
“The video starts off with a report by GMA 7 on their new technology which allows them to project some sort of hologram on screen. The resulting effect makes it seem like the anchor in the studio is speaking face-to-face with a 3D whole-body projection of the reporter or interviewee who is in some other venue. It was first used in their coverage of the 2010 Elections. Apparently, the same technology was first used by CNN in their coverage of the USA elections. It finishes off with a note by Mel Tiangco that this new technology is brought here with the purpose of enriching the broadcasting experience for the Filipinos.
“After this segment, it cuts to a report by ABS-CBN claiming that the projections on screen are not really holograms. Using photos taken by GMA 7 as proof, they reasoned out that the projections are merely 2D and therefore cannot be classified as holograms. ABS-CBN then had their own tech team explain the kind of technology they used called virtual presence and why it was closer to the use of real holograms. Ted Failon ends by saying that there was no response yet from GMA 7 on account of this report.
“Comments on the YouTube video range from sympathy for GMA 7 and outrage at their supposed lack of professionalism. However, this is what I have to say after some dissection.
“First of all, the usage of the term here must be studied, which is very tricky. Part of the definition of the word “hologram” by Merriam-
“Webster states that it is a “three-dimensional image”. If GMA 7 had used this term alone, then they really would be in trouble for claiming such a thing. However, Mel Tiangco here uses the term “hologram effect”, meaning it is just meant to mimic the visuals of a real hologram. Also, it is mentioned in the report that a chroma or green screen setup was used, so in mentioning this, they are clearly setting the bounds for their technology. As I’ve mentioned awhile ago, ABS-CBN used stills from GMA 7’s report showing the green screen setup and alleging that this is not how a true hologram works. In my opinion, they are just repeating what has been said by GMA 7 and manipulating it to sound bad, which is pretty much in poor taste.
“Speaking of poor taste, this leads me to my second point. What really disturbs me here is that ABS-CBN really took the time to pinpoint their rival network’s “lie”. We were taught that news must be broadcast if there is enough public interest in it. At least in the case of ABS-CBN’s audience, they probably weren’t even aware that GMA 7 used the chroma setup before their own report, seeing that they don’t really tune into the other network. If that is the case, then there is no public interest in it.
“Also, Article 4 Section 3 of the Broadcast Code of the Philippines (2007) states that “Personal attacks against fellow broadcasters are prohibited.” This may sound like cutting it too much but I think this is a personal attack masked by a seeming concern for the truth. Really, if you watch the report by ABS-CBN, it is just a repetition of whatever had been said by GMA 7 delivered in such a way that it sounds like all the technicalities had never been mentioned before and that the public was duped into thinking that we were seeing legitimate holograms. I understand that ABS-CBN probably wanted to clarify things but it was really unnecessary. Add to that a promotion of their own virtual presence technology and you can’t help but think that the entire report was rigged for good marketing.
“All in all, I think there was no need for ABS-CBN’s take on the “holograms”. Anyway, they have their own good functioning technology, so they should have just let bygones be bygones. Also, instead of claiming to be better using words, they should have just focused on upping the ante with their work. I believe that is the true mark of a healthily competitive broadcaster.” Posted by Xanthe.
“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
