Teodoro's dig at bloggers and salute to my fellow bloggers

Former UP College of Mass Communications Luis Teodoro puts it bluntly--bloggers should be responsible for whatever they write in their sites. He then encouraged mainstream journalists to write their own blogs, especially TV reporters. Teodoro said that mainstream journalists should write blogs to "set an example."

I respect Dean Teodoro. In fact, I'm one of those who already heeded his advice. I'm still an active member of the media industry. In fact, I devoted most of my 37 years of existence writing and working as a journalist. I started as a newswriter for DZBB GMA 7 and despite being a senior official of a top strategic marketing communications agency here, I still maintain a very strong relationship with my peers.

This leads us to one question--is there truth to Teodoro's assumptions that bloggers are irresponsible and therefore, not a good source of news and information?

Let me ask another question--what's the purpose of blogging in the first place?

Lastly, let me propound another question--is a blogsite a media outlet by itself or just a mere journal, a daily take on things?

On the first question, Teodoro's assumptions about some bloggers are valid. There are irresponsible bloggers out there who blog for the wrong reasons. For example, was it a good idea for Brian Gorrell to expose the dirty linen of Manila's alta sociedad just so he can collect his supposed money from a controversial socialite? Answer? No.

Using a blogsite to deride, cajole, humiliate, smear, or besmirch the reputation of someone is utterly irresponsible. If you read Gorrell's blog, it is full of "he said", "she said" ,things which most, if not all, are presumptions of certain facts, but not true facts. As readers, we can't verify all those he wrote there. Who's to say that all of those things really happened? Who edited Gorrell's blog? None.

Look at his entries. He wrote something about a person based on another person's "testimony". That's hearsay, plain and simple. There were no dates supplied nor exact location of where these incidents happened. We all know one place--Boracay. So, then? So, what?

Gorrell's blog shows you how irresponsible a blogger can be when allowed to write without an editor. Editors are gatekeepers. Why? Because one's take on things may not be reflective of reality.

Now, we go to the second question--why do we blog? What's the real reason for blogging?

Blogging started as a daily journal. By its very nature, blogging is a personal take on things. Its subjective, therefore, not fit to be a source for news. Blogs could be a very good source of opinions, of views, of expert advice. But, never a news site. Why? As I said, the very generis of blogging makes prevents it from being a good source of information.

Lastly, is a blogsite a news outlet? By the hits and pageviews it generates, yes, it could be said to be a media outlet. Since its beginnings, blogs serve one purpose--a journal which one maintains to express oneself to the world. It was never meant to be taken literally by bloggers as their license to be true journalists.

By the way, thanks to my fellow bloggers Nick, Mon Casiple, Cocoy, Janette Toral, Philippine Commentary and Manolo Quezon. They are just some of the most responsible and highly respected bloggers in our age. I appreciate your take on this blog. I never meant this site to be that way. I am humbled by your observations of this blog.

But, I need your help. Really. Give me advice on how to further improve my site. I am not really satisfied with my design. I want a simple, yet functional design. And I also would like to get advice on how to promote my site, especially to Filipinos abroad.

To my fellow bloggers, please give me your thoughts on how to improve my site. I really want to improve.

To my colleagues in the mainstream media, my site does not pretend to be a news site. No. This site aims to provoke debate, discussion based on my daily take on things. I write because I want to analyze what's happening especially the whys. I don't delve on the whats, the wheres, the whens. This is my political philology. If you agree on the things I wrote, thanks. If you don't, thanks din.

I am also very thankful that Nick provided a venue for political pundits like me to reach a wider audience. The Filipinovoices.com (www.filipinovoices.com) is the new Indios Bravos, the new La Solidaridad. I am very certain that all these things which we are doing will spillover beyond the blogsphere and eventually lead to real societal changes.

By the way, I have another blog, http://pinoyobserver.wordpress.com. Its getting bigger and higher hits by the day. Its not heavy stuff, totally different from what I write here. It has its usual political stuff (I really can't detach myself from political masturbations, sorry!), yet more on mundane things. If it reaches a thousand hits, I'll invest some money to make it as an electronic newspaper. Do help me make it happen. Thanks. Have a happy weekend.