Here, There, and Everywhere: A Think Piece on The History of The Press

After that, Philippines had come to know its first regularly issued publication, Del Superior Gobierno, on  August 8, 1811, as well as its first daily newspaper, La Esperanza, on December 1, 1846.  These papers, however, had a pre-Spanish or Spanish orientation. The publication of La Opinion, a newspaper that defiantly attacked friars during the pre-revolutionary period, therefore, marked the beginning of a new epoch in Philippine Journalism.  It inspired other Filipinos, intellectual and revolutionary alike, to put out their own satirical journals or newspapers.  The most famous of these newspapers was La Solidaridad of course.  Published in Spain and written in Spanish by intellectuals like Jose Rizal, Mariano Ponce, Marcelo del Pilar, and Graciano Lopez Jaena, the newspaper had no mass following, however.  Because of this, Kalayaan, a Filipino newspaper in Tagalog, was published by Andres Bonifacio, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, and Emilio Jacinto.  Though the three men were only able to release a single issue because of the discovery of the secret society, Katipunan, many historians consider Kalayaan as the first really Filipino newspaper. 

During the American regime, American-owned newspapers and magazines dominated, but it was the Herald, founded on August 8, 1920, that was said to have primarily expressed the Filipino viewpoint.  The period also saw the flourishing of the Manila Times, Tribune, and Manila Daily Bulletin.  These great pre-war newspapers, however, had to close shop when the Japanese came.

Castro said no period in the history of Philippine journalism showed a greater increase in the number of newspapers than the first few months after the liberation of Manila.  Newspaper companies that closed down during the Japanese Occupation also resumed publication.  Journalism became  a lucrative profession as well.  In fact, many newspapermen then became some of the country’s eminent politicians and business leaders.  Former Presidents Sergio Osmena and Diosdado Macapagal were just a few of these men.  Changes in press coverage and typography became evident soon after.

The newspaper of the late sixties, according to Castro, showed “a wider, deeper, and more imaginative coverage of international news” because of the war and its effects to individuals.  Also,  the use of interpretative and investigative techniques was observed.  In addition, the average newspaper then had more departments than its pre-war counterpart and offered more entertainment value as well.  Similarly, it was noted that better equipment and more sophisticated plants during that time made possible “more extensive and authoritative in-depth treatment of news, more attractive formats, responsible reporting, and closer identification with community interests.”

Castro ended his essay with an affirmation of the senior position that the newspaper tended to hold then in terms of the dissemination of news and opinion, in contrast to television and radio, which he considered as basically media of entertainment.

My Own Views

Truth to be told, reading parts of Emery’s book, The Press and America, as well as Gloria Feliciano and Crispulo Icban, Jr.’s Philippine Mass Media in Perspective, made me realize that if I were to hold all the information found in the books as gospel truth, it would be impossible not to value the press or mass media as a social institution since it actually made it possible for our society to grow and prosper.  As Emery pointed out, the press made it possible for many people to avail of education at a lower cost, the illiterate to have an incentive to learn to read, and the human race to have a record for all to see.  

The evolution of mass media, especially the print media, had been tremendous indeed, considering its humble beginnings during the 15th century when the printing press was first introduced to Europe. 

Knowledge of the developments in mass media made it possible to for me to appreciate and value the advancements in technology that many media practitioners enjoy today. 

Castro said the history of the Philippine mass media is its own tradition–a tradition constantly refining its written and unwritten body of ethics, governing not only the behavior of newspapermen but also the content of news.  If only all journalists would only keep in mind that they are a part of a wonderful tradition, an enduring legacy of ethical service to people in terms of providing information, I guess there would be no reason not to turn in factual, accurate, fair, and interesting reports.