It took many years for Big Tobacco to be called out as an immoral industry — one that for years legally sold addictive poison to consumers who did not know better. In that context, perhaps this the time to really examine what media conglomerate ABS-CBN are really doing to Philippine society.
ABS-CBN products are, at best, like cigarettes and, at worst, as lethal as illegal drugs. Their products give a temporary addictive high to people who consume them, contribute nothing to mental well-being, and, instead, leave a permanent sense of crushing personal inadequacy in the average Filipino. The role models ABS-CBN “entertainment” put up are far beyond the reach of ordinary Filipinos. They are tall, fair-skinned, and exploit that debilitating social cancer that is Filipinos’ persistent colonial mentality.
ABS-CBN artistas are engineered to project a commanding presence that elicit Filipinos’ ingrained tingala reflex while, at the same time, disarming them with their pedestrian palengke-speak. They are products of marketing genius that reach out from our devices with those twin emotional hooks. The very nature of ABS-CBN’s business model — one that extracts most of its revenue from advertising — assures one that its products , at their core, aim to induce irrational consumerism.
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ABS-CBN is, of course, a player in the free market. The cornerstone of this free market is the assumption that consumers are free to make “rational” purchasing decisions. In a way, its character and that of its products mirror the character of the market within which it plays. In reality this market is nothing like the “rational” one that “economists” lead us to believe is in place. The market — specially the Filipino market — is really an emotionally-driven one and ABS-CBN is a razor-sharp knife that easily cuts through meat fattened and made tender by the emotionalism it so expertly serves.
ABS-CBN’s substandard ‘entertainment’ subtracts rather than adds to the Philippines’ cultural capital.
Like users of social media, ABS-CBN’s audience are not their customers and, more important to note, they are not the people they claim to be “in the service of”. Rather ABS-CBN’s audience are the meat product (fattened by OFW remittances and hooked in by their artistas) that they serve to their sponsors and advertisers on a buffet table to be feasted upon. Just business. Nothing personal. The point here is that the Opposition narrative that portrays ABS-CBN and its artistas as “victims” in this circus is a flat out lie.
The truth is, there are lots of people, businesses, and communities out there that could quickly fill the void that ABS-CBN would leave if it were to vanish off the face of the Earth tomorrow. If ABS-CBN were to disappear as such, the Philippines’ arts scene would be vastly invigorated. Gone will be the Goliath in the industry that crushes all the little Davids that dare go up against it with their independent productions and imagination-rich original ideas. Indeed, it is interesting to observe that the biggest defenders and apologists of ABS-CBN are the very people who lament the artistic bankruptcy of Philippine mass media. Then again that’s no surprise given the track record of today’s Opposition — specifically partisans rabidly loyal to the Aquino-Cojuangco feudal clan — in being selective in their chosen advocacies on the basis of whether or not these fit their preferred political narrative.
The time is ripe for ABS-CBN to be called out for what it really is — a big bad corporation that profits massively off the ignorance of the Filipino masses. It’s high time something is done about it. Shutting ABS-CBN down is, in fact, the least of Filipinos’ challenges. The bigger challenge is in undoing the vast and profound cultural damage ABS-CBN has wreaked across Philippine society.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
One of the things our local TV banks on is the thing I talked about in my last articles, the false value of our society that not everyone needs to work and that those who are not working should depend on those who are, even if the dependents are able to pursue work for themselves. Promotion of this value helps keep our society backward and encourage people to bootlick politicians.
If what you say is generally true about Filipinos, they wouldn’t be leaving the country serving and working for somebody else. This quarantine would be so much more chaotic if they didn’t know an ounce of discipline and sacrifice. What’s with this constant underestimation of your fellow?
ABS CBN was given by the late crook, Cory Aquino to the Lopezes, as a reward for their help in ousting the late Pres. Marcos Sr. The TV network became the propaganda media TV network of the YellowTards and the Aquino Cojuangco political axis.
TV network shows were chosen by the network, in the form of senseless telenovelas; nonsense programs; song and dances; political discourses to promote YelllowTard political agendas; stories of the heroism of Ninoy Aquino, Jr.; the sainthood of Cory Aquino; and the virtues of Kris “Tulo” Aquino. Not to forget the ability (incompetence) of Pnoy Aquino.
The TV network did nothing but to dumb down Filipino viewers. And to promote mediocre talents of the “artistas”. They did nothing, but song and dances; with some senseless talks and humors.
It would be for the good of all to close ABS CBN, or for the government to take over the network; and put some sensible and educational programming.
We all have been dumbed down to the core already !
They think they’re doing the country a favor when we know the rule of the game isn’t about that. We can’t really expect quality products when the objective is to satisfy somebody’s greed. There would never be a red line, and the cup would never be filled.
Benign0, you are looking to put down one of the biggest business empires that contributed taxes to the country supposed it is that way. ABS-CBN will remain a business oriented aims to profit just like any other businesses in the country whatever its slogan is, may it claim to be “in service of the filipino” is a business strategy. Just look at other big businesses, they are no different, they have the same kind of catching slogans. You’ve got to live with it. People exist in this country with free choice. It’s still up to the person’s choice if he will spend his whole day watching ABS-CBN or not. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have the same ability to hook people up without making them really productive at the end of the day. If you want to start with moral crusade here, try to be fair with your articles and perhaps you’ll gain some credibility. BTW, look at the lawmakers of the country lead by the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives (Pro-admin and Opposition), they scramble to give temporary franchise to ABS-CBN. They are really not smart with your chosen standards. They all fail you.
Yup, I hear you. ABS-CBN is no better than the other media (both traditional and social) that, at the cores of their business models, aim to hook a mass audience and shove advertising down their throats.
The only difference is, the Yellowtards aim to lead us into believing that ABS-CBN is God’s Gift to the Filipino People. That is the astounding dishonesty I am calling out here. ABS-CBN is just another business out to make a buck. The Yellowtards have gone beyond being mere consumers of their product to actually turning Kapamilya fantardism into a religion or, worse, a cult.
This is not just Yellowtards’ view. There’s no difference between both pro-admin and opposition lawmakers nowadays; they like to believe ABS-CBN is God’s gift to Filipino people because it becomes part of Filipino culture. Maybe ABS-CBN’s issue is personal to you, but for ABS-CBN’s perspective, this is just a pure business strategy. We live in a competitive world and all kinds of business (media, food chains, shoe brands, malls, social media etc.) are doing everything to compete for a profit as long as it is lawfully acceptable it won’t stop them to do their own thing.
As I said, they have different catchy slogans to make someone addictive, they advertise their products as far as they could reach different audience. I mean, that’s normal in modernize world, and if it becomes a religion to a nation then business is good. We have different big businesses, not only related to media, that become a religion or a cult to every person’s lives. Are you going to dismantle all of them? Well, they pay taxes and they employ people. Surely, you won’t be heard. Either you join them or beat them or maybe make your own Utopian world and leave.
kim chiu pays 9 million in taxes average per year which means:
1. shes better at life than everyone of us here squabbling on this blog
2. she has directly contributed more to our country than most
funny to keep in mind as keyboard warriors pile on her, its mostly envy in their entire life they will never achieve what she has in her twenties
Just curious, is it a matter of public record that Kim Chiu actually paid Php9M in taxes?
And, I’m not sure, it’s just a feeling, but the Lopez conglomerate seems to be getting back by jacking up electricity bills.
yes its from bir in 2010 it was 9.3m in taxes from gross income of 33.7m
lopez do not own meralco. metro pacific and jg summit control around 3/4 the rest minority holders
@ Hypocrite benign0
ABS-CBN is, of course, a player in the free market.
You mean like the “free market” that allowed NON-ELECTED government officials of the NTC to shut-down ABS-CBN with the stroke of a pen?!
The only REAL hazard here to Filipino’s mental health is GRP and the Australian benign0 the fool. The philippine government should DEMAND that you be REPATRIATED for the harmful crimes of insulting the pilipino people and being a THREAT to our democracy by encouraging military activism (in the guise of “discipline”)
benign0 the FOOL who lives in Australia, have you even given 1cent of your Aussie dollars to help the common man in the philippines?!? DO YOU EVEN PAY TAXES!?! As a filipino you OWE taxes.
Bloody traitor! Swine!
I get the feeling you’re really butthurt about people who write about the Philippines and reveal disturbing truths about its society that you evidently can’t handle… ?
After a very long while, we hear again the word ‘butthurt’. Then, in those days, whenever someone thinks differently or reasons otherwise you’re called ‘butthurt’ and/or a ‘point-misser’ by the highly active GRP defender known only as ‘domo’. (Someone, it seems, has it replaced with his own “you’re grasping on straws”.) Grimwald then was also still actively writing for GRP. Where are they now? No one knows for sure.
It’s also hypocritical of you that you won’r admit the fact that your fellow bloody traitors and swines, the New People’s Army, also expressed support of ABS-CBN. I saw the photos and it’s disgusting.
But what’s really disgusting is you’re always on an emo-induced rampage. Everything you’ve said is just empty air, more like screaming in your own echo chamber.
You’re not actually wise. Because you should know that any argument isn’t won by hurling labels and insults. Nobody is going to listen to you when you always do that.
Looking forward for you to get banned. Let the adults handle a discussion. This is not for immature kids.
If anything, Corazon’s Cojuangco Sumulong Aquino’s government is a government whored by media that keeps on telling everyone ‘Everything is okay’ and never looked forward for progress both as a society and a nation but to be part of a mediocrity .
And guess who’s the forefront for that? ABS-CBN.
I can never forget my friend’s words 9 years ago when he’s dealing with a Yellowtard upon the discussion of progress under the Aquinos, which is a lie: