Showbiz Dominates Mass Media

The Philippine mass media has completely gobbled-up by showbiz from “gutter-talk shows” to the very lowest showbiz news/gossips, which is best describe as “bovine ordure” in the highest degree. From radio, TV and print media, showbiz mania has almost become the center of everything. Showbiz shares headlines along with political issues and police reports which are often the content of newspapers, radios and TVs.

Showbiz has turned mass media into a cumbersome part of society where the people are feed with the daily dose of insignificant and below standard news reporting. The consequence therefore is enormous because people of all walks of life just couldn’t resist patronizing showbiz, made possible by too many bastardized tabloids and broadsheets and the mass media as a whole.

Instead of quality, high standard, excellent and responsible reporting, the country’s mass media has gone haywire. They made issues out of everything, from the life of showbiz personalities down to the least nonsensical issues or gossips like taking a shower, of having a party, of showing extravagance, of asking what the actor/actress likes about their body, about sex scandal videos and other “bovine ordure” issues that do not merit attention from the public.

This trend of media bias towards showbiz is slowly turning moral and nation building a backseat. Rather than providing the public the necessary information about education, new discovery, featured stories of great importance, economy, environment, empowerment, success stories of individuals for inspirations and other issues that delves on progress and development, the mass media, however, continue to focus on the nauseating world of showbiz.

Decades ago only tabloids and some broadsheets has extensive coverage on showbiz news/gossips but over the years showbiz popularity has widen its scope in mass media including TV stations which are now hiring glib talkers among showbiz reporters & columnists to attract great number of credulous followers or viewers and to bring high ratings to their shows and stations.

Not to be outdone, big companies, corporation, politicians and identified groups or entities have joined the bandwagon of showbiz mania purposely for promotional activities. For these people, showbiz is money and money is wealth and power and so the showbiz delusion continues.

I have nothing against showbiz per se but the way it is being run by the industry and corporate leaders and the mass media is too much. Instead of educational shows, the big three TV stations in the country is competing against each other by having too many showbiz talk shows without any purpose whatsoever but to feed garbage news to the public.

Unlike in some ASEAN countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, showbiz news/gossips do not given much attention as headlines. The mass media in Malaysia give much relevance to their progress and development as a nation. Their broadsheets are full of knowledge-based information. Their TV stations do not have showbiz talk shows that poison and twist the logical sense of the public.

Vietnam is more than conscientious towards progress and development that is why they have a mass media - although quite restricted for some political reason – that prioritize news and programs that have social significance. The country’s TV stations continuously airs their heroes exploits particularly Ho Chi Mihn, Vietnam’s revolutionary hero. Showbiz gossip is a non factor in the country’s fast developing economy.

Mass media has a significant role in nation building but only then it could happen if that role will be taken seriously with utmost diligence and responsibility to help the nation realized progress and development. The mass media shouldn’t let showbiz rule over them and to prevent the public of acquiring “delusional infection” instead feed the public the antidote of knowledge-based information relevant to total progress and development.