Print coverage underwhelming, outdone by online media in-depth reports

---

NOTE: This report is a sidebar to the monitor, “Media highlight candidates’ campaign sorties (1st Report on the TV Coverage of Elections 2022)”

---

AS THE public moves away from newspapers, there is so far scant evidence of any effort on the part of print publications to retain their loyal readers. Those surveyed followed the campaign sorties of candidates, giving front page coverage to the candidates’ rallies to start their campaigns and to present their positions on various issues. Apart from the candidates, President Rodrigo Duterte and Comelec officials were also quoted extensively. 

Online news competed more sharply with explainers that provided readers background information and analyses on electoral issues and concerns. References included documents, the views of resource persons, and summaries of points raised. 

CMFR reviewed the coverage of the leading Manila broadsheets (Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star, and Manila Bulletin), as well as three others (The Daily Tribune, The Manila Times, and The Manila Standard) and their online platforms, as well as Rappler from February 8 to 20, 2022.

Front and  Center

The front pages captured the colorful start of the campaign on February 9, with photos of candidates and crowds.

The above broadsheets during the two-week review gave front-page treatment to the following: 

1. Launching events of the campaign;
2. President Duterte announcing that he was not endorsing any candidate for the top position;
3. Comelec rules on campaign conduct, size and location of campaign display and warnings on vote-buying and election fraud;
4. Results of poll surveys which showed Marcos Jr. leading among the candidates; and
5. Comelec’s decision on the consolidated disqualification cases against Marcos.

Only the Philippine Daily Inquirer did more than just cite the results of surveys. Its banner story on February 20 gave background on the political views of first-time voters in this election, their dependence on social media and vulnerability to disinformation since most of them have no direct experience with martial law.     

Tribune’s front pages showed a pattern and featured Ferdinand Marcos Jr. almost daily during the two-week period. Headlines included not only the results of surveys, but also direct quotes from the candidate. He was the only one of the candidates to receive such preferential treatment. 

Stuck in He Said-She Said

In their inside pages, print media followed its formulaic reporting for the first two weeks of the campaign period. Reports included the “who, what and where” of the campaign stops; a note on their stance on various development and policy issues, and the endorsement of local officials and groups. 

They focused their efforts and resources on the five candidates who were better known, making hardly any effort to include  presidential candidates Leody De Guzman, Norberto Gonzales, Ernie Abella, Faisal Mangondato, and Jose Montemayor Jr. This is unlike in TV where De Guzman had some coverage and closely followed the five well-known candidates.

Unfortunately, the regional/provincial sections, a supposed advantage of print from TV,  were not utilized to present local and regional issues. Disaster, climate change impact and environmental issues, election-related violence in local areas, and other provincial issues could have been covered by locally-based correspondents. 

Online Media Step Up

Some online counterparts along with Rappler published notable reports:

• Apart from quoting the Comelec, Philstar.com reviewed the Omnibus Election Code and published an explainer on vote-buying and election offenses and how the public plays a key role in these activities. 
• Instead of merely reporting the outcome of surveys, Inquirer.net analyzed the role of surveys in shaping public opinion and looked back on surveys and actual results in 2016 and 2010. It also looked into the errors of polling that should be carefully reviewed before making conclusions about the survey results.
• Inquirer.net also summed up the endorsements by  various groups of presidential candidates, drawing out the alignment between the candidates and those expressing support for them. 
• Apart from reporting on Comelec’s decision, Rappler and Philstar.com explained and cited retired Commissioner Rowena Guanzon who earlier released a separate opinion granting the petitions to disqualify Marcos Jr. The reports explained how non-filing of tax returns for four straight years is “immoral.” (See CMFR’s cheer on this: https://bit.ly/3hv785B)