Media coverage of elections declines in sixth and seventh weeks of campaign

The CMFR report—the fourth so far—consolidates and summarizes the results of the first three of five reports on the coverage of the 2007 elections by the three Metro Manila broadsheets the Manila Bulletin, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and The Philippine Star, and the six news programs TV Patrol World and Bandila (ABS-CBN); 24 Oras and Saksi (GMA-7); Sentro (ABC-5); and Primetime Teledyaryo (NBN-4).

“The monitored media organizations in both broadcast and print thus tended to turn their attention to those events they regarded as more interesting and perhaps as important,” said CMFR.

While this was understandable in terms of adherence to conventional news values (human interest, significance, proximity, etc.), the decrease in the number of reports did indicate that the media were “being reactive to events rather than following an agenda based on a perception of the May elections’ significance.”

The controversies surrounding some of the candidates also helped boost their media exposure, indicating continuing media appetite for the more sensational aspects of elections reporting.

Among the examples CMFR cited were the case of reelectionist Sen. Francisco Pangilinan, who “earned substantial coverage during the first and second monitoring periods due to his decision to run as independent despite his ‘adoption’ by the GO.”

Actor Cesar Montano’s replacement of Leyte Gov. Jericho Petilla in the administration’s TU slate also earned him valuable media prominence during the first two weeks of the campaign.

“Many of the reports also highlighted the conflicts and other controversies involving candidates. TU reelectionist Sen. Ralph Recto and his wife Vilma Santos’s feud with his brother Ricky was among the biggest news stories during the first period. GO’s Alan Peter Cayetano figured in many of the reports because of his persistent opposition to the candidacy of Kilusang Bagong Lipunan’s (KBL) Joselito Pepito Cayetano, who had adopted the nickname “Peter” (Joselito has been declared a nuisance candidate by the Commission on Elections.)

Meanwhile, TU and GO dominated the election reports as news sources in the broadsheets, suggesting that this year’s elections are primarily a two-party contest between them as far as the media are concerned.

CMFR is monitoring the coverage by selected media organizations and news programs. CMFR will release a total of six reports other than its final report, as well as supplemental reports on the elections coverage of selected tabloids, AM radio stations, and public affairs programs.