N.B. – This is a press release I wrote for today’s launch of the 10th issue of the Plaridel journal.

Mass Comm launches its 10th as UP celebrates its 100th.

The University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) launched the 10th issue of Plaridel: A Journal of Philippine Communication, Media, and Society last September 1 (Monday), 3 p.m. at the CMC Auditorium, Plaridel Hall, UP Diliman.

Edited by Prof. Victor Avecilla of the Department of Broadcast Communication, the latest issue (Volume 5, Number 2, August 2008) carries the theme “Media and Freedom.”

The articles in this issue are “Seducing the Voters: The Powerful and Limited Effects of TV Electioneering” by Lourdes Portus, an article that exposes the effects of illegal political campaigning on television; “Where’s the P in PG?” by Menard Edu Molina, an analysis of the importance of close parental supervision of juvenile televiewing of semi-restricted programs; “Covering the Left” by Ma. Irish Dela Cruz, a critical commentary on the frontier between legitimate news coverage and sedition on the part of the news media; and “Di BOBOto!” by Cherine Capadocia et al., a study of the perceptions of first-time voters on elections.

The 10th issue also has a review by Patrick Campos of Boy Villasanta’s book on entertainment journalism and an interview by Sarah Jane Raymundo with Rowena Paraan of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) as regards media killings. An analysis of the latest jurisprudence on media freedom complements the main publication.  The lecture of UP Gawad Plaridel 2008 recipient Pachico Seares and the UP Film Institute’s 2006 filmography of Filipino films are also included.

Avecilla wrote in his introduction to Plaridel’s 10th issue that “freedom should be defended by truth when it is attacked by lies, and this truism has become a cardinal postulate on the part of freedom-loving individuals the world over. Be that as it may, it will not hurt if the defense of freedom is accompanied by a shield of knowledge of what the media may legally do and what it may not.”

Plaridel: A Journal of Philippine Communication, Media, and Society is the UP CMC’s refereed journal, its first issue published in February 2004. In line with UP’s centennial year, UP CMC launched the 9th and 10th issues of the journal last February 27 and September 1, respectively.

Future issues of the journal are Media and Folklore (Dr. Nicanor Tiongson), Media and Health (Dr. Aleli Quirante), Media and Youth (Dr. Arminda Santiago) and Understanding Radio (Prof. Jane Vinculado).

Copies of the latest and back issues of Plaridel are available at the Office of Research and Publication (ORP) of the UP CMC. For details, please call Prof. Danilo A. Arao, director of the ORP, at 920-6864 or email him at danilo DOT arao AT up DOT edu DOT ph.