N.B. – A journalism student from UP Diliman emailed three clarificatory questions regarding a paper presentation I made 10 years ago on online journalism in the Philippines (to download my 2006 paper, please go to http://www.dannyarao.com/files/arao-onlinejournalism.pdf). Here are my short answers.

You mentioned that the content and interest espoused determine the orientation of mainstream and alternative media. Compared to mainstream media publications, how do alternative media publications process their agenda-setting and framing?

With regard to agenda-setting and framing, the alternative media tend to emphasize more on what audiences “need” instead of what they “want.” In other words, content is not as demand-driven in the alternative media so there is no pressure in covering hot but irrelevant topics (e.g., showbiz rumor). While the elements of news like prominence and significance are incorporated into the production of content, these are generally interpreted by the alternative media along the lines of how marginalized sectors can better appreciate them. In other words, it is possible for a community leader to be given equal or even more space or airtime compared to a government official who is usually deemed “more prominent” by the dominant media.

What differentiates the alternative media from the community press and vice versa? Do they have overlapping functions? Can a publication be considered as part of both the alternative media and the community press?

Many community-based news media organizations are part of the alternative media, but there are a few of them that are part of the dominant media. The Sun.Star network, for example, is essentially part of the dominant media but the Northern Dispatch is part of the alternative. Aside from the content they produce, what needs to be assessed are the community press’ structure and orientation (e.g., corporate or cooperative, profit-oriented or service-oriented).

Compared to mainstream media publications, how do community press publications process their agenda-setting and framing?

The production of news in the alternative media takes into account the rights and welfare of the marginalized sectors of society. This is the reason much emphasis is given on issues that directly affect them, and why various concerns are analyzed along the lines of how they can be better understood by them. (Some key points may also be found in item #1.)