SA DINAMI-DAMING mga blog mo tungkol sa amin dito may isang beses ba na humingi ka ng side namin? The "good" senator asked.
And she responded: “With all due respect, your honor, hindi po ako journalist…blogger ako.”
As much as I want to break away from political issues, I really feel compelled to tackle this because I dwell in both arenas -- as a social media strategist and as a journalist.
You see, social media blogs and news releases are both informative but have completely different functions, hence should be approached differently.
A piece of news, even an editorial or opinion piece, written by a trained journalist, always attempts to see opposing sides or viewpoints before the article is published. It seeks to tell the objective truth, reports facts fairly, strives for balance, and discloses biases because they are produced for information consumption.
A social media blog, on the other hand, is usually published with lesser restrictions, one-sided or not. Considering if anyone wants or needs to respond they can do it later on because it is primarily created for engagements.
And what does "engagement" exactly mean? It is made up of public shares, likes, comments and post clicks. In other words, it's getting people to interact and do something in response to one's post.
Thus it does not matter if you're a politician, a majority, a minority, a business tycoon, an average Joe or an alien. The comment box is usually open for discussions where you can share your side of the story. So long as an author doesn’t limit the opposing viewpoint or dissenting opinion from being heard at all, fairness is offered.
So how do we determine now what's fake from what's real? As a reader, when I want to get legit news, I seek out journalistic materials from reliable news networks and official government sites. Take note. Not even from public servants' personal account or blog page.
But yes. I understand that relying on mainstream networks alone, could make us fallen preys to the demands of a corporate-owned, celebrity obsessed and manipulative-driven culture that don't automatically give what is newsworthy.
The solution? Responsible readership. Check on multiple sources, ask, discuss, have your opinions challenged and stay connected.
Always consider that everything we see, one way or another, are coming from subjective stance. That's why the great philosophers from the past have taught us that truth can only be found through dialogue.
Kailangan ng mga "katoto," sa paghahanap ng katotohan. Technology has only changed accessibility, not the fundamentals.
Stay Active until our next chat!
***
Got other problems with work, love and life? Invite me to your event or reach me at www.facebook.com/InSpark.People