IT IS SAD to learn that the Visayan Daily Star, a community newspaper in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, for 38 years is closing shop. There can be only one reason. It lacks advertising support from the community.
When we were staying in Makati a few years ago, because of a book that we have written and published (“My Brother-in-Law & Other Stories”), as well as our credential as a columnist of Panay News, we became a member of the Publishers Association of the Philippines (PAPI) and attended its monthly meetings.
There are very few daily newspapers in the country outside of Metro Manila and we are proud to show our credential as a columnist in our local daily, Panay News.
We found out that the problem of most newspapers is advertising support from the community. Why is this so?
The reason is that many newspapers failed to perform their role of being part of the Fourth Estate and are not so independent.
In a democratic society we know that there are four “departments”. We have the 1) Executive, the 2) Legislative, the 3) Judiciary, and the 4) Fourth Estate where the media belongs. You will note that the first three departments is part of the government and only the Fourth Estate is outside.
Newspapers as a member of media must exist for some time and prove their independence as a member of the Fourth Estate, and this is the trying part. They have to develop sources of income in advertisements from private business and industry. This takes time, as they have to prove first that they are being read and circulated in the community.
In fact some newspapers, at the start, were just given out for free until they develop a wide readership to attract advertisers. They must prove that they are being read.
That is why they go after fresh news and happenings in the community and should be a good “informer” of news every day. Views and opinions about them also help attract readers.
There are four social sectors in the community. We have three sectors in government — the Executive, Legislative and the Judiciary. The fourth sector is the Press which our people must support as a defender of their rights. If we can do this, then readership and advertising will follow.
Without advertising on its pages, the price per copy sold cannot even pay for printing and circulation expenses, and the newspaper will fold up.
As we found out while a member of PAPI, many cities and provinces cannot publish a daily newspaper for lack of advertising support.
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GEM OF THOUGHT
Cat and Dog Life – If people lead a cat and dog life, they are always arguing.
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For comments or re-actions, please e-mail to jnoveracompany@yahoo.com./PN
