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Bencyrus Ellorin . 

IN campaigns, communication is almost everything.

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Of late, we have seen the mercurial rise of digital platform over newspapers. Other platforms however showed resilience amid the onslaught of digital media.

I happen to pass by my old workplace in Cebu last week at around 9 o’clock in the evening. Except for a few lights on, there were no observable human activities. Previously, at that time the newsroom is on a frenzy to put the paper to bed and the printing press starts firing on all cylinders.

The Cebu Daily News of the Inquirer Group stopped its print edition on Jan. 1, 2019 and has since gone full digital.

Maybe the time has come for carbon-based (paper) medium to exit as Silicon gets the lion share of the media.

Decades ago, similar requiem have been offered to radio, and also TV but these two have shown they are stronger than imagined.

Even with social media and online news and information portals, radio and TV remain on top of the most influential media platforms.

Two important aspects may be the reason why radio and TV remain superior media platforms. 1. Interaction and 2. Visual and audio sensitation.

While newspapers are powerful visual materials, the experience satisfies more the intellect — sensitizing is deep inside the cranium. Interaction is also slow if none. The experience is cerebral.

Paired with telephone radio programs in the US started direct interaction with listeners in the 1950. A simple song request does a lot in connecting the messenger with the audience.

Social media revolutionized media interaction. It has in fact democratized the media, giving the messenger and audience almost equal opportunity to occupy the platform.

There were fears social media will develop the ability to drown out the truth. There are even fears, we are diving into a post-truth era.

But as rationale animals, reason almost always prevails even in the most liberalized, unregulated environment.

Case in point is this nut who thought fake news through social media can win elections.

But when dung hit his face, he went back to traditional platforms, first trying paid media “real estate” to spread disinformation. When it went caput, he is now buying air space to spread lies and disinformation.

This man, although queer, is an interesting study on how far ambition for power sans basic human values go.

And while at it, we do the good ole way enjoying sips of coffee or kissing whisky getting entertained by alternative facts and laugh at the foolishness.

(The author is a former journalist with experience in managing and editing online news portals here and abroad. He is now a public relations consultant and political campaigner. One of the social media groups he co-administered was a finalist in Globe’s Tatt award in 2012.)

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