Mariano Carrasco THE mass media, like all other social institutions, like the church and schools, are simply reflections of the prevailing socio-economic order. It is somewhat  like the moon which simply reflects the lights from the sun. In a society governed by rugged capitalism wherein mass media outlets are owned and controlled by a few oligarchs and the business elite, we really cannot expect real democratic space and integrity. We will naturally have mediamen who kowtow to their oligarch bosses, who are ruled and instructed  as to the kind of news and reportage to air and write about, and to favor the interests of the oligarchs, big business, and big landlords, and corporate giants. It is therefore natural that most  (not all) of these mediamen are corrupted by money politics, and many of them become agents or propagandists of the oligarchs and giant corporations, and  their protectors in government. It is natural for these mediamen to become mercenary or money-oriented in their views, programs, and newscasts. They would naturally be less inclined to take up the genuine causes for social reform, and they would usually shun views or news that are considered “radical” and destructive of the interests of the oligarchy and their cohorts. In such a corrupted media environment, you would find opportunists  and “tigbas boys” who would do or say anything for the sake of money and moneyed interests, even to the point of destroying the reputations and honor of others. This opportunism and mercenary attitude among mediamen become more pronounced come election time. Since the mass media are designed as capitalist and profit-oriented institutions, they will naturally maximize profits by advancing the propaganda of the moneyed candidates who advertise and who secretly pay them for their angled views and reportage. Come election time, mass media corporations, especially those with a nationwide coverage or market, rake in so much money and profits with the huge bonanza coming from political ads and political space and time. They then become instruments for the perpetuation of  political and governmental control by the elite.  (Mariano B. Carrasco is a lawyer based in Cagayan de Oro.)