Payola: Media's open secret

written by: Rem Lucio
(Aileen Tandang, Arnela Almirez, Gwen Kangleon)
Having been around for quite some time now, Payola is an ongoing practice in media. So what is Payola? According to history-of-rock website, Payola comes from the words “pay” and “Victrola” (an LP record player), and entered the English language via the record business. Payola is defined as the illegal practice of record companies paying radio stations and disc jockeys to play particular songs in their stations.
According to Ernie Dela Cruz, who used to work under the Advertisement/Promotion Department of Vicor Recording Company, “Some radio stations receive payola with the station manager, some would go individually (straight to the DJs). Recording companies give out payola as part of promotions of songs. Binibigyan nila ng plugging list (titles of songs) yoong mga announcers na tumatangap ng payola para yoon lang yoong patugtugin nilang kanta.”
Payola comes in different forms. It usually comes in forms of cash or “good time treats”. Good time treats referring to free passes to hotels, restaurants, dinners, dinners, events etc. Even guns are given for protection. The lowest rate of payment one receives for a write-up is 20,000 or 30,000. It depends on the company a media practitioner works for. The amount goes higher if you are a big time reporter.
In the US, Payola goes back as early as the 1920’s. It became more apparent in the 1950’s with the emergence of rock 'n' roll, the introduction of the inexpensive 45 RPM single, radio's shift to Top 40 music once TV commandeered drama, postwar prosperity, and the arrival of teenagers as an economic force. In this period, live performances were taken over by records. The easiest way for artists to gain exposure and sell their records, the labels needed to distinguish their songs from their competitors. Bribery seemed the best way to go thus record companies hired promoters to pay deejays particular amounts to play their records.
One example of Payola done in the US is when in January 1998, Flip/Interscope Records paid a Portland, Oregon radio station $5,000 to play one Limp Bizkit song 50 times over a five-week period. The band was able to generate enough interest to play a successful concert there. Other stations showed interest in their music, and Limp Bizkit broke into the music biz in a big way. However, the argument against pay-for-play, even if the parties are upfront about it, is that it allows big labels to buy their artists’ way onto the charts.
Payola is usually use either for a good purpose or a bad purpose. Either you write a negative or a positive feature on a particular person. It is for either for good publicity or bad publicity. It takes in many forms—apart from promoting songs, it is also done involving writers, editors and reporters to publish particular stories.
It is also done by the government as well. “Yoong mga commentaries, news programs, may mga politicians and government agencies ang nagbibigay para hindi sila siraan sa publiko,” says Dela Cruz.
For Ivy Manat of Ballyhoo Records, she carefully chooses which to receive. “Personally, if you will give me a certain amount, tapos sisiraan ko lang yung iba, di ko gagawin yun. Pero pag binayaran mo ko ng malaking amount pababanguhin kita, ggagawin ko yun kasi still positive.” Furthermore she adds, “Sa akin, ok lang na tumanggap ng payola. If I’m a writer or I’m a journalist, it’s ok na tumanggap ako pero as long as hindi ko sisirain yung tao. Kung i-buibuild-up ko siya ok lang, so kung naiinggit yung kabilang partido, magpabuild-up na din sya. At least hindi kita ida-down. Hindi ko sya titirahin pababa.” She herself has confessed to have done receiving Payolas but only to write good publicity on someone.
In some cases, there are some journalists who will continue to do bad write ups about certain people unless they are given money or “good time treats” in exchange. “May mga ibang journalists na sisiraan ka nila ng sisiraan hangga’t hindi ka nagbibigay. Tapos after mo magbigay mabait na siya sa iyo. Ireretrack niya yung mga sinulat nya and babawiin so nawala na yoong credibility mo. And magugulat yung boss mo bakit ganoon and palalabasin na lang niya may nakameeting siya na nagsabing hindi naman pala talaga sya ganun,” says Manat.
As long as there are people who give out money, there will be people who will continue receiving them. Most media people practices Payola but there are still a few out there who don’t do this kind of practice—those who stick to the ethical side of their careers. When asked if there’s a possibility for Payola to be eradicated from the industry, “No. The saddest part of it [is that] it will be worse, and it will stay forever. Media has lost [its] credibility because of this,” says Dela Cruz.

Payola: Media's open secret

written by: Rem Lucio
(Aileen Tandang, Arnela Almirez, Gwen Kangleon)
Having been around for quite some time now, Payola is an ongoing practice in media. So what is Payola? According to history-of-rock website, Payola comes from the words “pay” and “Victrola” (an LP record player), and entered the English language via the record business. Payola is defined as the illegal practice of record companies paying radio stations and disc jockeys to play particular songs in their stations.
According to Ernie Dela Cruz, who used to work under the Advertisement/Promotion Department of Vicor Recording Company, “Some radio stations receive payola with the station manager, some would go individually (straight to the DJs). Recording companies give out payola as part of promotions of songs. Binibigyan nila ng plugging list (titles of songs) yoong mga announcers na tumatangap ng payola para yoon lang yoong patugtugin nilang kanta.”
Payola comes in different forms. It usually comes in forms of cash or “good time treats”. Good time treats referring to free passes to hotels, restaurants, dinners, dinners, events etc. Even guns are given for protection. The lowest rate of payment one receives for a write-up is 20,000 or 30,000. It depends on the company a media practitioner works for. The amount goes higher if you are a big time reporter.
In the US, Payola goes back as early as the 1920’s. It became more apparent in the 1950’s with the emergence of rock 'n' roll, the introduction of the inexpensive 45 RPM single, radio's shift to Top 40 music once TV commandeered drama, postwar prosperity, and the arrival of teenagers as an economic force. In this period, live performances were taken over by records. The easiest way for artists to gain exposure and sell their records, the labels needed to distinguish their songs from their competitors. Bribery seemed the best way to go thus record companies hired promoters to pay deejays particular amounts to play their records.
One example of Payola done in the US is when in January 1998, Flip/Interscope Records paid a Portland, Oregon radio station $5,000 to play one Limp Bizkit song 50 times over a five-week period. The band was able to generate enough interest to play a successful concert there. Other stations showed interest in their music, and Limp Bizkit broke into the music biz in a big way. However, the argument against pay-for-play, even if the parties are upfront about it, is that it allows big labels to buy their artists’ way onto the charts.
Payola is usually use either for a good purpose or a bad purpose. Either you write a negative or a positive feature on a particular person. It is for either for good publicity or bad publicity. It takes in many forms—apart from promoting songs, it is also done involving writers, editors and reporters to publish particular stories.
It is also done by the government as well. “Yoong mga commentaries, news programs, may mga politicians and government agencies ang nagbibigay para hindi sila siraan sa publiko,” says Dela Cruz.
For Ivy Manat of Ballyhoo Records, she carefully chooses which to receive. “Personally, if you will give me a certain amount, tapos sisiraan ko lang yung iba, di ko gagawin yun. Pero pag binayaran mo ko ng malaking amount pababanguhin kita, ggagawin ko yun kasi still positive.” Furthermore she adds, “Sa akin, ok lang na tumanggap ng payola. If I’m a writer or I’m a journalist, it’s ok na tumanggap ako pero as long as hindi ko sisirain yung tao. Kung i-buibuild-up ko siya ok lang, so kung naiinggit yung kabilang partido, magpabuild-up na din sya. At least hindi kita ida-down. Hindi ko sya titirahin pababa.” She herself has confessed to have done receiving Payolas but only to write good publicity on someone.
In some cases, there are some journalists who will continue to do bad write ups about certain people unless they are given money or “good time treats” in exchange. “May mga ibang journalists na sisiraan ka nila ng sisiraan hangga’t hindi ka nagbibigay. Tapos after mo magbigay mabait na siya sa iyo. Ireretrack niya yung mga sinulat nya and babawiin so nawala na yoong credibility mo. And magugulat yung boss mo bakit ganoon and palalabasin na lang niya may nakameeting siya na nagsabing hindi naman pala talaga sya ganun,” says Manat.
As long as there are people who give out money, there will be people who will continue receiving them. Most media people practices Payola but there are still a few out there who don’t do this kind of practice—those who stick to the ethical side of their careers. When asked if there’s a possibility for Payola to be eradicated from the industry, “No. The saddest part of it [is that] it will be worse, and it will stay forever. Media has lost [its] credibility because of this,” says Dela Cruz.

Payola: Media's open secret

written by: Rem Lucio

(Aileen Tandang, Arnela Almirez, Gwen Kangleon)

Having been around for quite some time now, Payola is an ongoing practice in media. So what is Payola? According to history-of-rock website, Payola comes from the words “pay” and “Victrola” (an LP record player), and entered the English language via the record business. Payola is defined as the illegal practice of record companies paying radio stations and disc jockeys to play particular songs in their stations.

According to Ernie Dela Cruz, who used to work under the Advertisement/Promotion Department of Vicor Recording Company, “Some radio stations receive payola with the station manager, some would go individually (straight to the DJs). Recording companies give out payola as part of promotions of songs. Binibigyan nila ng plugging list (titles of songs) yoong mga announcers na tumatangap ng payola para yoon lang yoong patugtugin nilang kanta.”

Payola comes in different forms. It usually comes in forms of cash or “good time treats”. Good time treats referring to free passes to hotels, restaurants, dinners, dinners, events etc. Even guns are given for protection. The lowest rate of payment one receives for a write-up is 20,000 or 30,000. It depends on the company a media practitioner works for. The amount goes higher if you are a big time reporter.

In the US, Payola goes back as early as the 1920’s. It became more apparent in the 1950’s with the emergence of rock 'n' roll, the introduction of the inexpensive 45 RPM single, radio's shift to Top 40 music once TV commandeered drama, postwar prosperity, and the arrival of teenagers as an economic force. In this period, live performances were taken over by records. The easiest way for artists to gain exposure and sell their records, the labels needed to distinguish their songs from their competitors. Bribery seemed the best way to go thus record companies hired promoters to pay deejays particular amounts to play their records.

One example of Payola done in the US is when in January 1998, Flip/Interscope Records paid a Portland, Oregon radio station $5,000 to play one Limp Bizkit song 50 times over a five-week period. The band was able to generate enough interest to play a successful concert there. Other stations showed interest in their music, and Limp Bizkit broke into the music biz in a big way. However, the argument against pay-for-play, even if the parties are upfront about it, is that it allows big labels to buy their artists’ way onto the charts.

Payola is usually use either for a good purpose or a bad purpose. Either you write a negative or a positive feature on a particular person. It is for either for good publicity or bad publicity. It takes in many forms—apart from promoting songs, it is also done involving writers, editors and reporters to publish particular stories.

It is also done by the government as well. “Yoong mga commentaries, news programs, may mga politicians and government agencies ang nagbibigay para hindi sila siraan sa publiko,” says Dela Cruz.

For Ivy Manat of Ballyhoo Records, she carefully chooses which to receive. “Personally, if you will give me a certain amount, tapos sisiraan ko lang yung iba, di ko gagawin yun. Pero pag binayaran mo ko ng malaking amount pababanguhin kita, ggagawin ko yun kasi still positive.” Furthermore she adds, “Sa akin, ok lang na tumanggap ng payola. If I’m a writer or I’m a journalist, it’s ok na tumanggap ako pero as long as hindi ko sisirain yung tao. Kung i-buibuild-up ko siya ok lang, so kung naiinggit yung kabilang partido, magpabuild-up na din sya. At least hindi kita ida-down. Hindi ko sya titirahin pababa.” She herself has confessed to have done receiving Payolas but only to write good publicity on someone.

In some cases, there are some journalists who will continue to do bad write ups about certain people unless they are given money or “good time treats” in exchange. “May mga ibang journalists na sisiraan ka nila ng sisiraan hangga’t hindi ka nagbibigay. Tapos after mo magbigay mabait na siya sa iyo. Ireretrack niya yung mga sinulat nya and babawiin so nawala na yoong credibility mo. And magugulat yung boss mo bakit ganoon and palalabasin na lang niya may nakameeting siya na nagsabing hindi naman pala talaga sya ganun,” says Manat.

As long as there are people who give out money, there will be people who will continue receiving them. Most media people practices Payola but there are still a few out there who don’t do this kind of practice—those who stick to the ethical side of their careers. When asked if there’s a possibility for Payola to be eradicated from the industry, “No. The saddest part of it [is that] it will be worse, and it will stay forever. Media has lost [its] credibility because of this,” says Dela Cruz.

An artist’s heart

One piece of hard-boiled egg and plain rice on a plastic plate is a lunch for Marcelo Quezon, one of the assistant teachers in a painting workshop at the Philippine Medical Women’s Association (PMWA) in Quezon City. On is right hand, after several hours of holding pencil and paint brushes, was a plastic fork used a spoon to feed himself.

The 26-year-old artist was not much different from the other artist in the place. One look at them and none would ever think that they are the makers of beautiful and striking pieces of paintings displayed at the Intellectual Property Building in Makati City. Together with the other artists, Quezon has been spending his time teaching other people learn the different techniques in painting such as oil, pastel, acrylic and watercolor. He likes every medium, but he says he excels most on pastel.

Being an artist requires a lot of passion in the field. Every stroke of his brush should show the strength of the story, every color created from creative mixtures should set the mood of a piece, and every final product should declare something essential. These are actually the idea they are trying to passed on to the next generation of painters, because these things distinguish an artist from an ordinary man. As Fernando Sena, the head teacher of the painting workshop said, “When a person uses his hand for work, he is a laborer; when he uses his hand and head, he is a craftsman; but when he uses his hands, head and heart, he is an artist.”

Quezon’s simplicity in art manifests in his works. Most of his subjects are under the theme of “still life” where simple picture of fruits, a duck, a velvet cap and a pink Converse shoes hanged on the wall – all in made in pastel. Some of his works are also with an idea of nudity. Two of his paintings displayed in his exhibit portray a woman wearing two piece and another painting showing three children naked. But don’t think bad immediately. Quezon only showed his subjects’ backs.

For most people, paintings are products of someone else’s past time, but most painters count them as their source of living. Quezon’s works worth as much as P20,000. It could be a large sum of money for a single piece as long as it is sold, otherwise, it still adds nothing to a painter’s earnings. Since selling a painting is very unpredictable, some artists like Quezon have other jobs like teaching and modeling. None of them solely depends on painting as their only livelihood.

As we talked, he stopped eating occasionally, but the longest time he paused was when I asked what could make him stop his career as a painter. He smiled as usual and simply answered,

“‘pag wala na akong kinikita.”

Prince Charming’s Neverland

Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and all fairy tales princesses have in common – a handsome, gentle and brave prince charming. Every girl dreams of being like them, but as the story books close, those fairy tales remain to be plain fantasies.

From the simple, gentle and very modest images of women in those fairy tales, the reality now shows different women leveling up with men. Can you just imagine Cinderella and her Prince Charming doing the same job? What about if Rapunzel was aggressive enough to go down the tower and not lay down her long hair to be rescued? Will their Prince Charmings still be needed in the stories?

In our society, there are certain traditions expected from both men and women. Filipino culture tells us that men should court women and they must work harder. But now, courtship falls back on body language, a form of non-verbal communication understood by both sexes.

According to Allan Pease, author of The Definitive Guide to Body Language, what really turns men on is female “submission” gestures, which include exposing vulnerable areas such as the wrists or neck, as well as the leg twine (it involves crossing the legs and hooking the upper leg’s foot behind the lower leg’s ankle). Men typically make themselves look more dominant by taking up space and engaging in “crotch display” – thumbs hooked in pockets, fingers “pointing” at their genitals.

Present day Prince Charmings are not what fairy tales describe and tells them to be. They do not ride horses and travel through the woods, fight a ferocious dragon and rescue princesses from a tower. Some of them simply sit and enjoy their lives to the fullest. Why? Because every Prince Charming has a Peter Pan in them. They always want to go back to Neverlands where they can just fly and play and never grow up.

The Power and the Glory – Book Review

The real world and religion are usually portrayed to be inseparable. The church as a whole has experienced different persecutions and priests have received scandalous issues such as having mistresses and being gay. But in the midst of these problems, many priests still continue their duties in the church.

Graham Greene’s The Power and the Glory tells the story of Father José, a native priest in Mexico who was compelled by the state and his cowardice to marry. When persecution became worse, he remembers “the gift he had been given which nobody could take away. That was what made him worthy of damnation – the power he still had of turning the wafer into the flesh and blood of God.” The whisky priest can no longer find the meaning in prayer but to him “the Host was different: to lay that between a dying man’s lips was to lay God.”

Graham Greene’s pessimism about the temporal world, derived apparently form his childhood memories and reinforced by is experience of the Depression of the 1930’3, was both intensified and made bearable by his religion. Catholicism was a major influence on his works.

He was also influenced by his experiences as journalist, which contributed to the remarkable topic of many of his novels. Works of this type include The Quiet American (1955), set in Indochina; Our man in Havana (1958), set in pre-Castro Cuba; and The Comedians (1966), set in Haiti of President Duvalier.

Greene also wrote short stories and a number of plays, including The Living Room (1953), The Plotting Shed (1957), and The Complaisant Lover (1959). He adapted several of his works for the screen.

A Cell of Cervical Cancer

Cells are what make a man completely human. They make up almost all our body parts inside out. They are microscopic packages of living material and we have billions of them. These billions of cells can inspire faith in life or ignite the fear of death. Cancer is definitely the most frightening.

Cancer respects no one. Everyone is subject to suffer this disease any time in his or her life. We have heard of rich and famous people suffer and die with the poor ones because of cancer. Men are most likely to develop lung and liver cancers, while women are most vulnerable to breast and cervical cancers.

It appears that cervical cancer becomes more alarming these years than before. The Internet and other reading materials offer more information about this disease simply because there are more cases of cervical cancer now.

Studies have found a number of factors that may increase the risk of cervical cancer. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) infection is the main risk factor for cervical cancer. HPV is a group of viruses that can infect the cervix. HPV infections are very common. These viruses can be passed from person to person through sexual contact. Some types of HPV can cause changes to cells in the cervix. These changes can lead to genital warts, cancer, and other problems.

Truly, cervical cancer is a threat for those who are too lackadaisical about themselves. But because of the busy schedules everybody seems to have, many almost forget to check on their own health. While the billions of cells in our body keep us working, we ought to be careful because it might be that one of those billions is a cell of cervical cancer.