Summary
Highlights
Atom Araullo, a journalist, discusses the evolution of his career from traditional television journalism to the current digital revolution. He reminisces about his early days in a 90s magazine show called 'Five and Up,' highlighting its coverage of diverse and sometimes serious topics. He emphasizes how the digital revolution and social media have redefined journalism, changing how news is consumed and the feedback mechanisms between audience and journalists.
Araullo delves into statistics from the 2018 'Digital Around the World report,' showing that over half the global population (4.021 billion people) has internet access. He notes that people spend more time on the internet and social media (around 9 hours and 29 minutes daily) than sleeping or working. He lists Facebook, YouTube, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram as the most active social media platforms. Alarmingly, news and current events are not among the top internet search queries.
Araullo discusses the decline in social media use for news due to low trust and the proliferation of 'fake news.' He provides an example of a photoshopped image used to spread political misinformation. He recounts his personal experience observing fake news sites before the 2016 elections, noting their coordinated efforts to spread propaganda and the challenge of discerning truth in a landscape where traditional journalistic boundaries are blurred.
He illustrates how anyone with a smartphone can now record and share events, effectively becoming a 'citizen journalist.' Araullo argues that the ethics and values of journalism are now applicable to everyone, whether they are a blogger, a reporter, or a casual internet user. He stresses the importance of courage in telling stories, rooted in facts and evidence, and the need for humility to accept scrutiny and work with the audience.
Araullo emphasizes that journalists must return to their core purpose: finding the truth and telling stories. He shares his motivation, which stems from giving a voice to those who lack a platform. He introduces 'Fight Back PH,' a small group he co-founded to produce independent news for the digital era. He showcases their innovative use of 360-degree video to immerse audiences in experiences like disaster risk reduction, believing in the power of stories to educate, expand, and change lives.