The day after

Photo c/o Eric Nopanen, unsplash.com

The radio-TV broadcasting business has been disrupted by advancements in technology (social media, texts, 4K, 3G, 4G, 5G, digital technology, etc.). I know most of these companies are losing money or maybe making a small profit. Just remember that the airwaves is a finite resource: there is only limited capacity in the spectrum. What and why is it then that keeps owners clinging to their rights to the airwaves? It is the idea that they can have power, control people, influence policies, become a kingmaker, etc. Look how our youth and young adults are now, after being exposed to decades of programming from the network. See any changes? Any good changes? Public service you say? Yes of course but with a profit motive. Notice how every network has it's own foundation and charitable organization that are doing a great job of course but also promoting their network all the time.

If you want to put up a radio or TV station, how much do you think you'll have to invest? How much money do you think you'll make? Yet people will still gravitate to owning a broadcasting network. And if you're losing money, you can still make more money out of your losing business: sell the network to the highest bidder. For sure there will be takers. Remember the magic and power of being an owner of such a network. You will make money not from running the business but BY BEING IN THE BUSINESS. Tell me a private network that doesn't have any agenda. Of course, none, everyone has one, remember Agenda Setting Theory in communication?

Why is it that during the two EDSA Revolutions and the coups in-between, one of the primary objective was to control a radio or TV station? Precisely that magical power of disseminating information en masse, rapidly and quickly. One station to many receivers. But that is no longer true actually because of the so-called disruptors. The free-flow of information has been opened. You can start your own radio station and do an online broadcast, go on YouTube and become a TV star, etc. etc. Of course there will be gatekeepers, the disruptors i.e. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, etc. and add to the list  Globe, Smart, Vodafone, Verizon, who provide access. They are actually the new kingmakers. Dig deeply and you will see interlocking ownership or interests in them.

Going back to the ABS-CBN dilemma, what do you think would be the final outcome? Who is or will be at the losing end? They have the resources, equipment, staff, etc. Why don't they just go online? Oh but the masa are the ones whom we are serving and they have not much money for cable or online. That's not true, almost everyone has a smartphone, that can access the shows. Owning the frequency, the airwaves, is now more of a status symbol. Broadcasting is actually an old man's game. It's narrowcasting (online, web-based, for a specific target market) that is more effective, the now, the here. The shotgun approach is no longer valid.

Just remember the ready takers out there, with their own agendas, salivating at the prospect of getting this established network. Not really making that much money but hey the power and influence it brings is more valuable than gold.