The Informed Filipino Voter: A Myth or Reality?
02/02/2010 at 4:34 pm | In Uncategorized | Leave a CommentTags: 2010 elections, Filipino elections, obama campaign, orcom, up manila
With the national elections less than three months away from today, you just know I’m going to HAVE to blog about it at some point in time.
In the same class that made me start this blog, we were asked our opinions on whether or not the Internet would change the way the Philippine election is wired.
Continue reading The Informed Filipino Voter: A Myth or Reality?…
Freelance Writing for a Dirt Cheap Price?
11/29/2009 at 11:26 am | In Caveats of My Life | 3 CommentsTags: cheap online writing, content writing, freelance writing, freelance writing jobs, freelance writing services, online writing, web content
One thing I regularly do when I’m online is to check different websites where freelance writing services are bought and sold. If you’ve been in the freelance writing market as long as I have, then you probably know the sites I’m talking about–www.odesk.com, www.elance.com, www.getafreelancer.com and so much more.
Underpaying Clients
To say that there are a lot of freelance job markets is an understatement. I’m not kidding; I think I’ve come across hundreds already.
What concerns me, though, is a growing trend across these sites: freelance writing services for a dirt cheap price. What do I mean? 400- to 500-word articles that are priced at usually 2$. If you’re even unluckier, you’d be given a dollar for an article!
I’d dismiss this as an effect of globalization–there’s an increasing supply of freelance writers from all over the world. Literally.
Holding Your Ground
However, I feel the need to caution others, even myself, that selling one’s writing services for that small a price should never be an option. These articles aren’t easy to create. They involve research, proofreading, and sometimes even a few cups of coffee, right?
I think a massive movement of freelance writers is in order. We shouldn’t allow ourselves to be sold short, considering the costs of offering freelance writing services. It’s not just about the electricity your laptop consumes; you’re also sacrificing your time for yourself, your friends, family, and–which is probably the clincher–your time. And we all know those things can’t be taken back.
Rogue and Manila Collegian: How Print Media is Engaging New Media
10/29/2009 at 3:30 pm | In Social Media at Work | Leave a CommentTags: manila collegian, new media, orcom, organizational communication, print is dead, print media, rogue magazine, social media, up manila
One of the strongest messages that resonate in today’s new media age is this: print is dead. After all, the most basic function of print—to provide information to its receiver—is undermined by new media.
Credits to threeminds.organic.com
The Internet doesn’t just hand over information from senders; it also allows receivers to send their own messages as well. But you already know that: if you’re reading this, then you’re experiencing it. You’re a receiver and sender of messages in the Internet yourself!
Continue reading Rogue and Manila Collegian: How Print Media is Engaging New Media…
Mispriorities and a thank you note
10/29/2009 at 12:13 am | In Uncategorized | 4 CommentsI couldn’t say this semester was the hardest–in hindsight, I’ve gone through worse. Harder subjects, much more demanding professors, and really exhausting challenges were all factors that made previous semesters technically more difficult.
Still, none of them compared to the fail of this one.
I can’t remember any other semester where I exaggeratedly questioned the need to get high grades. Or the need to fulfill one’s requirements in favor of finishing a long due article for a client.
I don’t remember any other semester where I felt more burned out, which I though I know all too well. Apparently not.
Or a semester where I was just too tired to fight for survival, much less for myself.
When my professor told the class off for underperforming, not living up to the expectations and all the big things that basically directed to the fact that we were a disappointment, I all at once knew that I was part of that possibly big picture. I knew long before then that I was whittled down to the pathetic pits of mediocrity.
I just lost that integral ingredient called passion along the way. And I never went back to pick it up. How did I lose it? I can point to a plethora of instances–all of which unnerving and debilitating in one way or another–but pointing them out will neither solve nor alleviate the damage.
Losing that ingredient meant losing a lot of other smaller things: losing the will to blog regularly as promised, to finish what’s been started, to not be late (or to sleep too much!!), to train, to dutifully work for clients, to care about what I used to care about, etc. There’s just too much to do.
So when the same professor told us that losing in the battle is okay, so long as we’re doing what makes us happy, I had to take a step back and marvel at the devastation of it all. By then, it was not a pretty sight, but a sight I was nevertheless trying to rebuild. The rebuilding, it was all too apparent, came in late.
In the end, I lost one huge battle (and no, it’s not this battle) I’d been struggling in for far too many months–in favor of something much more beautiful, less self-serving, and ultimately inspiring.
The underlying point, and perhaps the only piece of matter that directly concerns you, is my gratitude. This is an entry for anyone who read or came across my blog posts, which, in more ways than one, were an offshoot of who I am. Thank you for those who deliberately searched for my blog, who searched for the keywords that fit in my entries, and went here for whatever purpose you have. The end of grading the blogs is over, but I intend to have this blog for keeps.
After all–and I know this all too well from the many battles I lost this semester–losing is gaining.
How Glee took the Online World by Storm
10/23/2009 at 4:04 pm | In Social Media at Work | 2 CommentsTags: Glee, Glee iTunes, Glee ratings, Glee social media, glee songs, Glee television show, iTunes, orcom, organizational communication, up manila
High school. An overachieving girl. A popular varsity player. Cheesy songs played in between. The plot seemed all too familiar: the show must be High School Musical—except that it’s not. It’s actually Glee, a new television series from Fox that, at surface, looks and sounds a lot like that overly popular Disney made-for-television movie.
Glee!
I didn’t think Glee was very different from HSM after watching its pilot episode. I only remember Ryan Seacrest plugging the show during the last episode of American Idol. I obviously didn’t have the means to watch it—until I got hold of through a video streaming website It had its weird moments and the characters can get one-dimensional… but how can anyone not get entertained with a show that features music performances from practically all genres?
Glee’s Television Performance
Okay, maybe a lot of people—eight episodes after, Glee isn’t exactly the cup of tea of Americans on a Wednesday night. Shows in the US are known for the tight competition they are subjected to. In its timeslot, Glee’s average rank ranges from fourth to fifth, with shows like Criminal Minds and Modern Family leading by at least 2 million. According to Nielsen, it currently ranks 29th among all primetime broadcast shows with viewers from 18 to 49. Given the unspectacular rating of the show, how does it manage to thrive? After all, its production must cost a lot more than regular US shows—rumors point to 3 million dollars an episode! Think about securing licensing each song, releasing a studio record of each, and even paying amazing talents like Lea Michele (ie the lead of the seminal musical Spring Awakening).
Again, how does it manage to thrive in the overly competitive US series arena, where advertisers consider the ratings foremost?
You guessed it right. The show is exploring an altogether (not-so) new battleground: new media.
Glee’s Musical Success Online
Four episodes into the show, Glee has surpassed the 1 million download mark. All of its songs are on the Top 200 downloads of iTunes, probably much to Columbia Records and Twentieth Century Fox’s euphoria—and relief.
Glee's performance in iTunes
This is not the only indicator of the show’s success in the new media landscape. Its promo clips, usually aired on Youtube, has an average of 200,000 hits—not to mention at least a hundred raving comments. A measure of its success online, also, would be Youtube artists’ covers of the hit songs from Glee, such as this one:
Glee’s Social Media Thrust
Broadcast media might not reflect the popularity of the show, given the fair ratings it has been receiving. It has officially invaded Facebook, with almost 600,000 fans lively joining in on the discussions started by the page’s status updates. A single update alone would have at least 500 comments. And, yes, that includes me. 
What makes Glee’s Facebook page a cut above the rest is the interesting ‘inside scoop’ on what’s up with the show. It even posts teaser photos of the show. Music performances of the show—in hi-def—can also be watched here.
That’s not the end of it, really. It also has a Twitter account—not just of the show, mind you, but of the characters themselves! Here’s one of the tweets of Coach Sylvester, the boyish coach of the cheerleading dance team: It’s a little known fact that @finniswin is functionally retarded. His very presence lowers the average IQ by 15 points. Mind you, she actually strikes conversations with people in Twitter! Glee also maintains a wiki site, where users can freely contribute content. One of the submenus says ‘100 Reasons to Watch Glee’ and a page fan fiction and fan posters.
Personally, I have never seen my social networking sites that convoluted with episodes of a US series—not even my original favorite, Desperate Housewives. 
Now, if you yourself honestly can’t get enough of the show, you better head on to the show’s fansite, You can even download podcasts about the show here.
Wouldn’t you want your favorite television show to speak the way Glee does? I’m glad mine does. 
Starting Real Conversations on the Internet
10/06/2009 at 4:19 pm | In Social Media at Work | 6 CommentsTags: academe, conversation prism, facebook, fake conversations, Internet forums, orcom, organizational communication, up manila, Yehey!
from mike.teczno.com
When Mr. Paolo Pangan, Digital Strategy Manager of Yehey!, gave a lecture on viral marketing, he pointed a specific ineffective tactic used by companies when engaging people online: starting fake conversations. Used to hype certain campaigns at its initial stage, this tactic usually backlashes anyway, especially since most people detect posers in the Internet. In the end, companies suffer more. They may have gotten the initial hype they bargained for, but at the expense of their reputation.
Continue reading Starting Real Conversations on the Internet…
Stopping Social Media from Stopping You
10/06/2009 at 1:52 pm | In Social Media at Work | 4 CommentsTags: Internet addiction, new media, orcom, organizational communication, social media addict, social media addiction, stop social media, up manila
from examiner.com
We’re young, we’re crazy, and we’re restless. Unfortunately, these three qualities most of us, young people, have are anything but helpful when it comes to using the Internet, particularly social media.
Would you believe that whenever I leave my Facebook for a few (and by few, I mean 3-5 minutes) minutes, my Facebook will have about 20 new posts screaming to be read? If you are my friend in Facebook, then your status update is probably one of those. Equally bad: my Twitter, Multiply, Plurk—even my Friendster account—are all equally clogged by updates minute after next. And yeah, some of those posts are pleas to be liberated from the throes of the social media.
Don’t Even Think of Corporate Blogging!
10/05/2009 at 1:50 am | In Social Media at Work | 1 CommentTags: BBC, CEO Bloggers, corporate blog, corporate blogging, corporate blogging tips, Craiglist blog, Dell blog, orcom, organizational communication, public relations, up manila
fromblaugh.com
To say that blogging is one of the best features of the Web 2.0 will be an understatement. Not only has blogging enabled normal Internet users like me to document whatever selfish details of their lives are for all the world to see, it has also handed a challenge to companies. That challenge can be summarized in two words: corporate blogging.
In all honesty, I haven’t read a single decent corporate blog in the Philippines. There. I said it. I’ve heard about the best corporate blogs there are and that includes Dell’s and BBC’s. There are even CEO bloggers like Craiglist’s Craig Newmark, who surprisingly have the time for corporate blogging. But no, not in the Philippines. Our lecture in corporate blogging made me realize how it is nearer to talking with people than it is to achieving organizational goals. That said, Philippine companies should be brave enough to face the fire and try corporate blogging; they’ve listened long enough. Why not let us listen to what they have to say?
How Filipinos Drew Humour out of Ondoy
10/05/2009 at 12:07 am | In Caveats of My Life | 3 CommentsTags: comic relief, ondoy gma, ondoy jokes, ondoy olympics, orcom, organizational communication, typhoon ondoy, up manila
When Filipinos were tagged as humorous even in the direst situations, I honestly thought it was just one of those qualities Filipinos would claim as exclusively theirs when it clearly wasn’t. I had the chance to truly verify that claim when Ondoy came–tragic as the typhoon might have been , it was one of those times when certain Filipinos took the opportunity to relax a little and lessen the tension that characterized everything related to Ondoy.
More than the spirit of volunteerism evident in social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Youtube among many others, there were also jibes and jokes that, I admit, even I couldn’t help but laugh at.
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