Wazzup Pilipinas!
I don't know what to answer to this email sent by an event scheduled from 6:30pm onwards. Lol!
"Good day! This is -------------- from the PR Team of -----------. This is to confirm two slots for ---------------. However, I would like to give advance notice that we cannot offer you meals or any compensation tomorrow.
Hoping for your understanding. Thank you very much for your support.
Please have dinner elsewhere before coming to the venue. There is a section --------- reserved for media and it is near the stage. Thank you very much. Hope to see you or your representative tomorrow."
Sige po... Kain muna kami elsewhere ng dinner bago pumunta sa event ninyo...
or pupuntahan pa ba namin kayo?
I don't know if this is the same message they send to all media, but it sounds like they've been used to giving compensation, and now apologizing because they may not have the budget.
Or is the compensation and meals limited to a select few?
The "compensation" they are referring to is sometimes called "honorarium" or "talent fee" and is definitely something nice to have but not ethical for traditional media to receive since they are already receiving a regular salary from their employers (publicists, producers, network, etc)
But for bloggers who usually work independently, the provision of at least meals / snacks or refreshments and/or complimentary tokens, perks and privileges is much appreciated. Bloggers are not demanding for it, but it is highly preferred. Paano ka gaganahang mag cover at magsulat about an event kung uhaw at gutom ka na. Mahirap din yatang mag early dinner lalo na kung di ka pa gutom.
Bloggers also spend for taxis or Grab cars, invest on gadgets and tools (cameras, smartphones, tripods, laptops, action cams, etc), pay for electricity and Internet / telephone / mobile bills, try to look good with presentable clothes, etc., Bloggers don't usually have transportation provisions or reimbursable travel costs that most trad media enjoy. They don't always get to have all-expense paid trips to other cities or countries.
At least give bloggers something decent to bring back home. Enough with the mugs, notebooks, umbrellas, pens, or any other merchandize whose amount do not even come close to the actual cost spent for that day.
We are not asking for equality but maybe an equitable arrangement especially that online is now the preferred media of most businesses whose aim is to reach the most number of people, faster, cheaper and more effectively.
Enough with the prioritizing of trad media during press conferences or media coverages. It should be on a first come, first serve basis, to instill punctuality over media. It is discouraging when you made an effort to come early to a press conference, and then asked to give way to trad media.
Please stop pampering the big players, and taking for granted the little ones. Stop treating better those who are currently at the top because those at the bottom could someday be big as well. This is the same scenario why the rich keep on getting richer, and the poor keep getting poorer, mainly because people are biased to the popular, influential, affluent and prominent, while opportunities are given less to those who are newbies in the game.
#WazzupPilipinas #PambansangBlogger
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
