Hard Times for the Media

This was the title of an article that came out on the website of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), four (4) years ago on March 2002, which I only read recently; see the link below to read the full story. It struck me right into the core of my sensibility because I was a media practitioner and I remember a similar experience in the past. Picture courtesy of: http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Spring01/Hogue/

It is truly frustrating as well as demeaning when you know your paper or station has to shutdown because less and less advertisers are taking the plunge. It will reap your heart apart when you see each day how the company gasps for breath until it couldn’t do longer and has to give up finally. Bad part is; you couldn’t do anything to save it.

There is no other reason more unspeakable to end a media institution than bankruptcy. Yes, a very cruel reason indeed.

This is what haunting the local media industry until today; and it’s getting more rampant. Even international media are not spared from this state. Not to mention, cases of media shutdown as mere forms of repression to silence the institutions of free expressions.

Before, writers, reporters and journalists only have their deadlines and stories to think and chase around; now, they also have their work, as well as their lives, to worry about.

Here are a few other stories on media closure due to financial difficulties since the start of the millennium:

Crisis hit Philippine media
http://www.pcij.org/imag/latest/hardtimes.html

US television and radio stations announce closure
http://www.unt.edu/inhouse/november192004/media.htm

Russian independent media face closure for tax liabilities
http://www.freemedia.at/cms/ipi/statements_detail.html?ctxid=CH0055&docid=CMS1146833075397&year=2000

BBC shutdown media websites to cut cost
http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,14173,1377230,00.html?gusrc=rss