Spanish Colonization
Image source: https://www.sutori.com/story/the-pre-spanish-colonial-period--Zg4NJ93AHbNyMC9x7xYThLxb
• The Spanish period began on 1521 and ended on 1898, when the Treaty of Paris was signed. As established earlier, the press has no Filipino origin; it is a colonial influence that
was primarily practiced not to benefit the colonized but to serve the colonizers‘ country of
origin. Jose Victor Torres (2019) wrote, ― "The Spanish government always relied on reports
written by the officials and missionaries of the different religious orders brought in through
messenger and boats in the island. The galleons and, later, the merchant ships from Europe
brought news from abroad," in which these reports were used to strengthen the Spanish
control over the country.
By 1637, a Filipino printer named Tomas Pinpin was already printing and issuing Manila newsletters called "Sucesos Felices." This was considered the first Philippine newspaper (Castro, 1990). Although tagged as a Philippine newspaper, Sucesos Felices was written in Spanish and was read only by the elites.
Image source: https://xiaochua.net/tag/lci/
Other publications include: Al Publico (1799), a flyer, Aviso al Publico (1809), a formal publication, Poem en verso keroico (1809), ―a compilation of news from English gazettes‖ (Fernandez, 1989, p. 318), Doctrina Christiana (1593), first book printed in the Philippines, and Del Superior Govierno (1811), the first regular newspaper in the Philippines (Castro, 1990; Fernandez, 1989).
Most of these publications contained information for ―practical purposes‖ (Castro,
1990, p.4); others, to counter lies of other publications (Fernandez, 1989). These eventually
changed when the Filipinos had access to publications.
American Period
• When the Americans took control over the country, they established their legacy. To mark the beginning of their occupation in the Philippines, they published the Official Gazette in August 23, 1898 to inform the 8,000 American soldiers of such military orders as the designation of the first provost marshal, commander of the guardia civil, collector of internal revenue, etc. (Fernandez, 1989, p. 323).
On February 1, 1900, Carson Taylor acquired the eight-month-old Manila Daily Bulletin as a paper carrying shipping notices, which he later institutionalized in the pink pulp. The Philippines has the largest English language broadsheet newspaper by circulation.
In the early 1900s, the second oldest newspaper was published in the Philippines and the second oldest English newspaper in the Far East. During this Period, other publications recorded the Americans' victory and conquest in studying and governing the island they had occupied. These publications include Philippine Free Press in 1907 founded by Judge Kincaid, The Bounding Billow, The American Soldier, The Manila Times on October 11, 1898, published by Thomas Cowan as the first American daily, and The American on October 15, 18981 established by Franklyn Brooks as the second American daily.
Japanese Period
• The Japanese dwelt more on controlling the press than establishing new ones. According to Fernandez, In 1989, many publications closed during this period. Those that remained to operate went under strict censorship. Because of this, the guerrilla press began to warn the Filipinos against collaborating with the Japanese. The colonizing power established and used the press to keep their grip on the colonized nation. The colonizing countries painted their picture of victory through the media; this is even more possible because the means to create such an image was initially made by the colonizing government itself.
Martial Law Period
Image source: https://martiallawmuseum.ph/magaral/breaking-the-news-silencing-the-media-under-martial-law/
• In 1972, Former President Ferdinand Marcos ordered all closure of media establishments in the country. Marcos issued Letter of Instruction No. 1, authorizing the military to take over major media outlets' assets nationwide. Marcos approved the order says that it was made to stop privately-owned mass media against the government. President Ferdinand Marcos also issued the PD No. 36 to remove all mass media facilities' franchises and licenses allegedly trying to topple the government.
With the declaration of Martial Law came the immediate order to take control
of the media. The government closed down many news and broadcasting companies.
Journalists who criticized the government were sent to military camp detentions at Camp
Crame or Fort Bonifacio. Only the cronies of the president were allowed to continue
publishing newspapers -- Han Menzi, the senior military aide of Ferdinand Marcos, headed
the Bulletin Today (The Manila Bulletin), Roberto Benedicto headed the Daily Express, and
Benjamin Romualdez, Marcos‘s brother-in-law published the Times Journal.
Image source: https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/how-marcos-silenced-media-press-freedom-martial-law
Post Martial Law Period
• When Martial Law ended, the press took back its freedom. Print and broadcast
companies closed down resumed operations. The democratic government, under President Corazon Aquino, revived the Constitution which shields the freedom of the press.
Image source: https://time.com/longform/press-freedom-southeast-asia/
Present Age
• The journalism landscape continues to evolve because of various factors such as
colonialism, technology, and capitalism. Despite the changes (for better or for worse), journalism continues to be relevant in Philippine history and present and future society.
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